Texas A&M Football: Projecting the offensive line depth chart

The SEC is a conference won in the trenches. Texas A&M football has a handful of big guys to do just that. Here’s what will the depth chart look like in 2017.

It’s clear to anyone who has watched more than 30 seconds of football that games are won in the trenches. Last year, Texas A&M had a young interior line bolstered by two future NFL players at tackle. Now Germain Ifedi and Jermaine Elumanor are playing for the Seahawks and Ravens, respectively, and the Aggies will look to replace them along the offensive front. Stepping up will be Connor Lanfear, Erik McCoy and Colton Prater, all three of whom saw time this past year.

After losing two linemen to the NFL, most teams would experience a dropoff in skill. But, in my opinion, the Aggies should see improved line play, especially as the year goes on. Texas A&M is in a great position to replace a few starters when they graduate, as opposed to having only one or two starters return.

What’s even better is that the line should see some players this year that will continue in their spot in 2018 or even 2019, building a great foundation for future dominant lines. This year should have pretty good play along the offensive front, but it sets up future years very well, especially with the underclassmen lower on the depth chart.

If they are able to gain experience, the Aggies could have a long string of good offensive lines. And that doesn’t even address the depth at the position that Kevin Sumlin and his staff have built over the past few years on the recruiting front.