Best ever Clemson offensive linemen include John Simpson, Joe Bostic -- plus Tigers 2025 season preview

For The Clemson program focused on the running game for many, many years, and even with that being the focus, the offensive linemen have long been overlooked. But there are some names that stand out through the years.

Joe and Jeff Bostic take us back to the 1970s to Tony Berryhill in the 1980s, Stacy Long and Eric Harmon in the 1990s to a recent run of Brandon Thomas, Mitch Hyatt, and Jordan McFadden.

John Simpson was an anchor for the Tigers but took time to develop in the NFL. Yet he received attention from Pro Football Focus this offseason for having raised his game with the New York Jets, his third NFL team in five years, giving up just 20 QB pressures in more than 680 snaps last season – and the 13th highest grade from the site among all NFL guards.

Simpson, Long, Hyatt and Joe Bostic are four of 12 Tigers OLs who have earned first-team All-American honors from major organizations. The rest include Stacy Seegars, Dalton Freeman, Wayne Mass, Harry Olszewski, John Phillips, Dave Thompson, Jeb Flesch – and the lone first-round NFL Draft selection of all these legendary names, Lou Cordileone. 

In 2025, four starters return for their second season under Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke: Tristan Leigh, Blake Miller, Walker Parks and Ryan Linthicum. Expect Harris Sewell, Collin Sadler and Elyjah Thurmon to compete for the fifth starting spot and/or plenty of snaps to end a long drought of rotational depth on the Tigers’ front line. Their ability will be put to the test immediately in the season opener against a typically stout opposing front in LSU, at noon Aug. 30 on ABC/ESPN.

Statistics and more names: Who are the best Clemson offensive linemen?

• Joe Bostic (1975-78) – First-team all-american, 2x all-ACC, 50th Anniversary Team ACC
• Mitch Hyatt (2015-18) – First-team all-american, Career Snaps by OL (3,754), 89.5 knockdowns in first three seasons (not reported his senior season), 57 starts in 58 games
• Stacy Seegars (1990-93) – First-team all-american, 213 knockdowns, 35 starts in 41 games, 2,457 plays
• Stacy Long (1986-90) – First-team all-american, 141 knockdowns, 25 starts in 40 games, 1,718 plays
• Kyle Young (1998-2001) – Two-time Rimington finalist, 412 knockdown blocks, 40 starts in 47 games, 3,097 snaps, 3x Academic All-American
• Lou Cordileone  (1957-59) – First-team all-american, 1D
• Jeb Flesch  (1988-91) – First-team all-american, 267 knockdowns, 45 starts in 48 games, 2,657 plays
• John Simpson (2016-19) – 1AA, 29 starts in 50 games, 2,047 plays
• John Phillips (1984-87) – First-team all-american, 245 knockdowns, 32 starts in 47 games, 2,330 plays
• Jeff Bostic (1976-79) - Clemson Hall of Fame, all-ACC
• Tony Berryhill (1978-81) – 1st-team all-ACC, center weighed in at 216 pounds as junior and 230 as senior, ninth-round draft pick
• Dalton Freeman (2009-12) – First-team all-american, 171 knockdowns, 49 starts in 53 games, 3,361 plays, 2x Rimington finalist
• Wayne Mass (1964-67) – First-team all-american
• Harry Olszewski (1965-67) – First-team all-american
• Dave Thompson (1968-70) – First-team all-american
• Thomas Austin (2006-09) – 316 knockdowns, 39 starts in 48 games, 2,500+ plays

Who are your favorites? Tell us in the comments at YouTube.com/ClemsonKickoff so you can share your reactions in the comments, and find us on social media @ClemsonKickoff!