Spring ball and the spring transfer portal are long behind us, which means Missouri's roster is taking more of a definitive shape. So now is as good a time as any, to compare the 2023 team to this year's team.
PowerMizzou will make a position-by-position comparison. Next up, is the offensive linemen. We'll do just the top six scholarship players on the depth chart for this group.
Marcus Bryant was one of the best transfer players available in the portal. The 2023 All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection had a PFF College pass-blocking grade of 74.6 and a run-blocking grade of 61.7. He allowed 21 pressures, two quarterback hits and only one sack in 2023, and is the No. 130 overall player in the Rival’s transfer tracker.
While that's great, Javon Foster was an All-American last year and one of two tackles in the FBS to record run and pass blocking grades north of 80. The other player was Joe Alt who was drafted fifth overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bryant (on paper) is a great replacement for Foster but it’ll be very hard to beat out the season Foster had.
Xavier Delgado had the best year of his career this past season, recording the ninth-best offensive grade on the team. He had a run-blocking grade of 70.6 and a pass-blocking grade of 67.8. He allowed 17 pressures, four quarterback hits and a sack. He also had four penalties.
It was a solid season but Cayden Green as a true freshman at Oklahoma, allowed 12 pressures, a quarterback hit and five penalties. He had a 71.4 pass-blocking grade and a 49.8 run-blocking grade.
Green is a better run blocker than his grade indicates and is has a higher upside than Delgado.
Like Delgado, Connor Tollison had the best year of his career. He showed more confidence than in the prior year and held up well blocking. He had a run-blocking grade of 80.4 and a pass-blocking grade of 64.8. He allowed 15 pressures, two sacks and twice penalties.
His main issue last year was some poor snaps. That's something that can be fixed and improved in fall camp.
Cam'Ron Johnson struggled in the first half of the season. Through the first seven games, he led the country in penalties with nine. Also, he was benched in Week 3 for the Kansas State game, although he'd still play 34 snaps in relief due to injury.
In the second half of the season, he became a more consistent and efficient blocker and had just two penalties.
If Johnson can have a 2024 campaign like the second half of his 2023 season then it will be a far and away better season.
Armand Membou had a solid freshman season in 2022 and followed it up with a better 2023 campaign.
He had a pass-blocking grade of 75.9 and a run-blocking grade of 67.1. Membou allowed 14 pressures and two sacks and had six penalties.
There's still room for growth, but at the trajectory he's going, this could be his final season in Columbia as he may be a candidate to enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
One of the more undervalued spots on the roster, the swing tackle, is supposed to be the handyman of the offensive line coming off the bench with the ability to play several spots and start in a pinch. Marcellus Johnson was that player for the Tigers in 2023.
Before signing an undrafted free agent deal with the New York Giants following this year's draft, he appeared in six games (one start) at right guard and right tackle for the Tigers.
The former Eastern Michigan Eagle had a pass-blocking grade of 85.5 and a run-blocking grade of 67.3.
Several candidates are in line to replace Marcellus like JUCO transfer Jayven Richardson and Mitchell Walters. Both of whom, have positional flexibility.
Logan Reichert is another player who could fill the role. He received some first-team reps at guard during spring ball.
Other scholarship offensive line: Drake Heismeyer (Sr.), Tristan Wilson (So.), Curtis Peagler (So.), Brandon Solis (So.), Caleb Pyfrom (Fr.), Talan Chandler (Fr.), Ryan Jostes (Fr.)
Overall advantage: 2024
With the center to the right tackle being the same, there's built-in chemistry on that side of the line. Each player on that side of the line finished the season strong but there's still enough room for them to improve.
The left side of the line lost a lot of experience but Bryant has plenty of experience and is a more than competent blindside tackle. Meanwhile, Green has a lot of upside and position flexibility. It’s hard imagining a top 15 player in the transfer tracker rankings not being able to at least do the job Delgado did a year ago.
Not to mention, he has a full year of starting experience at left guard, and being sandwiched in between a couple of veterans on the offensive line should make for an easier time inside.
Last year, the offensive line was a Joe Moore Award (best offensive line award) semifinalist. This year they could make an even stronger push for the award if everyone does their job and the group stays healthy.
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