Who’s the best offensive lineman in Maryland football history?

It’s Offensive Line Week here at Testudo Times. It’s time to dig into Maryland’s past, just like we’ve done with quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends this summer.

This poll, like all the others, is only for one player, as we don’t have a tool that lets you choose five. When we unveil our as-voted-on-by-you Maryland all-time team at the end of the year, though, we’ll have all five spots filled. So here’s who we’re considering. As always, let us know who we left out.

Guard C.J. Brooks

Brooks was a four-year starter at Maryland who racked up all-conference honors three times, including a pair of first-team nods, from 2002-04. Unlike most other players on this list, he didn’t have a long pro career, but few linemen have been as productive with the Terps as Brooks was.

Tackle Jared Gaither

Despite only playing two years for the Terps, Gaither’s career stacks up pretty well. He played in all 11 games, with eight starts, as a true freshman in 2005 and didn’t allow any sacks. He played 12 games as a sophomore and was dominant once again, but academic problems kept him off the team in 2007. Gaither instead declared for the supplemental draft and was taken by the Baltimore Ravens, and he put together a six-year NFL career.

Center Kevin Glover

Glover played for a pair of ACC championship teams and was a First Team All-American in 1984. He followed that up by going in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He played 15 years in the NFL, making three Pro Bowls.

Tackle/guard Stan Jones

Jones was a stalwart on Maryland’s 1953 title team, earning a First Team All-America nod and the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy as the nation’s best lineman. He played tackle for the Terps, but switched to guard in his second NFL season, ultimately making seven straight Pro Bowls with the Bears from 1955-61. He’s in the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. Jones is also credited as being the first professional player to use weight training for football conditioning.

Center Bob Pellegrini

The College Football Hall of Famer was a superstar center at Maryland. In 1955, he was an All-American who finished fifth in Heisman voting and even appeared on a Sports Illustrated cover. He was picked fourth overall in the 1956 NFL Draft and played mostly linebacker for the Eagles and Redskins.

Tackle/guard Mike Sandusky

Sandusky won First Team All-Conference honors twice, doing so in 1955 and 1956. Like Jones, he shifted from tackle to guard in the NFL, and Sandusky lasted nine years in the pros. He was also a heavyweight wrestler at Maryland, winning ACC titles in the same years he was an all-conference lineman.

Guard Bob Ward

Despite his size—5’9, 187 pounds—Ward was able to hold his own with the big men in the trenches. He earned some First Team All-America nods in 1950 as a defensive lineman and was a unanimous first teamer in 1951 on the offensive side, making him the only player ever (like, for any team) do earn such high honors on both sides of the ball. Ward declined a pro career, but spent 22 years coaching, including a two-year stint at Maryland from 1967-68.

Guard/center Todd Wike

Wike was a two-time All-ACC first teamer in 2001 and 2002. He shifted across the line and even played some tight end during his Maryland career. In 2002, he played primarily at center, replacing Darryl Whitmer, and was an ESPN All-American.