Name: Erik Magnuson
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Carlsbad (CA) La Costa Canyon
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #78
Last year: I ranked Magnuson #11 and said he would be the starting right tackle (LINK). He started twelve games at right tackle and was named Third Team All-Big Ten.
Magnuson had a hard time locking down a job in 2013 and 2014, as he bounced between tackle and guard, mostly sticking at the latter. Going into last season, he seemed to have become entrenched at right tackle, and that’s what played out during the year. He was the full-time starter on the right side, and for the most part, he held his own. He struggled against the truly elite edge players, and even this spring, he had a tendency to cross his feet against speed rushers and get off balance. His body hasn’t developed quite the way I expected, and he’s become a little rounder and less like a slab of muscle than I expected.
That last bit doesn’t matter so much at this point, because he is who he is. He’s a solid right tackle who earned All-Big Ten votes by both the coaches and media. I dropped him from #11 to #17 this year, not because I’m less confident in his abilities, but because there are other positions that are more critical and redshirt freshman Nolan Ulizio looked solid in the spring. There’s also the possibility that Ben Bredeson or Grant Newsome could back him up at right tackle, depending on which of those guys wins the left tackle gig. Much like my take on Kyle Kalis yesterday, I think there’s a good chance for Magnuson to once again be All-Big Ten based on his experience and participation on what should be a pretty good team this fall.
Prediction: Starting right tackle; Second Team All-Big Ten
read more
