Top 5 Notre Dame Offensive Linemen

Breaking down the five best offensive linemen to play at Notre Dame in the last three decades.

The list of the five best Notre Dame offensive linemen I’ve seen was incredibly challenging. I ended up having a tie for fifth, but there were some tremendous blockers left off this list.

Most of my lists will be looking at Notre Dame players from 1988 to the present, but this list is a bit different. I just don’t have the same recollection of specific offensive linemen from 1988 to 1991 as I do skill players. That is why you won’t find All-Americans like Tim Grunhard and Mirko Jurkovic on this list.

There are still All-Americans like Mike McGlinchey, Braxton Cave, Mike Gandy, Jeremy Akers and Ryan Leahy, and high draft picks like Chris Watt, Ryan Harris and Nick Martin not on the list.

But here’s my list:

1. QUENTON NELSON (2014-17)

Nelson was part of two of the very best offensive lines Notre Dame had in the last two decades. He was very good in 2015 and 2016, but his 2017 season was easily the best I’ve ever seen from a Notre Dame blocker. Nelson’s level of physical dominance was truly elite, and honestly not something I’ve seen from any college offensive lineman since Orlando Pace back in the 1990’s. On top of being physically dominant, Nelson also played sound football, not giving up a single sack or hit on the quarterback the entire 2017 campaign.

Notre Dame set a school record with a 7.02 yards per play mark in 2015, and Nelson was a key figure. Its 6.25 yards per rush in 2017 was the third best mark in the entire country. Notre Dame rushed for 215.8 yards per game and 5.6 yards per rush in games that Nelson started. During the Brian Kelly tenure, Notre Dame rushed for just 164.2 yards and 4.54 yards per carry in games Nelson didn’t play.

Nelson was a three-year starter, and earned All-American honors in two of those seasons. He was an Associated Press second team All-American after the 2016 campaign, but his breakout came in 2017. Nelson was named just the sixth unanimous All-American offensive lineman to ever play at Notre Dame, and just the third since 1966.

The Indianapolis Colts picked him with the 6th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.

2. AARON TAYLOR (1990-93)

A strong case could be made (and I’d love to hear the arguments for it on Champion’s Lounge) that Taylor is the best offensive lineman to play at Notre Dame in the last thirty years. As good as Nelson was, Taylor was actually the more decorated player.

Taylor was a three-year starter, with two being at left guard and one being at left tackle. The former Irish star earned consensus All-American honors in 1992 as a guard, and he earned unanimous All-American honors as a tackle in 1993. He and Nelson are the only two Irish blockers since 1981 to earn that unanimous honor. Nelson also won the Lombardi Award in 1993, which at the time went to either an offensive lineman, defensive lineman or linebacker.

Notre Dame averaged 248.4 rushing yards per game and 5.41 yards per attempt in Taylor’s three years as a starter. If you like watching a physical, dominating line go back and watch clips of Taylor and the 1993 line. He was chosen by the Green Bay Packers with the 16th overall pick of the 1994 NFL Draft.

Taylor was a special player, and he was certainly more decorated than Nelson. It could be argued that Taylor was better over the course of all three seasons, but I’m giving Nelson the nod for two reasons. One, as good as Taylor was in 1993 I believe Nelson was even better in 2017. Two, Taylor played in a relatively one-dimensional offense, which made it easier for him to be that dominant.

3. ZACK MARTIN (2009-13)

The next player on my list is the least decorated lineman on the list, but the fact Zack Martin didn’t make more All-American honors still blows my mind. Forget what he’s done in the NFL, I’m talking about what he did as a college football player.

Martin was a four-year starter at left tackle. The Indiana native was never as physically dominant as Nelson or Taylor, but he was incredibly sound and won snap after snap after snap with a combination of toughness, great technique and effort. Go watch him play against Stanford in 2012 and 2013 to get a clear view of what I’m talking about.

The Irish offense lacked an identity during his tenure, and that actually adds to how good Martin was. They were more of a running team in 2012, but the 2011 and 2013 teams - especially the 2013 offense - were more pass oriented. Martin was the best blocker on the 2012 line that fueled an undefeated regular season. In 2013, the Irish line was the nation’s best in pass protection, giving up just eight sacks, and Martin was clearly the best player on that offense.

Martin earned second team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation after the 2012 season. It’s highway robbery that Martin didn’t earn All-American honors in 2013. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 16th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, and he’s since developed into the best guard in the NFL.

4. RONNIE STANLEY (2012-15)

Stanley started at right tackle opposite Martin in 2013, which meant he was part of the nation’s best pass blocking unit. Notre Dame did not win the Joe Moore Award in 2015, but it should have, and Stanley was the best player for that group while playing left tackle.

The Las Vegas native was a bit inconsistent during his first two seasons as a starter, but you could see the potential. When he was on his game he played like a first-round draft pick. Despite Notre Dame losing the final four games of the 2014 season, Stanley stood in the end zone as LSU ran onto the field for the Music City Bowl and let the entire Tigers team know about what he was about to do, and then he went out and played brilliant football.

Stanley was far more consistent in 2015, and his brilliance as a blocker shined through week after week. Stanley was a quality run blocker throughout his career, but it was in the pass game where he was at his best.

Following the 2015 season he was named a consensus All-American, earning first-team honors from the AFCA, the Football Writers Association of America, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sporting News, ESPN and CBS. He was picked by the Baltimore Ravens with the 6th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.

T-5. JEFF FAINE (1999-2002)

Faine was one of my favorite offensive linemen to watch beyond being one of the best. He wasn’t the biggest guy and certainly didn’t have the measurables of the other studs on this list, but he was an absolute warrior when he donned a golden helmet.

The former Irish center was a physical blocker that played with a mean streak. He was a quality athlete, but it was his mauling style that made him so much fun to watch. Unfortunately for Faine, outside of 2002 he didn’t play on as good of teams as the other players on this list.

Faine earned first-team All-American honors from Sporting News and ESPN following the 2012 season. The Cleveland Browns drafted Faine with the 21st overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.

T-5. TIM RUDDY (1990-1993)

A teammate of Taylor, Ruddy was more like Martin than he was other dominant players on this list. A mechanical engineering major, Ruddy was a smart player and sound technician. But make no mistake, he would also battle and scrap. It’s part of the reason he actually started more NFL games than anyone else on this list.

Ruddy was overshadowed a bit by the brilliance of Taylor, but he still managed to earn first team All-American honors from the College and Pro Football Newsweekly in 1993. He earned second team honors from the AP, UPI and Football News following that season.

The Miami Dolphins selected him in the second round of the 1994 Draft, taking him with the No. 65 overall pick. He spent 10 years with the Dolphins and started 140 games. 

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