Offensive linemen rarely receive the attention given to quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. Ethan Pocic deserves it anyway.

From 2013 through 2016, Pocic became one of the most dependable and versatile pieces of LSU’s offense. He started at center, right guard and right tackle, helped clear the way for some of the greatest rushing performances in school history and finished his career as a first team All American.

Pocic made 37 career starts, including 27 at center, nine at right guard and one at right tackle. LSU went 25 and 12 with him in the starting lineup, including 20 and 7 when he started at center.

For his combination of versatility, consistency and dominance in the middle of LSU’s offensive line, Ethan Pocic comes in at No. 98 on our list of the Top 100 Tigers of All Time.

A Highly Rated Recruit From Illinois

Pocic came to Baton Rouge from Lemont High School in Illinois as one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects.

He earned Parade All America and USA Today All USA honors and participated in the Under Armour All America Game. PrepStar rated him as a five star prospect, while the major recruiting services generally considered him one of the best offensive linemen in the 2013 class.

Pocic graduated from high school early and enrolled at LSU in January 2013, allowing him to participate in spring practice before his freshman season.

It did not take long for LSU to discover that Pocic was ready to contribute.

Making an Impact as a Freshman

Pocic appeared in six games as a true freshman in 2013 and made his first career start at center against Furman.

His most memorable contribution came against Arkansas in the regular season finale. When starting center Elliott Porter was injured, Pocic was pressed into action alongside true freshman quarterback Anthony Jennings.

With LSU trailing late, the two freshmen were on the field for a dramatic 99 yard touchdown drive. Jennings found Travin Dural for the winning 49 yard touchdown with just over a minute remaining, giving LSU a 31 to 27 victory.

Pocic played 21 snaps against Arkansas and was credited by LSU with four knockdown blocks. For the season, he played 102 offensive snaps and recorded 11 knockdowns.

It was an early glimpse of what LSU had in its young lineman.

Versatility Becomes His Trademark

Pocic became a full time starter as a sophomore in 2014, but LSU did not keep him in one position.

He started 12 games, with three starts at center and nine at right guard. Pocic played 743 offensive snaps and finished third on the team with 72.5 knockdown blocks.

His ability to move between positions became one of his greatest strengths. Pocic had the size and length normally associated with an offensive tackle, but he possessed the intelligence and technique to handle the responsibilities of playing center.

By 2015, center had become his primary position.

That was when Pocic began establishing himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the SEC.

Clearing the Way for Leonard Fournette

Pocic started all 12 games at center in 2015 and became the anchor of an LSU rushing attack built around Leonard Fournette.

Fournette produced one of the greatest seasons ever by an LSU running back, rushing for a then school record 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns. LSU averaged 256.8 rushing yards per game, ranking seventh nationally.

Pocic was right in the middle of it.

LSU credited him with an extraordinary 132.5 knockdown blocks during the season. He earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors twice, following LSU’s victories over Mississippi State and South Carolina.

Pocic finished the season as a second team All SEC selection by the conference coaches and also earned a place on the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

He had already developed into an NFL prospect, but Pocic returned to Baton Rouge for his senior season.

It proved to be his best.

An All American Senior Season

Pocic started all 12 games in 2016, with 11 starts at center and one at right tackle when injuries forced LSU to reshuffle its line.

He led LSU’s offensive linemen with 752 snaps, 106 knockdown blocks and 38 plays that the coaching staff classified as great effort plays.

Even more impressive was his consistency. According to LSU’s official records, Pocic surrendered only one sack all season and was called for just three penalties in 752 snaps.

He earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors three times, following victories over Missouri, Ole Miss and Arkansas. That gave him five such awards over his final two seasons.

Pocic helped block for both Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice in 2016. Guice rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Fournette added 843 yards and eight scores despite missing several games.

The offensive line helped LSU average 233 rushing yards per game.

Pocic was also at the center of two historic performances. Fournette rushed for a then LSU record 284 yards against Ole Miss. Four games later, Guice broke that record by running for 285 yards against Texas A&M.

Pocic closed his LSU career with another outstanding performance. In LSU’s 29 to 9 Citrus Bowl victory over Louisville, he played all 72 offensive snaps and was credited with 14 knockdown blocks.

One of the Nation’s Best Linemen

The postseason honors confirmed Pocic’s status among college football’s elite offensive linemen.

