Winning in football starts at the line of scrimmage, and in an era of dynamic pass rushers, landing elite offensive linemen has never been more important. When teams go shopping in the Transfer Portal, the offensive line additions are never appreciated, but they end up being the most important additions for a team.
Saturday Blitz transfer portal rankings 2026: QB, WR, RB, TE, OL, EDGE, DL, LB, CB, & S
This offseason, there's only one Transfer Portal window as the Spring Transfer Portal no longer exists, meaning we'll see more activity than we have in past years. The Transfer Portal doesn't open until January 2nd, but there's already a ton of offensive linemen lined up and ready to pave the way for a new offense.
Which offensive linemen should your team make a push for when the Transfer Portal opens in January? That all depends on whether you prefer proven Power 4 starters, former top recruits looking for a fresh start, or promising Group of 5 transfers jumping up a level. Considering past production, talent upside, and eligibility remaining, here are your official Saturday Blitz 2026 transfer offensive line rankings.
Last rankings update: 7:30 a.m. ET, 12/30/2025
1. Xavier Chaplin - Auburn
After being one of the top offensive tackles in the Transfer Portal last offseason, Xavier Chaplin is back in the portal looking for a new program. Xavier Chaplin started his career at Virginia Tech before spending the 2025 season at Auburn, where he got to face off against the elite pass rushers in the SEC.
This season, Xavier Chaplin played 482 passing snaps, allowing just 17 pressures and 3 sacks according to PFF. Chaplin has some room to grow as a run blocker, but he's a potential All-Conference player for whichever program is lucky enough to land him this offseason.
2. Carius Curne - LSU
Lane Kiffin is expected to keep a ton of LSU's key pieces in place but, he's already suffered a massive loss as head coach of the Tigers. Despite getting a ton of playing time for the Tigers as a true freshman, offensive lineman Carius Curne announced his intentions of entering the Transfer Portal. Curne signed with the Tigers as a Top-50 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class.
As a true freshman, Carius Curne appeared in 7 games for the Tigers, including 5 starts as the team tried to rebuild its offensive line. Initially, Curne was seen as a guard coming out of High School, but he played both tackle positions for the Tigers, finishing the year with 308 snaps. Curne struggled at times, but he also showed a ton of promise and will only get better with more experience.
3. Josh Atkins - Arizona State
Finding a starting caliber offensive tackle is hard, making any starting offensive tackle a hot commodity. When Arizona State star Josh Atkins announced his intentions to transfer it instantly made him one of the top players on the market.
After starting his career at Houston, Atkins spent a season at Hawaii playing well enough to catch the eye of Kenny Dillingham. Atkins has started the last two seasons at Left Tackle, allowing 5 sacks over the past two seasons. The concern will be that Atkins did struggle against the talent of Texas Tech, but he has exciting experience for a team to bet on.
4. Tyree Adams - LSU
While LSU will lose 4 of its 5 top offensive linemen, the loss of offensive tackle Tyree Adams is by far the most devastating. Adams played Left Tackle for the Tigers this season, starting 8 games as he missed time this season with an injury. While Tyree Adams has to improve as a run blocker, his ability in pass protection will be more than enough to command a strong market.
5. Noah McKinney - Oklahoma State to TCU
When Oklahoma State's season fell off the rails early, guard Noah McKinney announced his intentions to enter the Transfer Portal. Despite transferring, McKinney finished the season for the Cowboys, meaning he'll have one season of eligibility remaining.
While McKinney was finishing out his time in Stillwater, he was also looking at potential landing spots for 2026. The Frisco, Texas native committed to TCU back in November as he'll step into the lineup right away for Sonny Dykes team.
6. Coen Echols - LSU
Lane Kiffin was already going to need to rebuild an LSU offensive line that struggled, and he'll have an even tougher job as Coen Echols enters the Transfer Portal. Echols became a starter for LSU during Week 7 for the Tigers before starting every game down the stretch at Left Guard after injuries ravaged LSU's front.
Overall, Echols had a rocky season with some impressive games while he struggled in others which is as expected with young offensive linemen. Down the stretch of the season, Echols grew leaps and bounds as a pass protector, and if he can continue to develop as a run blocker he'll be a great addition for some team.
7. Shadre Hurst - Tulane
Part of the mass exodus from Tulane with Jon Sumrall leaving is All-AAC guard Shadre Hurst who has entered the Transfer Portal. Hurst was exceptional in pass protection allowing just 6 QB pressures while keeping his opponents from recording any sacks. Hurst will need to take the next step as a run blocker especially at the next level, but he's a promising young player that many programs will jump at.
8. Malachi Breland - Memphis
Memphis star Malachi Breland has entered the Transfer Portal where he'll be one of the top players regardless of position out of the Group of 5. After showing promise in 2024, Breland hit another level as a full-time starter for the Tigers. Breland still has room to grow as a run blocker, but he was exceptional in pass protection allowing just 1 sack in 482 pass blocking snaps.
9. Jake Renfro - Wisconsin
Injuries to key pieces defined the season for Wisconsin, and losing center Jake Renfo for most of the season was a massive blow. Renfro dealt with ankle and knee injuries that allowed him to only play in 4 games for the Badgers. When Renfro was on the field, it was the best he had played in pass protection and the rushing attack, making him highly appealing.
10. Carde Smith - Colorado
Coming out of High School, Carde Smith was one of the most sought after offensive linemen in the country, ranked as a Top 150 player in the class. Smith decommitted from USC late in the cycle signing with Deion Sanders and Colorado. Smith hardly played as a True Freshman, making him a high upside developmental piece for a program to take a swing on.