For the first time (ever?) in the playoff era, the Pac-12 has the best collection of quarterback talent from top-to-bottom when compared to the rest of the conferences. But just like the Big 12 and Big 10, these elite quarterbacks are no good without their respective offensive line units. When it comes to the talent along the offensive line, the best coming back from the upcoming 2023 season lacks the national brand names we might normally associate with top-tier talent. In fact, this collective unit of the best Pac-12 offensive linemen returning in 2023 has one school occupying three of the five positions but could not claim the top spot.
Best Pac 12 Offensive Linemen
5. Jake Levengood- Oregon State
Last season’s breakout team was the Oregon State Beavers, going 10-3 with a bowl victory in Jonathan Smith’s fifth season in Corvallis. As he continues to build and ascend this program to heights to rival the peak of the Mike Riley years, he has a major talent edge in the foundation of his offensive attack. Jake Levengood started all 13 games for Oregon State last year at center. He is entering his super senior season with the Beavers and looks to build on his overall block skills. Levengood excelled in run blocking in 2022. According to Pro Football Focus, he graded at 80.2 in run blocking, which was good for eighth among offensive linemen in the Pac-12. Levengood also ranks amongst the top centers returning in the entire country. He is in good company, as some of his teammates will accompany him in the best Pac-12 offensive linemen unit.
4. Taliese Fuaga- Oregon State
Levengood’s teammate Taliese Fuaga’s performance in 2022 earned him second-team All-Pac 12 honors. The offensive tackle ranks in the PFF’s top 10 returning tackle in the nation for the 2023 season. The 6-foot-6, 326 lbs tackle demonstrated excellent upper body strength last season, allowing him to toss defenders around. Another season of development could start to grab the attention of NFL scouts for the 2024 draft.
3. Troy Fautanu – Washington
The first non-Beaver to make the best Pac-12 offensive linemen team returning in 2023 is Troy Fautanu. The Huskies had a tremendous first year under new head coach Kalen Deboer. A big part of that was due to Fauntanu holding up for quarterback Michael Penix Jr’s blind side. Fautanu started all 13 games last year, spending most of his time at left tackle with one start at left guard against Stanford. His outstanding play earned him second-team All-Pac 12 honors. Coming into this season, Fauntanu was named to Atholon’s preseason fourth-team All-American team. The 6-foot-4, 312-pound junior from Henderson, Nevada, has never missed anytime due to injury in his four seasons on campus with the Huskies. One last great season from him should land him on an NFL roster in 2024.
2. Joshua Gray – Oregon State
The third and final Oregon State Beaver on this best Pac-12 offensive linemen squad is Joshua Gray. He has started 33 consecutive games for the Beavers and enters his last season with big expectations. The second-team All-Pac 12 performer will be the best overall NFL prospect for the Oregon State team in 2023. His 85.8 mark in run blocking ranked him third among all Pac-12 offensive linemen in 2022. Gray was also recently named to Athlon’s preseason first-team All-Pac 12 team. Gray will be the anchor for the Oregon State team returning four of five starters along their offensive line.
The Best Pac 12 Offensive Linemen Is Sataoa Laumea – Utah (1st team)
Sataoa Laumea is the only returning offensive lineman was earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2022. The former four-star recruit from Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, has appeared in 33 career games. Thirty-two of those games have been starts where he has seen significant time at right guard (19 games) and right tackle (13 games). He was the focal point for a Utes rushing attack that averaged 217.6 yards per game. That ranked 11th in all of FBS and second in the Pac 12. If Utah plans to build off another Rose Bowl appearance, it will start with Laumea giving space and time for his playmakers to operate with the ball.
