This Is Michigan's Best Offensive Line Ever

Michigan has had star-studded offensive lines for decades but the 2023 version could be the best ever.

Michigan has now won the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation's best offensive line, two years in a row, which has never happened before. Offensive line coach Sherrone Moore seems to be a wunderkind when it comes to developing linemen and he's only getting better. When you combine what Moore is capable of, with Michigan's embarrassment of riches in the offensive line room, you have what mind up being the best and deepest offensive line in U-M history. There might not be a top-ten or even a first-round draft pick on the OL, but top to bottom, it's as strong as its ever been.

Left Guard & Right Guard

Let's get the locks out of the way. When left guard Trevor Keegan and right guard Zak Zinter announced they they'd be returning, things got a lot easier up front for Moore and Michigan. Keegan and Zinter might make up the best guard duo in the country and they'll also help out with whoever ends up playing between them at center and out on the edges at both tackle spots.

If either of them were to get dinged up, Gio El-Hadi showed last season that he's more than capable of filling in. Versatile linemen Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones could also likely fill in at guard in a pinch depending on where the two right tackles end up playing. Arizona State transfer LaDarius Henderson also has experience at guard so he could help out if necessary depending on where he ends up at.

Center

Losing a guy like Rimington Award winner Olu Oluwatimi hurts, but all Michigan did was go back to the portal and find a Rimington Award watch lister in Drake Nugent to replace him. The Stanford transfer is obviously a smart guy and he's got two years of eligibility left. The 6-1, 300-pounder started 12 games for the Cardinal last year, which obviously means he's ready for the field. Michigan has some youngsters waiting in the wings, but they have zero starts and very little playing time period under their belts. Will he be able to stave off those young, up-and-comers in Raheem Anderson, Reece Atteberry and Greg Crippen? That remains to be seen, but the whole situations seems perfect for Nugent to slide right in and pick up where Olu left off.

Left Tackle & Right Tackle

The two tackle spots are where things get really interesting. 

Michigan started both Jones (6 games) and Barnhart (8 games) at right tackle last year, and Barnhart actually started six games at left tackle and two games at left guard in the past as well, so he has a lot of position versatility. Andrew Gentry is also on the roster now after completing his Mormon mission right after high school and spending a year in the program getting some of his football strength back. The 6-7, 312-pounder looks to have the size and ability to play either tackle position if need be. Now you throw in former five-star and Stanford Cardinal right tackle Myles Hinton, and you have a major log jam. Hinton started 16 games at right tackle over the last two seasons and goes 6-7, 320 pounds. He's bigger and bulkier than Barnhart and Jones, but not quite as athletic in space. It's going to be really interesting to see how things play out at that spot. 

At left tackle, you have Jeff Persi returning, who did start a game in 2022 in Ryan Hayes' absence. At 6-8, 309 pounds, Persi has that prototypical build for a left tackle with the desired length capable of protecting a right-handed quarterback's blind side. He hasn't played much, but he's been groomed to be the next guy. That seemed to be the direction until Michigan inked Henderson, who started 29 games during his time as a Sun Devil, including nine at left tackle. That means he's obviously more experienced at left guard, but at 6-5, 310 pounds, Henderson can play LT. Obviously Barnhart has done it before, and in theory, Jones could play on the left side as well. At 6-8, 311 pounds, Tristan Bounds is also an interesting player, but he's played in just four games in mop-up time during his two-year stint at U-M so far.

However it shakes out, you are going to have some really talented and capable offensive linemen not starting for Michigan in the fall. There's just so much depth and so many versatile players on the roster that some really good players are going to be watching from the sidelines. Of course, depth is crucial in the trenches, and Michigan has plenty of it. It's now up to Sherrone Moore to find the five best, get them to jell and chase another Joe Moore Award.