HOOVER, Ala. -- Moving from right tackle to left tackle can be a challenging task for an offensive lineman.
There is the added pressure in protecting the blind side of a right-handed quarterback, even more so when replacing a first-round NFL draft pick. There is also the challenge of facing better pass rushers.
Texas A&M offensive lineman Jake Matthews will face all of that this fall. After playing last season at right tackle, he'll replace Luke Joeckel, the No. 2 overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, at left tackle this year. And he'll have the prime responsibility for keeping the player SEC pass rushers will most want to sack -- star quarterback Johnny Manziel -- from taking hits.
But Matthews, a senior, is considered a likely first-round pick himself, and if anyone is prepared for the challenge, it's the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews.
"Luke and I learned a lot from each other. He was a great player, and we pushed each other. We watched film together, we worked out together," Matthews said. "He did a great job at left tackle. I'll be something different, but I think I'll do a good job."
As for facing tougher defensive ends, Matthews noted that he clashed head-to-head with one of college football's best -- LSU's Barkevious Mingo -- while playing right tackle last season.
"Coming into this new conference, we knew we would see some great linemen," Matthews said. "Barkevious Mingo from LSU was a great player. The guys from Alabama were very good, and Luke saw a lot of the same thing on the other side."
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
