Fall camp position Breakdown: Offensive Line

8/9/2018 3:00:00 PM | Football

By: by Josh Vardaman

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Another great offensive year from Middle Tennessee could be dependent on how well its line plays.

The Blue Raiders featured one of the better offensive lines in Conference USA for a couple of years, finishing third in 2015 and first in 2016 in sacks allowed. However, in 2017, they took a step back, allowing 25 sacks to finish ninth in the league.

In order to get back to where head coach Rick Stockstill wants to be, the offensive line will need a big group of returners to step their game up this season.

Here are the linemen on the roster:

PROJECTED STARTERS
Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin: "Carlos [Johnson] and Chandler [Brewer] played like pros in the spring. They're good enough to be pros but they hadn't played like it before.

"We got better in the spring. I feel really good about where we are there right now."

Left Tackle

Carlos Johnson, R-Sr., 6-3, 338
Notable:

Most Improved Offensive Lineman award (spring 2018)
One of four players to play and start in all 13 games in 2017
8 starts at tackles, 5 at guard in 2017
Averaged 73 snaps per game (led offensive linemen) in 2017
Nashville native (Pearl Cohn High School)
All-state (2013)

Left Guard

Robert Behanan, R-Sr., 6-3, 298
Notable:

Honorable Mention All-Conference USA (2017)
Most Improved Offensive Lineman award (spring 2017)
10 of 11 starts came at center in 2017
Started at left tackle in Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Missed 2018 spring drills while recovering from offseason surgery
Fairfield, Ohio native (Fairfield High School)

Center

Josh Fannin, R-Jr., 6-3, 281
Notable:

Missed all of 2016 due to injury
Started last three 3 games of 2017 at center
Hoschton, Georgia native (Mill Creek High School)
Competed in the National Underclassmen All-American Game as a sophomore (2012)

Right Guard

Chandler Brewer, Sr., 6-6, 320
Notable:

Preseason All-Conference USA (2018)
Honorable Mention All-C-USA (2016, 2017)
36 career games started
All-C-USA Freshman Team (2015)
Permanent team captain
Florence, Alabama native (Florence High School)
All-state as a senior (2014)

Right Tackle

Amir Luckett, Jr., 6-2, 267
Notable:

6 starts, 5 at right tackle, in 2017
Transfer from Scottsdale Community College (2017)
Waddell, Arizona native (Shadow Ridge High School)
Lettered in football and basketball

PROJECTED NEXT FIVE
Tony Franklin: "Our depth is better this year. I feel good about the guys we can plug in. It's definitely not a question like it was last year – last year, it was a question going in and really a question when we started playing. They started playing better towards the end of the year, and we had a really good spring."

Left Tackle

Cole Kirby, R-Fr., 6-4, 313
Notable:

Redshirted in 2017
Franklin, Kentucky native (Simpson High School)
All-state (2016)
Academic all-state (2016)
Mechatronics engineering major

Left Guard

Jack Mitchell, R-Sr., 6-2, 297
Notable:

Played in 7 games as a backup in 2017
Saw action on 65 snaps
Murfreesboro native (Riverdale High School)
Lettered in football and track and field

Center

Luke Harris, R-So., 6-4, 292
Notable:

Played in 12 games in 2017, mostly on special teams
Played at Fork Union Military Academy in 2015
Lafayette, Indiana native (Lafayette High School)
All-state (2014)
Male All-Sport Sportsmanship and Academic Excellence awards

Right Guard

Angelo Owens, R-Sr., 6-4, 295
Notable:

Transfer from Dodge City Community College (2016)
Missed 2017 season due to injury in preseason
Deerfield Beach, Florida native (Winter Park High School)

Right Tackle

Will Gilchrist, Jr., 6-3, 275
Notable:

Transfer from Blinn College (2018)
Started 10 games at tackle in 2017
Pasadena, Texas native (Deer Park High School)

Other Linemen

DJ Delfendahl, R-Fr., 6-4, 291
Notable:

Missed spring drills due to injury (2018)
Redshirted in 2017
Suffered injury prior to Week 2 and was lost for rest of 2017 season
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee native (Mt. Juliet High School)
Mr. Football finalist (2016)
All-state (2016)
USA Today 2^nd Team All-USA Tennessee (2016)

Eric Golston, R-Jr., 6-3, 307
Notable:

Redshirted in 2017
Transfer from Cerritos College (2017)
Long Beach, California native (St. John Bosco High School)
Helped team to state title (2014)

Ty Watkins, R-Sr., 6-1, 291
Notable:

Played in all 13 games, made 2 starts at tight end in 2017
1 receiving TD in 2017
Transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M (2016)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native (Westmoore High School)
6A Offensive Lineman of the Year (2013)

Jahlil Ryles, Fr., 6-3, 314
Notable:

Phoenix City, Alabama native (Central High School)
Two-time all-state (2016, 2017)
Helped team to an 11-1 record in 2017

Marcus Greer, Fr., 6-3, 299
Notable:

St. Louis, Missouri native (Chaminade College Prep)
All-state (2017)
St. Louis Offensive Lineman of the Year (2017)

Eric Seay, R-Fr., 6-1, 319
Notable:

Redshirted in 2017
Albany, Georgia native (Monroe High School)
Lettered in football, wrestling and track and field

Matt Martin, R-So., 6-3, 289
Notable:

Transfer from Trinity Valley Community College (2018)
NJCAA First Team All-American (2017)
Pasadena, Texas native (Deer Park High School)
Honorable mention all-state in academics (2015)

Jared Roberts, R-Fr., 6-2, 279
Notable:

Redshirted in 2017
Lynnville, Tennessee native (Giles County High School)
4.0 GPA in high school
Nursing major

Tyler Falvey, Fr., 6-4, 321
Notable:

Altamonte Springs, Florida native (Lake Brantley High School)
National Honor Society member
Eagle Scout

Dawson Bragg, Fr., 6-6, 303
Notable:

Goodlettsville, Tennessee native (White House High School)
Didn't play football his junior year
All-state (2017)

Blake Catlett, R-So., 6-1, 283
Notable:

Jackson, Tennessee native (Chester County High School)
All-region (2014)
West Tennessee All-Star team (2015)

Tyler Thurman, R-Fr., 6-2, 284
Notable:

Kingston, Tennessee native (Roane County High School)
All-state (2017)
Region Offensive Lineman of the Year (2016)
77 tackles, 13 TFLs, 3 pass breakups, 3 FR, 2 sacks in 2017

Jacob King, Fr., 6-4, 313
Notable:

Brentwood, Tennessee native (John Overton High School)
First team all-Nashville (2017)
Finalist for the William P. Lawrence Award (top scholar-athlete)

Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.