Pro Football Focus Ranks The Top Returning Offensive Tackles For 2024

by Staff Reporter

February 27, 20242 Comments

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top returning offensive tackles for the 2024 season and had LSU's Will Campbell at the top of the list at No. 1.

Also on his list was LSU's Emery Jones Jr. at No. 9.

quote:
1. WILL CAMPBELL, LSU TIGERS
Campbell started at left tackle for LSU as a true freshman in 2022 and has been nothing but a star during his two years there. His 85.6 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets in 2022 trailed only Peter Skoronski among Power Five tackles. Skoronski was subsequently selected No. 11 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

This past season, Campbell ranked fifth among FBS offensive tackles in run-blocking grade (84.9). He is the fifth-most valuable Power Five tackle since 2022, according to PFF's wins above average metric. Three of the players above him are projected first-round picks in 2024: Joe Alt, Taliese Fuaga and JC Latham.

While LSU’s offense loses the best quarterback (Jayden Daniels) and wide receiver (Malik Nabers) from the 2023 season, Tiger fans can be excited about having the best offensive tackle entering 2024.

Loading Twitter Embed....

quote:
9. EMERY JONES, LSU TIGERS
With the first- and ninth-ranked tackles on this list, LSU has the best returning tackle duo in college football. Like Will Campbell, Jones has started for LSU since his true freshman season in 2022. Unlike Campbell, it took a little longer for Jones to find his stride.

In 2022, he ranked outside the top 200 FBS tackles in overall grade (206th) and pass-blocking grade (226th). His 7.6% pressure rate allowed was the highest among SEC tackles that season.

Jones improved both his overall grade and pass-blocking grade by more than 16 points as a sophomore, finishing as the sixth-highest-graded tackle in the SEC. If a similar leap is in store for his junior year, he can join his teammate in the first-round conversation for the 2025 NFL Draft. For now, he’ll have to settle for being half of the best offensive tackle duo in college football.