Boise State’s first season in the reborn Pac-12 is down to the top five in Broncos On SI’s countdown of the 12 players who will shape it, and one of the biggest names left is a newcomer on the offensive line.
Offensive tackle Tyler Ethridge checks in at No. 5 after arriving from Division II Colorado State-Pueblo, where he started 29 games at left tackle. At 6-foot-3 and 308 pounds, Ethridge is stepping into a major opening with Kage Casey gone after being selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.
Ethridge’s résumé at Colorado State-Pueblo was strong. He earned first-team all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors at left tackle for the second straight year and served as the anchor of an offensive line that helped the ThunderWolves put up 38.3 points per game, good for No. 8 nationally in Division II, along with 443.2 yards per game, which ranked No. 18.
That production helped Colorado State-Pueblo defend its RMAC title, even though the season ended with a first-round loss in the Division II playoffs.
Boise State is asking Ethridge to fill a spot with a proven track record behind it. Casey finished his college career with 41 starts at left tackle, was a two-time first-team all-Mountain West selection and went No. 111 overall in the draft. The Broncos have also seen other left tackles reach the NFL, including Ezra Cleveland, John Ojukwu and Ryan Clady.
The expectation for Ethridge isn’t that he arrives as an NFL-ready tackle on day one. It’s that he plays at an all-Pac-12 level right away. Before that can happen, he has to beat out returning junior Kyle Cox for the starting job.
If he does, Ethridge could end up being one of the Broncos’ defining pieces in 2026.
In Other News...
Matt Wagner May Decide How Dangerous Boise States Offense Becomes
Boise State heads into its first season in the Pac-12 with a familiar name positioned to matter more than ever. Matt Wagner has spent the past two years behind Matt Lauter as the No. 2 tight end, but he now looks set to step into the lead role after a season in which he appeared in every game, started 10 times and contributed on both the edge and in the passing game.
The Broncos have reason to think Wagners next step could help define how dangerous the offense becomes in its new league. He already has preseason all-Pac-12 recognition, and the expectation is that his footprint in the passing game will grow this fall, giving Boise State another weapon as it tries to establish itself against a tougher schedule. [Read more 🡒]