Ohio State may have lost out on the ultimate prize of winning the national championship when Alabama took care of business in Miami, but the Buckeyes got some good news on some players that opted to return rather than head to the NFL.
With Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers moving on to the next level, the offensive line will need to retool a bit to continue to be one of the best units in the country. The good news is that OSU got some pleasant, rather unexpected news from left tackle Thayer Munford, who opted to use the ability of seniors to come back for one more year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Because of it, there’s a pretty good cornerstone to build around, and one in which protecting the edge will be fairly locked down with an experienced and talented performer.
Just how good is Munford? Many experts are beginning to consider him one of the best in the country on the offensive line, and Pro Football Focus is the latest to do so. The popular player grading website recently published its top ten returning offensive linemen for the 2021 college football season, and Munford is included.
Here’s where PFF has Munford ranked and what it says about the veteran.
NEXT … Munford’s PFF Ranking
No. 2 – Thayer Munford
What PFF says about Munford
“Munford is taking advantage of his “super senior” year and returning to school for the 2021 season, which is a very good thing for the Buckeyes. He was a decent starter at left tackle for Ohio State in 2018 and 2019, but he took his play from good to elite in 2020. Munford posted a 91.8 PFF grade this past season, the fourth-best mark in the entire FBS and the highest mark among tackles returning this fall.”
“His pass protection was nearly flawless in 2020. Munford stood strong against quality pass-rush units, such as Michigan, Clemson and Alabama, and displayed tremendous processing speed against stunts and blitzes all year long. Over the course of 264 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed just three pressures — none of which were sacks or hits on quarterback Justin Fields. In turn, his pressure rate allowed was half a percentage point lower than any other Power Five left tackle. With Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere manning the ends of the line, Ohio State might just have the best tackle tandem in college football next season.”
NEXT … What we say
No. 2 – Thayer Munford
What we say about Munford
Munford drew rave reviews from Urban Meyer and his coaching staff before he rode off into the sunset just before Munford broke into the starting lineup. That was a couple of seasons ago, and now the 6-foot, 6-inch, 315-pounder has started 34 games and is solid at both run blocking and pass protection. He has a quick step and good anticipation on the edge, keeping Justin Fields’ blindside clean the last couple of years.
He is one of the most experienced and talented offensive lineman in the country and probably would have gone in the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL draft. Instead, Ohio State is happy to welcome him back, and his presence will no doubt help with ushering in a new quarterback this coming fall.
To get a look at the complete top ten, you can visit the website of Pro Football Focus and check it all out.
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