Pewter Report analyzes the top players in the 2026 NFL Draft with its position previews. Scott Reynolds starts this interior offensive linemen preview by offering a comprehensive look at what the Bucs have and what they need at guard and center.

Bailey Adams then analyzes a detailed list of this year’s top interior offensive line prospects, while Reynolds provides the annual Pewter Report Bucs Best Bets – the most likely interior lineman for the Bucs to select in Rounds 1-3 and in Rounds 4-7.

What The Bucs Have At Interior Offensive Line

When healthy, Tampa Bay might have the NFL’s best offensive line, and that includes two good starting guards in Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson. Mauch has been a fixture at right guard since being drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft and is entering a contract year. He’s coming off a season-ending knee injury that he suffered in Week 2 at Houston that wiped out much of his third season in Tampa Bay. Mauch recently told Pewter Report that he’s fully healthy and up to 325 pounds this offseason.

Bredeson turned a small, one-year prove-it deal in 2024 into a lucrative contract extension worth $22 million over three years. He also proved his versatility by starting at center for the first three games of the year while Graham Barton moved from center to left tackle to fill in for the injured Tristan Wirfs to start the season. Bredeson wound up missing six games last year due to knee and hamstring injuries.

Bucs G Ben Bredeson and C Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That forced the Bucs to start a pair of practice squad guards – Dan Feeney and Mike Jordan – in place of Bredeson and Mauch and the offense suffered as a result. Jordan wasn’t re-signed this offseason, but the team brought Feeney back on a cheap, one-year deal to compete for a depth spot on the offensive line.

Barton is entering his third season as the team’s starting center after being a first-round pick in 2024. He’s been solid, but needs to live up to his vast potential and take the next step towards becoming a Pro Bowler by continuing to develop his core strength to better anchor against bull rushing nose tackles in pass protection. Barton is a very good run blocker due to his strength and athleticism. He just needs to become more dominant on a down in and down out basis.

Tampa Bay also has a couple of young reserve interior offensive linemen in Elijah Klein, Luke Haggard and Ben Scott, who will compete with Feeney for a backup job. Klein and Scott can also snap and play center, which helps their versatility.

What The Bucs Need At Interior Offensive Line

The Bucs don’t have a pressing need to draft an interior offensive lineman this year. Center Graham Barton is under contract for two more years and then has the fifth-year option available as a first-round pick. Left guard Ben Bredeson is under contract through 2027, while right guard Cody Mauch is entering a contract year. Yet the team hopes that Mauch can successfully return from season-ending knee surgery and have a great 2026 season to earn a long-term contract extension.

However, that won’t stop the Bucs from drafting another interior offensive lineman to upgrade the team’s depth. The Bucs had to rely on veteran practice squad guards Mike Jordan and Dan Feeney too often last year and it affected everything from the interior running game to protecting Baker Mayfield. General manager Jason Licht loves drafting offensive linemen because he believes games are won in the trenches.

So if Penn State’s Vega Ioane, who is the top guard prospect in this year’s draft, is available at No. 15 he will get some consideration from Tampa Bay. Otherwise the Bucs might look to the middle rounds or on Day 3 to try to find an upgrade at guard.

Top Interior Offensive Linemen In 2026 NFL Draft

*Important Note: These players are NOT listed in the order of Pewter Report’s ranking for them. Rather, the numbers are provided to show you the rough order in which we expect them to come off the board during the draft.

1. Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane – Redshirt Junior – 6-4, 320, N/A

Ioane is the consensus No. 1 interior offensive lineman in this class and the only one expected to be drafted in the first round. He started 32 games and played in 44 at left guard during his time with Penn State and was a complete mauler in the run game, burying defenders with impressive consistency. He has powerful hands that he uses to his advantage in pass protection and plays with a high compete level, something he prides himself on.

After dropping 20 pounds to get to 325 as a sophomore, Ioane truly looks the part of an NFL guard and everything he showed on tape with the Nittany Lions – from his physicality to his smooth footwork and flexibility – says he’ll be extremely successful as a professional for a long time to come. He’s earned rave reviews for already carrying himself like a pro, so expect him to be an easy plug-and-play at either guard spot in his rookie campaign.

Penn State OG Vega Ioane – Photo by: IMAGN Images

2. Texas A&M G Chase Bisontis – Junior – 6-5, 315, 5.02

Bisontis was an immediate starter at Texas A&M, starting all 13 games he played in as a freshman in 2023. Playing 12 games at right tackle and one at right guard, he earned Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman honors. He then kicked inside full-time in 2024, starting 10 games at left guard before playing 13 games and starting 12 at left guard in 2025. He decided to skip his senior year and enter the draft.

