Pre-Spring 2024 Rundown: Offensive Line
With the dust settled on the 2024 class, I’m going to take some time to breakdown the additions by position group. The format will be similar to these position breakdowns I’ve done in the past: key losses, what is returning, new additions, and highlight an important storyline for each group. Today I’ll be taking a look at Coach Saulnier’s Offensive Linemen.
Key Departures
Jacob Bruce - OT - Four Year Starter - 3x 1st Team All-GSC
Nymonta “Chop” Doucoure - OT/OG - 2023 1st Team All-GSC
Oak Stipe - OG/C
Top Returning Players
Graduate - Ben Freeman - OT
RS Senior - Nash Nelson - C/OG
RS Junior - Colton Beesley - OG/OT
New Additions
Mid-Year Transfers
RS Junior - Levi Johnson (6’4” 290) - OT - Lake Erie College - Two year starter
RS Senior - Riyon Adams (6’1” 280) - C - Savannah State - Two year starter
RS Freshman - Shane Elam (6’3” 305) - OG/OC - Navy
RS Freshman - Ryan Hunt (6’ 285) - C/OG - MTSU
High School Signees
Caden Anderson (6’2” 260) - OG - Enterprise (AL)
Weston Gruttaduria (6’2” 260) - OG - Riverside
Owen Draves (6’5” 265) - OT - Mount Dora Christian
Jonathan Thames (6’5” 265) - OT - Elmore County (AL)
Jayiah Gardner (6’5” 275) - OT - Cottondale
New Additions Primer
Coach Nobles and Coach Saulnier needed to bring in a big crop this year, and they delivered on that with a great blend of experience and upside from the portal and moldable High School talent. They’re replacing battle tested starters from last year’s OL, LT Jacob Bruce, RG/RT Chop Doucoure, and OG/C Oake Stipe, and will need some players to step in immediately to try and fill those gaps. They hit the portal hard, landing two multi-year D2 starters and two Florida natives coming off redshirt seasons at FBS programs. Lake Erie starting Tackle Levi Johnson comes back to the sunshine state after three seasons, two as a full time starter, with the Storm, Riyon Adams will be using his final year of eligibility with the Argos following a career at Savannah State that saw him start the last two seasons, a familiar name to the program, Shane Elam transfers in from the Naval Academy, the third Elam brother to play for West Florida, and local product Ryan Hunt comes back to the Pensacola area after a single season with Middle Tennessee.
The Argos are in need of a replacement at Left Tackle and Levi Johnson might just be the guy. He played High School football in South Florida, and has been a two year starter at Tackle for Lake Erie after taking a redshirt in 2021.
Another position where there is likely to be an open competition is at Center, Riyon Adams should factor into that battle immediately. He’s not the tallest at 6’1”, but he’s stout and has several years of experience at the D2 level.
Younger brother of former UWF reserve OL Marshall and starting Center Zac, Shane Elam comes to Pensacola after a RS season at the Naval Academy. Elam should be physically ready to compete, and could slot at any of the interior OL spots.
Pace High graduate Ryan Hunt returns to the Pensacola Bay area after a single season at Middle Tennessee. An OL as well as a Long Snapper, Hunt like Elam could play any of the three interior spots.
With an eye toward the future they also brought in a deep group of Senior signees this year. Compact maulers Caden Anderson from Enterprise HS (AL) and Weston Gruttadauria from Riverside HS in Sarasota, joined the Argos along with three Tackle prospects, Mount Dora Christian’s Owen Draves a former Army commit, championship level discus thrower Jonathan Thames from Elmore County (AL), and Big Jay Gardner a Panhandle big man from Cottondale, while the other two look like mauling guards, Anderson and Gruttadauria.
Enterprise HS has been good to UWF over the years, with three former EHS stars on the current roster (WR Jared Smith, OL Nick Cox, and WR Trevon Kimmerlin). A 2023 All State selection, Anderson is an athletic, physical Guard prospect. He can really move well and is a block finisher, though he is a bit undersized right now. With a year in the weight room should be ready to compete for playing time at either Guard spot.
West Florida added a second athletic Guard prospect in Weston Gruttadauria. He comes from football stock, his father Mike is a UCF legend and played in the NFL for 8 years. Much like Anderson, he’s athletic and physical, but will need to bulk up in his RS season before being ready to contribute.
Part of a huge Central Florida haul, UWF snagged a high upside player in Owen Draves. He’ll need some time to bulk up but has all the tools to be a high level tackle. Draves is a two sport standout, also playing baseball for MDCA, and held a handful of D1 offers before choosing the Argonauts.
Teammate of WR commit Jabari Murphy, Jonathan Thames is another high upside Tackle prospect Coach Saulnier brought in for the future of the UWF OL. He is also a two sport athlete, qualifying for the state championship in a discus as a Junior, and will benefit greatly from a year in the weight room in 2024.
The only one of five OL commits you would call “college ready” in terms of size is Cottondale’s Jayiah Gardner, who recently tipped the scales at over 290 pounds and stands 6’5”. Like the other two Offensive Tackle prospects signed by the Argonauts, Big Jay is a multi-sport athlete, earning varsity letters in football, baseball, and basketball as a Junior and playing football and basketball as a Senior.
Spring Storyline: OL Overhaul
For the first time since before the cancelled 2020 season, UWF will have a new starting Left Tackle. Thats a major replacement job especially when you’re replacing Jacob Bruce, a perennial All-GSC member and one of the few remaining members of the 2019 National Championship team. In addition you’re losing starting quality, multi year contributors in Doucoure and Stipe. However they do return two starters, Ben Freeman is probably the Right Tackle to start camp and Colton Beesley should slot at one of the Guard positions. Argos veteran OL Nash Nelson is probably the next most important returner, and a guy who could play any of the three interior positions. Don’t sleep on RS Freshmen Tackle Matthew McQueen and Guard Kelion Hayes, both of whom got some run last year as backups.
I think the transfers play a huge role in this transition, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see three of them fighting for starting roles from day 1. Johnson seems like a very likely candidate to take over at LT, with experience at the position at the college level. He will probably be in competition with McQueen there and maybe veteran backup Nick Cox. At Center you could see Ryion Adams, Shane Elam, or Ryan Hunt, but Adams seems like the one to watch. I’m looking for Elam to make a push for one of the Guard spots along with Beesley, Kingston Grady, and Emmanuel Rushing.
Pre-Spring Projected OL Depth Chart
Position: 1st String / 2nd String
Left Tackle: Levi Johnson / Matthew McQueen
Left Guard: Colton Beesley / Kelion Hayes
Center: Nash Nelson / Ryion Adams
Right Guard: Kingston Grady / Shane Elam
Right Tackle: Ben Freeman / Nick Cox
