2024 TCU Football Preview: Offensive Line

The Horned Frogs have re-built the trenches via the transfer portal as departures & injuries thinned the depth this offseason

TCU Football has a long history of placing offensive linemen into the NFL and this tradition continued following the 2023 season with Brandon Coleman being selected 67th overall by the Washington Commanders, joined in the league by undrafted free agents Andrew Coker (Raiders) and Patrick Willis (Chargers). In addition to the professional departures, the O-Line unit lost John Lanz and Garrett Hayes to graduation, Tommy Brockermeyer to retirement, and Ezra Dotson-Oyetade, Brione Ramsey-Brooks, and Jasper Lott to the transfer portal. This mass exodus from arguably the most important position unit left a major gap on the depth chart headed into the offseason and is the biggest question mark for the team’s success in 2024. With the season opener at Stanford approaching on August 30, the Horned Frogs will turn to its transfer additions to join the few returning pieces to solidify the offensive trenches.

Topping the list of newcomers along the offensive line is former Florida State Seminole Bless Harris, projected as the starting left tackle for the Frogs this fall, protecting the blind side of TCU’s signal callers. Harris spent two seasons in Tallahassee, starting his first game as a true freshman before injury sidelined him for the rest of 2022. Last season he earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week in FSU’s major season-opening win over LSU; he’d go on to play 11 games of the undefeated ACC Championship season for the ‘Noles. On the other side of the line, Big 12 Media Days participant Mike Nichols returns for his fifth season with the Frogs after starting six games at right tackle in 2023. While these two are likely to be atop the depth chart at the tackle spots, the Frogs have a long list of young talent to use in rotation with sophomores Ben-Taylor-Whitfield & Quinton Harris and true freshmen Ryan Hughes, Wesley Harvey, Tobias Steppes, Mitch Hodnett, and Samir Camacho.

There is continued open competition for the Center role this season between former Maryland transfer Coltin Deery and Alabama transfer James Brockermeyer. Deery returns for his second season in Fort Worth after seeing action in all 12 games last season, with most of his opportunities coming at Left Guard. Brockermeyer ranked as the nation’s top center prospect in the Class of 2021, committing to join the Crimson Tide where he’d see limited action on offense while playing all 14 games of the 2023 season on special teams roles. It is likely whomever does not emerge as the player taking the first snap in California to open the season will still be on the field as a starting Guard. This became especially likely earlier this offseason when fellow interior offensive lineman Cade Bennett was announced to miss the entire 2024 campaign with a back injury requiring surgery. A two-time All-Mountain West selection while at San Diego State, Bennett was projected as a likely starter for the Frogs. The other offensive guard spot is projected to be in competition between Louisiana Tech transfer Carson Bruno and Texas A&M transfer Remington Strickland, with Bruno expected to lead the charge after 24 straight starts for the Bulldogs.