Auburn junior guard Braden Smith was rated the top pass blocker in the SEC in 2015.

AUBURN, Ala. – The expectations are high for Auburn's offensive line entering the 2016 season under first-year coach Herb Hand.

The unit was rated the eighth-best offensive line in the country by Pro Football Focus, and its strength is on the interior. Guards Braden Smith and Alex Kozan were each rated among the best at their position based on last year's performance.

PFF rated Smith, a preseason All-SEC third team selection, as the best pass blocker in the SEC last season. He allowed no sacks and only 10 quarterback pressures on more than 300 snaps in 2015, earning him a grade of 97.8. Kozan, a senior first-team All-SEC selection, wasn't far behind with a grade of 96.2.

"They're really good guards," sophomore defensive tackle Dontavius Russell said during fall camp. "They start at Auburn University, so they must be."

Auburn is relatively inexperienced up front aside from Smith and Kozan, but an offseason mostly void of position battles has allowed the group to work together and develop chemistry across the line.

Junior Austin Golson returned to left tackle in the spring after a one-year stint at center. He split time between guard and tackle during his freshman season at Ole Miss.

Senior Xavier Dampeer had his season ended prematurely a year ago in an altercation with former Auburn wide receiver Duke Williams, but he has recovered and has worked as the starting center throughout the offseason.

The only position battle was at right tackle, where fifth-year senior Robert Leff beat out Texas transfer Darius James and others for the starting nod.

Per PFF, Auburn's offensive line allowed 61 pressures as a unit last year, the lowest total in the SEC. Auburn was one of only two SEC teams to crack the top 10, with LSU preceding Auburn in fifth place.

Click here to see the full rankings and read PFF's full written analysis of the Tigers' offensive line.

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