Bisontis has a sturdy build that he translates into good raw strength that helps him handle defenders in space as a puller. That strength is on full display in the weight room, too, where he pulled off a 705-pound squat and earned major praise from longtime strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt. He’ll have to clean up his penalty problems, having been flagged 19 times over three seasons, but he’s young enough to break some bad habits and become more disciplined.

3. Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon – Sixth-Year Senior – 6-4, 314, 5.21

Pregnon was undersized and struggled to get the attention of college programs, and he was originally a zero-star recruit out of high school. But the week before signing day, he got his first and only FBS offer from Wyoming. He transformed his body over the 2020 and 2021 seasons there, then broke out as a Freshman All-American with 11 starts at right guard in 2022. After starting 25 games over the next two seasons at USC, Pregnon finished his collegiate career with an All-American season at Oregon in 2025.

Considering he started his college career in 2020, Pregnon is an older prospect. He’ll be a 25-year old rookie in 2026, but he’s been extremely durable in recent years, finishing his career with 40 straight starts. He has the right frame and power to do work in the run game, plus he anchors well in pass protection. He did play some right guard, but he was more comfortable on the left side, which could limit his versatility at the next level.

4. Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge – Senior – 6-3, 316, 5.05

Rutledge began his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee, earning CUSA All-Freshman honors in 2022 and a First Team All-CUSA selection in 2023. He then transferred to Georgia Tech, where he started 26 straight games at right guard between 2024 and 2025 with First Team All-American selections in both years. A team captain at both Middle Tennessee and Georgia Tech, Rutledge is a great athlete, has a good build and plays with a nasty demeanor, which shows up in the way he finishes blocks.

Medicals are the big hangup with Rutledge, specifically with his left foot. He missed spring football in 2024 after suffering injuries in a major car accident in December of 2023. He had surgery to repair a fractured left big toe, but when the bone didn’t set right and he developed an infection, he had to have a second surgery the next month. That hasn’t affected him in the last couple of years, but it’s something teams will have to be comfortable with in order to draft him. He’s been a guard his whole career, but he’s also been working at center during the pre-draft process.

5. Auburn C Connor Lew – Junior – 6-3, 310, N/A

Lew was a 25-game starter at center over the last three years at Auburn. He burst onto the scene as a Freshman All-American in 2023 and started all 12 of the Tigers’ games in 2024, but he missed the final six games of the 2025 season with a left knee injury. Despite only playing half of the season as a junior, Lew decided to enter the NFL Draft instead of returning for his senior season. Notably, he graduated from Auburn in just three years.

Lew is quick off the snap and has active hands both in the run game and as a pass blocker. He’s a mentally advanced player, as he’s able to make calls and locate blitzers with ease despite his younger age. And while he is a younger prospect, he’s no stranger to leadership roles, having stepped into one as a sophomore before becoming a team captain as a junior. He’s recovering from a torn ACL right now, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp.

Auburn C Connor Lew – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Steve Roberts

6. Kansas State C Sam Hecht – Redshirt Senior – 6-4, 303, 5.10

Weighing just 245 pounds as an offensive lineman, Hecht was a no-star recruit and wound up taking a walk-on opportunity at Kansas State. He was a walk-on for three seasons before being put on scholarship following the 2023 campaign. From there, he was a 25-game starter over his final two seasons with the Wildcats. He was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection in 2024 and a First Team selection in 2025.

Despite having average length that can give him trouble against longer-armed defenders, Hecht has added to his frame over the years and now has a good base to work with in pass protection. And despite having to add that weight, he didn’t lose his athleticism and quick feet. Between his ability to develop his body while retaining his fluidity, his discipline (zero penalties last year), his intelligence and his work ethic, Hecht has managed to transform himself from a three-year walk-on into a good NFL prospect likely to be drafted late on Day 2 or early on Day 3.

7. Iowa C Logan Jones – Sixth-Year Senior – 6-2, 299, 4.90

Jones enrolled at Iowa as a 260-pound defensive tackle and stayed on that side of the ball in 2020 and 2021 before moving to center ahead of the 2022 season. Once he made that move, he started 51 games between 2022 and 2025, rounding out his impressive career with the Hawkeyes by becoming a unanimous All-American and Joe Moore Award winner as a sixth-year senior.

Jones moves extremely well, plays with discipline (he wasn’t flagged over his final 17 games at Iowa) and is a menace in the weight room. He owns the Iowa record with a 700-pound squat, which is saying something given the offensive line pedigree that program has (which the Bucs are certainly familiar with). The issue is that he’s still undersized despite adding weight since his days as a defensive tackle, and his frame is maxed out. Still, he does just about everything well and should be a mid-round pick.

