Whenever you start evaluating offensive linemen for anything, it gets complicated.
We don’t watch hours of tape or watch these guys practice. And once a game starts, we tend to watch the ball and not the trenches.
That’s why I’ve always said that some of the all-conference or even all-American teams are built up front with a bunch of guys the media has heard of or players who happen to play for an efficient offense.
At the same time, if you have watched enough Gator football over the years, you know. Or at least you think you know.
What we know is Florida has not had a Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner since Kenyatta Walker in 2000. It is strange the coaches didn’t think anyone from Florida’s 2006 and 2008 national championship teams were worthy.
It’s kind of a weird award anyway. The first winner in the SEC was a quarterback. Alabama has had 25 winners, Florida has had six with four coming during the Steve Spurrierera.
The Jacobs Award is not the only way to measure the best, and a winner from UF was one of the last cuts of the latest Dooley’s Dozen as we take a look at the 12 (plus one) best offensive linemen in UF history.
Lomas Brown
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I have been lobbying for years that Brown should be in the Ring of Honor and I am not going to stop now. He was Florida’s first Jacobs winner and an All-American in 1984. His powerful blocking style opened holes for some of the best to ever play for the Gators, and his left side protection was unmatched. He is the only Gator O-lineman in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Maurkice Pouncey
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When Florida landed the Pouncey twins, flipping them from FSU, there was a feeling the Gators might be building something special. They were. Maurkice started at guard as a freshman before moving to center and eventually winning the Rimington Award as the country’s best at that position.
Jason Odom
Scott Halleran /Allsport
I used to joke with Jason about the Jacob Award because he was the only two-time winner from Florida, and he never received anything for it. There was no trophy, not even a certificate. Anyway, after struggling as a true freshman (but still helping UF get to the SEC title game), he was a dominant force for the next three seasons of championship football.
David Williams
David Williams (73). Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Many of the players on this list were not only physical, but they were also durable. Williams never came out of a game and…