Good Choice or Bad Choice

NFL Draft Preview: Offensive Line OT, Guard and Center

Analysis

The NFL draft is a week and a day away. We continue the review of draft prospects by position with Offensive Line including offensive tackle, guards, and center.

Offensive Tackle

Top TIER

Evan Neal Alabama 6’7 337 pounds

Large and athletic tackle with great balance. Should be a top 5 pick. Experienced and is a day 1 starter at left tackle

Charles Cross Mississippi State 6’5 307 pounds

Long arms with good hands but needs to work on technique. Could be LT or RT. Probably a top 10 pick

Item Ekonwu NC State 6’4 310 pounds

Day 1 starter at LT. Built like Laremy Tunsil. Very powerful and could be LT or elite guard too

Second TIER

Bernard Raimann Central Michigan Tackle 6’6 303 pounds

Strong with good feet and power. Versatile and could play guard or right tackle. Think Kyle Long. Round 1 pick

Kenyon Green Texas A&M Tackle/Guard 6’4 323 pounds

Good balance and power that could play tackle or slide inside. Long arms and should be a late Round 1 pick

Trevor Penning Northern Iowa Tackle 6’7 321 pounds

Physical run blocker with solid technique. Played at a smaller school but has starter potential. Late Round 1 or Round 2. Think Riley Reiff

Daniel Faalele Minnesota Tackle 6’8 384 pounds

Massive man with power but leverage and athletic concerns. Developmental player. Round 2 pick

Rasheed Walker Penn State

Experienced athletic tackle who had more success than bad plays. Round 2 pick and compares to another Penn Stater and Tampa Bay LT Donovan Smith

Third TIER

Max Mitchell Louisiana 6’6 307 pounds

Athletic with power pop but played at a small school. Late day 2 or day 3 pick

Chris Paul Tulsa 6’4 323 pounds

Balanced, powerful, and thick guard. Round 3 pick and possible future starter.

Sean Ryan UCLA

Right tackle that can set the edge. Think Braden Smith. Late Round 3 or 4

Zach Tom Wake Forest Tackle/Guard

Versatile tackle but probably moves inside. Great technique and quick out of his stance. Round 4 tackle/guard

Luke Goedeke

Good athlete and mirror but speed rush gets him. Poor man’s Eric Fisher. Round 4 tackle

Centers/Guard

Top TIER

Tyler Linder Baum Iowa Center/Guard

Athletic mauler who is great at pass protection. Gets to second level and will be a starting center for a long time. Possible top 10 pick but most likely top 20

Second TIER

Zion Johnson Center/Guard  6’3 312 pounds

Run game mauler who can play center or good. Not as athletic but can get to second level and seal his blocks. Late Round 1

Tyler Smith Tulsa Tackle 6’4 324 pounds

Versatile with good balance and athleticism but needs technique refinement. Should be a starting guard from day 1 though

Cole Strange 6’5 307 pounds Chattnooga

Small school guard prospect who has been rising. Could be a day 2 pick. Good feet and strong in run game.

Third TIER

Dylan Parham Memphis 6’3 311 pounds

Strong low to the ground guard. Had a real bad concussion which could drop him to day 3. Has starting guard potential

Dohnonvan West Arizona State

Center and Round 4 or 5 guy

Jamare Sayler Georgia

Round 4 or 5. Played tackle but built like a guard

Pretty deep Offensive line class with options for starters, a few elite tackles and one elite center. Too bad the Bears don’t have a first-round pick. Vikings could look for another first round center but doubt Linderbaum falls to them. Packers could add another tackle after losing Billy Turner like Raiman. Lions need a third OT but probably not until late day 2 or day 3.