Lichtensteiger's ability to excel at center or offensive guard is leading to comparisons to Jacksonville's Brad Meester. The Bowling Green team captain has a devastating hand punch and placement to consistently sustain his blocks and shows the nimble feet to get out in front consistently, neutralizing second-level defenders in the ground game.

At Crestview High School, Lichtensteiger earned All-Northwest Conference first-team honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He was selected that conference's Lineman of the Year as both a junior and senior. He was also named to the All-Ohio and All-District teams in each of his last two seasons and was chosen District Lineman of the Year in 2002.

Lichtensteiger registered 100 tackles with six sacks during his junior campaign. As a senior, he produced 125 more tackles, including eight sacks. He finished his career with four letters in both football and basketball. The talented lineman also performed in the weight categories for the school's track team.

Lichtensteiger enrolled at Bowling Green in 2003, spending that season performing on the scout team as a center. He shifted to offensive guard, starting all 12 games on the left side. He would go on to start all 44 games in which he appeared for the Falcons. As a freshman, he was named to the Football Writers' Association Freshman All-American team. He added All-Mid American Conference second-team honors, as he made 94 key blocks/knockdowns, including 15 that led to BGSU touchdowns, finishing with an 85.5% grade for blocking consistency.

As a sophomore, Lichtensteiger was again named to the All-MAC second-team. He helped the offense average 427.7 yards per game in total offense, as he started 11 times at left offensive guard. He paced the offensive line with 12 touchdown-resulting blocks, coming up with 90 key blocks en route to grading 84.36%.

Lichtensteiger shifted to center as a junior in 2006. He quickly acclimated to his new position, delivering 92 key blocks/knockdowns, with 10 of them leading to Falcons' touchdowns. He earned All-MAC first-team and Academic All-Conference honors and shared team MVP accolades with Devon Parks. Behind the center's trap blocks, the rushing attack led the conference, averaging 176.7 yards per game on the ground.

As a senior, Lichtensteiger registered 16 touchdown-resulting blocks through the team's first nine games. He posted 76 knockdowns and provided outstanding pass protection, as the Falcons improved their aerial attack to 300.1 yards per game from 169.1 yards the previous season.

Lichtensteiger boasts a string of 44 consecutive starts, lining up at left offensive guard for his first 23 games before shifting to center for the next 19 contests. He has collected 352 key blocks/knockdowns, including 53 that led to BGSU touchdowns. He delivered 28 of those blocks downfield and leads all of college football's active centers with a career blocking consistency grade of 85.45%.

Positives: Has good chest thickness, broad shoulders and a squat frame that can carry at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness … Has strong, thick legs, with good hip rotation and lateral agility to get out front on traps and pulls … Alert to defensive schemes, easily picking up the stunts and blitzes … Versatile, with the ability to play center or guard … Shows excellent quickness as a snap-and-step center, getting a strong surge when making initial contact … Instinctive player who does a solid job making blocking-assignment calls … Durable athlete who has started every game during his college career … A little stiff in his straight-line burst, but shows good balance and body control to take angles and neutralize second-level defenders … Plays with good strength, keeping himself flat-footed with his hands inside his frame to shock and jolt the defender … Shows the functional body control and foot agility to quickly move off the snap … Active, tough competitor who always gives a second effort … Has enough quickness coming out of his stance, clearing defenders off the ball with his leg drive, hand jolt and explosion, as he plays with an aggressive nature … Generates a strong hand punch blocking on the move and plays with great effort, as he is always looking for targets to strike … More explosive coming out of his stance from shotgun formation, but also shows fluid motion when the quarterback lines up under center … Bit of a waist bender, but is quick to recover, as he shows proper knee bend to gain position, anchor and sustain … Drives with force coming out of his stance, staying with the defender while keeping a wide leg base to maintain balance … Clamps on tightly to ride the defender wide and is a physical drive blocker who simply runs over people … Powerful trap blocker who does a very nice job of locating defenders in space … Excels at pulling to trap when uncovered, cutting off on the front side of the gap … Moves well in the box, showing good range and has improved a fluid drop-and-set with his head on a swivel, displaying good footwork in pass sets … Can anchor down with force in pass protection and extends his arms properly to contain the bull rush … Shows the patience needed to take on blockers, as it is rare to see him lunge or over-extend to land on a target … Adjusts well in space and does a nice job either in one-on-one situations or combining with his guards to shut down the rush … Has enough lateral quickness and movement skills to get position on the linebacker moving downfield and shows the slide ability in both directions when blocking an angle … Can make the shotgun snap, as he is quick with his hands, demonstrating much better hand placement as a senior (see 2007 Minnesota, Temple and Akron games) … Uses his hands efficiently to get inside the frame of a defender to rock him back with a jarring hand punch … Mirrors double moves well, due to his fluid lateral agility … Review of 2007 tapes shows that the athlete has refined his change-of-direction agility, as he does a better job of dropping his weight and planting his foot in the ground to redirect.