Iowa C Logan Jones – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Nathan Ray Seebeck

8. Kentucky G Jalen Famer – Redshirt Junior – 6-4, 312, 4.93

After he spent two seasons at Florida with very little action, Farmer transferred to Kentucky. In Lexington, he started 24 games at right guard over two seasons. At 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, the 21-year-old has an NFL body, and he uses it well both at the point of attack and as he finishes blocks. His hands are strong and he moves well, plus the combination of impressive discipline (one penalty in 2025) and the fact that he captained the Wildcats in four games last year reflect well on him.

Farmer gets the job done both as a run blocker and in pass protection, and with some more time to develop under NFL coaching, he’s a player who should only get better and better.

9. Florida C Jake Slaughter – Redshirt Senior – 6-4, 303, 5.10

A product of Ocala, Slaughter was originally committed to Florida State before flipping to Florida and going on to spend five years with the Gators. He redshirted in 2021 and appeared in 13 games during the 2022 season before finally starting eight games at center in 2023. He then started 25 games at center between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, earning two Second Team All-American selections and a First Team All-SEC nod as a redshirt senior.

Slaughter is densely built and technically sound, both of which are important traits given his average athletic traits. The processing side of his game is exceptional, too, and he is known to be a hard worker and good leader, evidenced by his two years as a team captain for the Gators. He’s a smart, assignment-sound player who does the little things well to make up for his lack of elite traits.

Florida C Jake Slaughter – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Maria Lysaker

10. Duke IOL Brian Parker II – Redshirt Junior – 6-5, 309, 5.14

Parker was a tackle at Duke, starting 27 games at right tackle and six at left tackle during his career with the Blue Devils. He’s a strong, physical presence who has filled out his frame well and uses it to engage defenders with aggression. And while he logged all of his 2,335 offensive snaps in college at tackle, he’ll follow in the footsteps of former Duke offensive tackle-turned-Bucs center Graham Barton and convert to the interior in the NFL.

Parker’s arm length is the primary reason why he’ll be kicked inside in the NFL, and while his lack of length can cost him when it comes to recovery and he has no experience on the interior, his football IQ and overall feel for the game should make the transition relatively smooth. He worked at center during the East-West Shrine Bowl, but he could have the versatility necessary to fill in at guard, too.

11. Texas A&M IOL Trey Zuhn III – Redshirt Senior – 6-6, 312, 5.00

Zuhn is another prospect who will look to go from offensive tackle to the interior of the offensive line at the next level. He started 49 games at left tackle and one at center for Texas A&M between 2022 and 2025, and he said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he has repped at every spot along the offensive line and is prepared to play anywhere he’s asked to play. That kind of mentality is why he earned such high praise from his coaches and was a great team player and two-time team captain.

As you would expect for a tackle-turned-interior lineman, Zuhn has an athletic build and plays with great smarts. He’s rarely fooled by defenders and always stays under control with his movements. But as a short-armed blocker, he can lose against longer defenders and can be put on his heels by quicker rushers. Despite that, his positional flexibility and overall makeup should see him succeed in the NFL.

12. Notre Dame G Billy Schrauth – Redshirt Junior – 6-4, 310, N/A

After redshirting in 2022 and starting the final three games in 2023, Schrauth became a 12-game starter for Notre Dame in 2024, with nine starts at left guard and three at right guard. He then earned Second Team All-American honors after starting seven games at left guard for the Fighting Irish in 2025. Despite having another year of eligibility, he opted to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Schrauth has a strong, athletic build with impressive mass in his upper half. His quick processing, mean temperament and blue-collar background earned him a whole lot of praise during his time in South Bend, and he was one of six team captains for Notre Dame in 2025. The worry with him is his injury history. He had foot surgery after his senior year of high school and missed spring practices in 2022 as a result before redshirting that season. He then missed four games as a sophomore with a right ankle injury that required surgery and then missed the final five games in 2025 due to a left MCL sprain.

Notre Dame G Billy Schrauth – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Michael Clubb

Best Of The Rest

13. Iowa G Beau Stephens – Redshirt Senior – 6-5, 315, 5.35

Stephens has a well-developed build, which he uses to his advantage as he plays with a strong base in his pass sets. He’s a physical force in the run game, too, and with 24 starts at left guard and 10 at right guard, he has experience on both sides of the line. He has also repped at center during the pre-draft process, which could give him even more versatility at the next level.

