Published Aug 16, 2023
Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2024 offensive linemen
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John Garcia Jr.  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
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Who's No. 1?

This has been a battle all cycle, and it is one that is far from over among the top three talents. Seaton has positioned himself as the offensive lineman to beat nationally with his combination of experience on the edge at 300-plus pounds and now his reshaped frame at IMG Academy, where he has been stout at 285 pounds or so as the starting left tackle from the powerhouse program.

Seaton has elite length at 6-foot-6, and combines it with the polish that pass rushers big and small struggle with, and his extension comes with some pop as Rivals saw in person just last week. As Seaton continues to strengthen his frame, his balance and footwork could also morph into strengths before his collegiate career begins.

From a recruiting standpoint, Seaton has a who's who list of offers, but he has not trimmed his list of favorites in some time. Alabama received the sole summer official visit on his schedule and the Crimson Tide have emerged as the team to beat, with a return trip to Tuscaloosa being planned for this fall.

South Carolina may be a sneaky challenger to the Crimson Tide at this point, and an official visit to Columbia has just been set. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Miami and others are also competing for trips from Seaton before this recruitment comes to a close.

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Movers & Shakers 

Battle at the top: The top three offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle have been somewhat set as their senior seasons begin. Jordan Seaton has the top spot right now, but both Eddy Pierre-Louis and Brandon Baker are on his heels from an overall standpoint, each within the top 30 nationally. The difference between the two and Seaton, for now, is positionally. We know Pierre-Louis is locked into an interior projection and Baker is destined to play tackle. But Seaton's spot as the top guard can certainly change to tackle as we see more of him as the blindside protector at IMG Academy this fall. All three are uncommitted.

Grant Brix: The big riser up the offensive line list in this rankings update is also one of the top uncommitted prospects at the tackle position. The Logan (Iowa) Magnolia Community tackle shot all the way into the Rivals100, now checking in as the No. 6 tackle in the country. Many Midwest programs are clamoring for his verbal commitment, but the race appears to be down to Nebraska, Kansas State and Oklahoma. Brix took official visits to each in June.

Andrew Sprague: The new offensive tackle into the Rivals250 is Andrew Sprague, the Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst product, who verbally committed to Michigan this past spring. A towering 6-foot-8 prospect, he is up to 290 pounds and looks more poised to be an early-impact tackle talent than many originally thought he would be.

Emerson Mandell: The guard position saw less overall movement, but there is another new Rivals250 member projected on the interior in Emerson Mandell. The Minnesota native, who committed to Wisconsin last month, becomes the highest-ranked player in the trenches among the five already on board for the Badgers to date. Three of the five currently hold blue-chip status on Rivals.

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Top 5 offensive line classes so far