In the year 2023, Alabama’s offensive line was the biggest in the SEC, with an astounding average weight of 339.4 pounds per starter, greatly exceeding Vanderbilt, which came in second with 325 pounds. However, by 2024, the Crimson Tide’s dominance has faded, with the team falling to 13th place in the Beef Index rankings, which were announced by AL.com on Thursday.
So, what is the cause of this large decline? The Beef Index rankings solely take into account the weights of Week 1 starters. This meant Alabama would be without Kadyn Proctor, a 369-pound lineman who was injured during pregame warmups before the game versus Western Kentucky. If Proctor had participated, Alabama’s average weight would have been 323.6 pounds, propelling them to seventh place instead of 13th.
Furthermore, Alabama’s offensive line has transformed under new head coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. The emphasis moved to improving mobility, which resulted in the signing of transfer center Parker Brailsford, who weighs 290 pounds, as well as urging other players to lose weight, including Tyler Booker.
Despite a dip in average weight, Alabama made significant progress in another area. The Tide led the SEC in overall offensive line weight, moving from 12th in 2023 to first in 2024. This improvement is due to an increase in the overall number of offensive linemen on the roster, which went from 18 to 23, raising the combined weight from 5,534 pounds to 7,025 pounds. However, when average all offensive linemen’s weights, Alabama dropped from 307.4 pounds per player in 2023 (12th in the 14-team conference) to 305.43 pounds per player in 2024, finishing lowest in the 12-team league.
The average weight of Auburn’s starting offensive line has dropped significantly. Last season, they finished third with an average weight of 321.4 pounds per starter. In 2024, however, the average weight of their top five lineman has dropped to 311.8 pounds, putting them at the bottom of the league. The loss of Kam Stutts, the group’s heaviest player at 343 pounds, was a big contributor to this reduction. This year, Jeremiah Wright is the heaviest starter at 333 pounds, and the overall weight of the line has been decreased dramatically.