14. Missouri G Keagen Trost – Seventh-Year Senior – 6-4, 311, N/A

Trost’s journey has been a long one, as he went from Morgan State in 2019 to Indiana State from 2020-2023 to Wake Forest in 2024 and then finally to Missouri in 2025. He started 32 games at right tackle, 13 at left tackle and one at right guard during his collegiate career, and he’ll transition to the interior full-time in the NFL.

15. Auburn G Jeremiah Wright – Sixth-Year Senior – 6-5, 331, N/A

Wright signed with Auburn as an offensive lineman before switching to defensive line. He flipped between offense and defense before finding a home at guard for good in 2022. He has a wide frame and is extremely powerful at the point of attack, plus he’s a nasty finisher. But he’s still developing his recovery skills and may be more of a developmental type of player for now despite his advanced age as a prospect.

16. Kentucky C Jager Burton – Redshirt Senior – 6-5, 323, N/A

Burton has positional flexibility along the interior of the offensive line, with 23 starts at left guard, 15 at center and nine at right guard during his Kentucky career. He’s a solid athlete and began to show some real development later in his time with the Wildcats, but the processing side of the game will need continued improvement if he’s going to succeed at a high level in the NFL.

17. Alabama C Parker Brailsford – Redshirt Junior – 6-1, 289, 4.95

Brailsford was a Freshman All-American at Washington in 2023 before following head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama in 2024. Over two years with the Crimson Tide, he started 27 games at center and displayed a great deal of explosiveness and fluidity. He’s undersized both in length and mass, plus he struggled with penalties, but his work ethic and toughness are off the charts.

Alabama C Parker Brailsford – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Mark J. Rebilas

18. Michigan State C Matt Gulbin – Redshirt Senior – 6-3, 305, N/A

Gulbin spent four seasons at Wake Forest and one at Michigan State, starting 34 games and appearing in 52. He split those starts evenly at the interior positions, with 12 at center and 11 at both right and left guard, so he has the positional flexibility that will help him make a roster in the NFL even if he’s not the most explosive athlete.

19. Miami G Anez Cooper – Senior – 6-5, 342, 5.52

Another member of Miami’s impressive offensive line, Cooper has 52 games of experience at right guard, with 45 starts. He has insane size for the position and uses his strong, physical hands to his advantage as he latches onto defenders. He’ll have to work on not playing too upright and needs to do his best to play with some more fluidity, otherwise he’ll find himself in a hole against quicker defenders.

20. Oklahoma G Febechi Nwaiwu – Redshirt Senior – 6-4, 316, 5.32

A former North Texas standout, Nwaiwu played his final two seasons at Oklahoma, where he started 26 games for the Sooners (24 at right guard, two at center). He’s ridiculously strong and has good awareness, though he can struggle to recover when beaten. Still, with guard/center flexibility, he’s an intriguing prospect on Day 3.

Bucs Best Bets – By Scott Reynolds

Rounds 1-3: Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane

Last year’s selection of wide receiver Emeka Egbuka proved to be a shocker in the first round as most people thought Tampa Bay would select an edge rusher. But general manager Jason Licht stuck to his draft board and selected the best player available. That could happen again at No. 15 if Ioane is still on the board. Ioane is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound nasty mauler in the run game and a moving wall in pass protection. He’s this year’s top-rated guard and has not allowed a sack in two seasons. With Pro Bowl potential, Ioane is an instant NFL starter due to his size, experience and technique.

If Tampa Bay pulled the trigger on Ioane he would start at left guard next to Tristan Wirfs and move Ben Bredeson into a Robert Hainsey-type role, which bolsters the Bucs’ depth along the interior. Bredeson can play guard and center and would give Tampa Bay an extra starting-caliber interior offensive lineman coming off the bench if there is an injury. Having Wirfs and Ioane line up together would be a nightmare for opposing defensive linemen and would further strengthen Baker Mayfield’s pass protection as he enters a contract year.

Rounds 4-7: Auburn G Jeremiah Wright

If the Bucs decide to address more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball in the first three rounds and want to bolster the team’s depth at guard on Day 3 then Wright would be a fantastic pick. Wright is a massive, 6-foot-5, 330-pound guard who plays with a mean streak and an edge to him. A nasty finisher in the run game, Wright uses his size and strong hands to move defensive lineman off the ball and control the line of scrimmage.

Wright started all 24 games at right guard over the last two years at Auburn and fared well against some of the top interior linemen in the SEC. While his pass protection technique can get a lot of sloppy at times because he’s not an elite athlete, this is an area of Wright’s game that can grow and improve over time. The Tigers star, who had a good week at the Senior Bowl, will turn 25 this year, so he’s physically mature and ready to contribute as a rookie as a depth piece if necessary.