Inside Lane Johnson’s OL Masterminds, which brings top NFL linemen and the next generation together

THE COLONY, Texas — About 30 miles north of downtown Dallas, as groups of large men walked toward a building last week, people craned their necks.

Duke Manyweather and Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, two of the most respected minds when it comes to the art of blocking, fleshed out the idea of bringing the top offensive linemen together to counter Von Miller’s Sack Summit during the summer of 2018. After a humble beginning with 27 players, the eighth annual OL Masterminds brought in about 200 players — past and present — ranging from rising high school seniors to Hall of Famers.

For the first time, OL Masterminds was in a new place, staged at an entertainment venue called The Cosm, after spending the first seven years at the Cowboys’ facilities in Frisco. Cosm CEO and president Jeb Terry played on the offensive line for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers in the early 2000s.

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On the second floor, the event kicked off with opening remarks from Manyweather, Johnson, Bills tackle Dion Dawkins, and former offensive linemen Mitchell Schwartz, Joe Thomas, and Will Shields, the latter five sharing the secrets to their success and what gave them an edge on the field.

“I think with [OL Masterminds] being what it has become, it’s allowed the players to get a huge head start going to the NFL world, instead of being college students, really not having any square direction,” Johnson told the room.

Dawkins passionately described his aggressive approach to pass protecting. Schwartz discussed the balance of new techniques with the focusing on what works for him, and Shields offered advice on the importance of finding things outside football. During their introductions, Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who has been named to five All-Pro teams, sat in the front row taking notes as if he were attending for the first time.

So were recent first-round picks Will Campbell and Tyler Booker, along with second-year players JC Latham and Titans teammate Peter Skoronski. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae took notes himself, along with former Giants O-lineman and current Memphis position coach David Diehl.

“I think as humans, we should all strive to be life students. So we are always continuing to look, continuing and looking to learn, to grow, to evolve,” five-time Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead, who recently retired, told The Inquirer. “Whether it’s football or whatever job occupation that someone has, I think that just being a student, that was the biggest strength of my game and my career.”

Added Manyweather, an offensive line guru: “The evolution of what OL Masterminds has turned into — the content that we put up really matched the venue. And that was important to me as the founder of it. If we’re coming into such a beautiful venue, we’ve got to step our game up with content and the way things look. I think we’ve achieved that pretty well.”

The two-day session, more than anything, gives a wealth of knowledge to the next generation of O-linemen, which current and former NFL players take great pride in. Johnson created the summit because it was something that he was missing in the early years of his NFL career, which began in 2013.

» READ MORE: Eagles tackle Lane Johnson discusses Nick Sirianni’s growth, playing alongside Saquon Barkley, and more

“My whole goal was to provide an outlet for guys because when I was coming out, I didn’t know a whole lot about the position or the history behind it,” Johnson told The Inquirer. “I think it provides a lot of great insight, not only for pros, but really players at every level, coaches, and I think it’s a lot of wisdom can be gained here in a couple days, and a lot of great conversations can be had.”

What players and coaches gain most out of the experience is the one-on-one conversations with NFL greats. There was about two hours of designated time for players to interact and ask questions to players from their same positions, ranging from hand placement and pass set depth to mitigating certain pass-rush moves. But those conversations often carried into other sessions, and even back at the host hotel 15 minutes away in Frisco.

Clemson tackle Tristan Leigh, a rising senior, pulled Dawkins aside several times throughout the sessions, and later got Johnson’s phone number to text him with any questions he might have.

“You look around the room, look at the guys in here. Man, you’ve got Hall of Famers everywhere,” Leigh said. “Honestly, just having the opportunity to come in here and be a sponge and learn from everybody. One of [the speakers] pointed out, ‘Everybody in here is a good player, and nobody does the same thing.’ There’s so much room to learn.”

Added Clemson teammate Collin Sadler: “The biggest thing they preached here is everyone’s different. You’ve got to find things that work for you. And being able to speak with this many guys with way different techniques, way different play styles, and just taking that in my own accord and being able to adapt that to my game, that’s the biggest thing I’m taking away from this.”

Toward the end of each day, linemen shared their perspectives and tips on how they attack some of the best edge rushers in the NFL. Johnson described how he’d attack Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, and Armstead broke down how he would approach facing Browns star Myles Garrett. With film showing on LED screens behind them as they spoke, provided by Brandon Thorn — who runs the “Trench Warfare” newsletter covering O-line play — attendees, some of whom will become NFL players in the next few seasons, were getting firsthand knowledge.

They brought up Charles Leno, the former Commanders and Bears tackle, to discuss his three-step short pass set. Brian Allen, who was the Rams’ starting center for their Super Bowl run, discussed how he’d generate movement and handle Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea as an undersized center. Dawkins explained why he chooses to jump-set edge rushers, including bringing the fight to Rams defensive rookie of the year Jared Verse instead of letting him get a full head of steam.

“I think being in a room with this much knowledge is powerful. There’s a lot of young guys here, too, but for the guys that need to learn, and for the guys that are willing to learn and grow, this is the place to be,” said Dawkins, a Temple alum. “It’s a big-man world, and we’re the big guys that run it.”

» READ MORE: ‘What I do is not who I am’: Eagles’ Lane Johnson looks to destigmatize mental health topic for HS students

While the larger focus of the summit was the on-field aspects and technicalities of the offensive line, there was a variety of topics explored, from mental health to ways to keep their bodies in peak condition.

Panels included one from BioXcellerator, which offers stem cell therapy, and a speaker series from Mark Dominik, the former Buccaneers general manager who was once a scout for the Chiefs, to discuss financial literacy among players in or entering the NFL.

Johnson, an outspoken voice on mental health in regards to the issues he has faced in his career, shared his experience with dealing with fear and anxiety. For Armstead, too, who’s been attending the summit since its inception, hearing about other players’ struggles helped him cope with his own.

“I think with all the distractions we have today that it’s even harder to be focused, and anxiety is pretty prevalent,” Johnson said. “So just a way to become more educated on it, learn how to combat it, approach it, and then how to move forward and realize that a general level of fear is optimal to make you perform. But there are ways to navigate it to make it not such a negative in your life.”

Added Armstead: “Getting that type of insight to let the masses know that whatever emotion you’re going through … you’re not the only person. And some of the ones that’s been doing it the best at the highest level, they have the same struggles and have the same battles. It’s open and inviting for everyone to kind of share their experience, and it just creates an ecosystem of knowledge, support, and problem solving.”

» READ MORE: How the Eagles’ Lane Johnson draws on his mother’s strength: ‘We’ve been through the road of hard knocks’

In reflecting on OL Masterminds, Johnson called it “the best that it’s been.” Johnson, 35, is entering his 13th NFL season while still playing at a high level. But his legacy is now living off the field with this event, too.

“The whole principle of the OL Masterminds is in the true essence of [author] Napoleon Hill’s mastermind principle,” Manyweather said, “which is collaboration, streamlined success, one shared vision.”

Added Johnson: “The guys just keep getting bigger and bigger. And [with] the O-line, the future is in a great place.”