The NFL is a league of stars. And those stars usually play the skill positions. Quarterback, wide receiver, running back, etc. And the occasional tight end jumps the fence to become a league-wide star.
But rarely, or even never, does the stud offensive lineman get recognized across the NFL as a star. The players who are typically at least partially responsible for the success of the rest of the team due to pass and run game coverage.
NFL analyst Gernaro Filice thinks Buccaneers offensive lineman Luke Goedeke is the team's most underappreciated player.
"While Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving and the receiving corps get most of the attention, Tampa Bay’s bedrock strength is the offensive line, which is bookended by a pair of 26-year-old tackles. Everyone knows about perennial Pro Bowler Tristan Wirfs, but Goedeke deserves more love. A second-round pick in 2022, Goedeke struggled as a rookie guard. But the Buccaneers switched him to right tackle for the 2023 campaign and haven’t looked back since. Though he can still cut down on the penalties, Goedeke’s a stout pass protector.
"And in the run game, he teams up with mauling RG Cody Mauch to blow open holes on the right side. With one year left on his rookie deal, Goedeke’s nearing a major payday."
The former Central Michigan star was drafted by the Bucs in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and after struggling his rookie season, and changing positions for 2023, he's become a staple of an offensive line that has protected quarterback Baker Mayfield to the point of two consecutive career seasons.
“Luke Goedeke, I think, is one of the most underrated linemen in the league,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said in January.