Negatives: Quality snapper in the shotgun, but the team does not place their quarterback under center much to get a true gauge of his hand quickness in that category … Shows better pop with his hands when blocking on the move than when he's stationary … Demonstrates good balance and body control on the move, but will bend at the waist at times and when he does this, he is slow to recover … A true interior blocker, as he seems more comfortable working in unison with his guards on blocks (does not have the quick kick slide to get on the edge and handle the speedy pass rushers as a potential tackle candidate) … Showed improvement as a senior, but was not always consistent shooting his hands and getting hand placement to lock on and control defenders earlier in his career … Because he is utilized mostly in the shotgun, he might have to return to guard early in his professional career until he can show he has the same snap quickness and hand speed needed for the traditional quarterback snap, but he showed earlier in his career that he has the ability to pull for the ground game from the left guard position (made 184 knockdowns with 27 touchdown-resulting blocks during his first two years as a guard at BGSU).

Compares To: BRAD MEESTER-Jacksonville … Like Meester, Lichtensteiger's versatility will make him a valuable asset for a professional team earlier in his pro career. He has worked hard to develop into a very effective trap blocker and has experience at guard, so a move back to that position during his first few years won't be slowed by a lack of experience. He is a tenacious drive blocker who keeps his head on a swivel to locate and land on second-level defenders with consistency. He is a smart player who makes good line calls and adjustments. With his ability to work in unison with his fellow interior blockers, whatever position he lines up at next year, look for him to make a smooth adjustment to NFL life.

2006: Suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder the Temple clash (10/28), but continued to play the rest of the season with the injury.

2007: Underwent left shoulder surgery in January (1/10) that forced him to sit out contact drills during the spring session … Was shaken up late in the second quarter of the Michigan State game, sitting out one play before returning to the game.

Campus: 5.16 in the 40-yard dash … 410-pound bench press … 520-pound squat … 30 3/8-inch arm length … 9 ½-inch hands … Right-handed … 29/36 Wonderlic score.

Attended Crestview (Convoy, Oh.) High School, playing football for head coach Chad Williams … Earned All-Northwest Conference first-team honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman … Selected that conference's Lineman of the Year as both a junior and senior … Also named to the All-Ohio and All-District teams in each of his last two seasons and was chosen District Lineman of the Year in 2002 … Registered 100 tackles with six sacks during his junior campaign … As a senior, he produced 125 more tackles, including eight sacks … Finished his career with four letters in both football and basketball … Also performed in the weight categories for the school's track team … Four-time scholar-athlete.

Criminal Justice major … Married; wife's name is Mandi. The couple has a two-year-old son, Ayden … Son of Deb and Thad and Deb Lichtensteiger … Brother, Kirk, played basketball at Defiance College … Born 3/22/85 … Resides in Van Wert, Ohio.