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Talent is everything in the world of college football, which in turn makes versatility one of the most coveted attributes in a college athlete behind raw talent itself.
You see, versatility allows a player to use his talent in a number of different ways, which allows his coach more flexibility in maximizing the amount of talent he can put on the field at one time.
Versatility is especially important along the offensive line, where it appears to the naked eye as though all five positions are the same, while in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. We often take for granted the players who can play multiple positions along the line, assuming if you can block you can play anywhere up front.
But players who can play multiple positions along the line are some of the most valuable to their respective teams. Versatility up front allows a coach to ensure his five best linemen are on the field at once, a luxury not all coaches are able to enjoy.
So in honor of Offensive Line Week at SDS, let’s celebrate the SEC’s most versatile offensive linemen returning to the conference in 2015:
Vadal Alexander, LSU: The only constant throughout Alexander’s career at LSU is the lack of a constant. He started nine games at right tackle as a true freshman in 2012, then started 13 games at left guard in 2013. Last season, he maintained his spot at left guard, but following the departure of star offensive tackle La’el Collins for the NFL, Alexander has moved back to right tackle for his senior season in 2015. The NFL prospect can play inside or outside and on both sides of the line, making every job he’s held look easy. His versatility will surely benefit him at the next level.
Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M: Like Alexander, Ifedi is an upperclassmen who has started for his entire career but has yet to hold the same position on the line in consecutive seasons. He started 13 games at right guard as a redshirt freshman in 2013, and last season he started all 13 of A&M’s games at right tackle, sliding outside after earning freshman All-America honors the year before. He’s now poised to move to left tackle to replace departing talent Cedric Ogbuehi, who will be selected in April’s NFL Draft. Ifedi has the raw intangibles of a superstar on the offensive line, and the Aggies ability to replace on NFL-bound offensive tackle with another NFL-caliber talent capable of filling multiple roles is rare. If A&M succumbs to injury troubles along the line, Ifedi could be one of the team’s most valuable assets.
Brad McNulty, Missouri: McNulty was recruited as a guard out of high school but moved to center in 2012 after redshirting in 2011. He started five games at center in 2012, holding down the fort as Missouri endured the injury bug, then transitioned back to the bench in 2013 where he served as a backup at both center and guard. Last season he started 10 games at left guard, and he’s expected to be a full-time starter at one of the guard spots again in 2015 as a redshirt senior. However, McNulty’s versatility was best exemplified by his five starts at center, a position he’d virtually never played before arriving at Missouri. He played the position at a high level in the daunting SEC, and now can add depth at the center spot in addition to guard. Finding reliable depth at center is always a challenge in college football, but McNulty makes Gary Pinkel’s job just at least much easier.
Ethan Pocic, LSU: Pocic was recruited as an offensive tackle, and his mammoth 6-foot-7 frame is that of a traditional offensive tackle in the SEC, but the rising junior has proven his versatility during his two-year career at LSU by spending most of that time playing the center position. He started one game at center in place of Elliott Porter as a true freshman in 2013, and spelled Porter a handful of other times throughout the year. He held down a starting position full-time last season, starting all 12 games he played at both guard and center, and he could start at center or guard in ’15. His stellar play no matter where he lines up only further proves how versatile he is as an all-around offensive lineman.
Avery Young, Auburn: Young began his career as an offensive tackle, starting 12 games at right tackle in 2012-13, but he was asked to move positions prior to the start of last season and handled the move with grace. Despite having never played the guard position in his life, Young moved inside to left guard, changing positions and sides of the line all in one fell swoop. He started all 12 games he appeared in last season from the left guard spot, and helped pave the way for the SEC’s leading rusher for the second year in a row (Tre Mason in 2013, Cameron Artis-Payne in 2014). Young may not be a household name, but he’s as well-rounded as any offensive lineman in the conference, and his position change last season cemented that fact.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