The Football Writers Association of America named him a first team All American in 2016. He received second team All America honors from Walter Camp, Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association, along with third team recognition from the Associated Press.

Pocic was also named first team All SEC by both the conference coaches and Associated Press and was one of five semifinalists for the Outland Trophy.

His teammates voted him a permanent team captain for the 2016 season. He graduated from LSU in December 2016 with a degree in sports administration.

More Than Just a Center

What separates Pocic from many great LSU linemen was his ability to move around the offensive line without becoming a lesser player.

Of his 37 career starts, 27 came at center, nine at right guard and one at right tackle. LSU produced a 1,000 yard rusher during each of his three seasons as a full time starter.

Even more impressive, LSU had a player rush for at least 100 yards in 28 of Pocic’s 37 career starts.

He was not simply playing alongside great running backs. He was one of the reasons those backs had room to run.

A Long NFL Career

The Seattle Seahawks selected Pocic in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 58th overall pick.

His versatility immediately translated to professional football. Pocic appeared in 57 regular season games during five seasons with Seattle and made 40 starts, seeing significant work at both guard and center.

He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2022 and became their starting center. Pocic started all 57 regular season games in which he appeared during his four seasons in Cleveland.

His 2025 season ended after he suffered an Achilles injury against Tennessee in December. He had started all 13 games he played that year.

Through the end of the 2025 regular season, Pocic had appeared in 114 NFL games and made 97 starts over nine seasons. He also appeared in three postseason games, starting two.

A New Opportunity in Baltimore

Pocic’s professional career is continuing in 2026.

The Baltimore Ravens signed him in July as he continued working his way back from the Achilles injury. Baltimore brought in a veteran with extensive starting experience to compete at center.

That competition changed significantly in August when Danny Pinter suffered a serious knee injury during a joint practice with Minnesota. With Pinter expected to miss significant time, Pocic has an opportunity to emerge as Baltimore’s starting center if his recovery allows him to handle the workload.

As of August 22, the Ravens had not formally declared Pocic their Week 1 starter. That distinction is important. Recent reports describe Pocic and Jovaughn Gwyn as Baltimore’s primary remaining options, with Pocic continuing to increase his workload as he returns from the Achilles injury.

At 31 years old, Pocic has an opportunity to add another chapter to a professional career that has already lasted nearly a decade.

Why Ethan Pocic Is No. 98

There are LSU players with more famous names. Offensive linemen also have the disadvantage of doing most of their work without touching the football or appearing prominently in a box score.

Pocic’s LSU résumé deserves recognition.

He became a starter as a sophomore and developed into the centerpiece of an offensive line that blocked for Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice. He could play guard, tackle or center. He accumulated 37 starts, earned first team All America and first team All SEC honors, became a permanent team captain and helped produce some of the greatest rushing performances in LSU history.

Then he turned that LSU career into nine NFL seasons and counting.

Pocic’s work showed up in the numbers of the players running behind him: 1,953 yards for Fournette in 2015, 1,387 for Guice in 2016, and 100 yard rushing performances by an LSU player in 28 of his 37 starts.

For four seasons, Ethan Pocic did the dirty work in the middle of LSU’s offense, and he did it exceptionally well.

That earns Ethan Pocic the No. 98 spot among the Top 100 Tigers of All Time.

Sources

LSU Athletics, Ethan Pocic official biography
https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/player/ethan-pocic

LSU Athletics, Ethan Pocic 2015 biography and career statistics
https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/season/2015/player/ethan-pocic

LSU Athletics, Pocic Named Outland Trophy Semifinalist
https://lsusports.net/news/2016/11/16/211301202

Seattle Seahawks, Ethan Pocic selected No. 58 overall in 2017 NFL Draft
https://www.seahawks.com/news/seattle-seahawks-select-lsu-offensive-lineman-ethan-pocic-with-no-58-over-186024

NFL, Ethan Pocic career statistics
https://www.nfl.com/players/ethan-pocic/stats/career

Pro Football Reference, Ethan Pocic career statistics
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PociEt00.htm

Baltimore Ravens, 2026 center competition and Ethan Pocic
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/starting-center-no-timeline-ethan-pocic-danny-pinter-jovaughn-gwyn-hakeem-adeniji-retirement-vega-ioane-unfazed

Reuters, Danny Pinter injury and Baltimore center situation, August 20, 2026
https://www.reuters.com/sports/report-ravens-c-danny-pinter-leg-likely-out-season–flm-2026-08-20/