McGinn- offensive line

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Ranking the top offensive linemen in the 2021 NFL Draft: Bob McGinn’s grades are in

Bob McGinn Apr 22, 2021 46 

Editor’s note: This is the 37th year Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017) and BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-19). Through 2014, scouts often were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. This will be a nine-part series.

Previous reports: WR/TE

In the mid-1990s, a flotilla of franchise left tackles bound for Canton entered the NFL and forever altered the perception of what a great offensive lineman looked like.

Is it fair for top draft prospect Penei Sewell to be compared with Willie Roaf, Tony Boselli, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace and Walter Jones?

Well, the Oregon underclassman probably will be selected with a single-digit draft slot next week just as those five were from 1993 to 1997. The team that chooses Sewell privately will be thinking he’s capable of a Hall of Fame career, and Sewell probably does, too.

“Nobody can do what I do in this draft in the offensive tackle rooms,” Sewell said earlier in the month. “I bring something totally different to the table. And I think people know that.”

Some personnel individuals are skeptical. Even if the pandemic-related limitations weren’t handcuffing teams as they gather information on prospects, a fair number of scouts still would have seen this as a thin draft. Tackle is one of the deepest positions, but is Sewell atop most tackle boards mostly by default?

“I believe there will be a lot of disappointment (at tackle),” an experienced NFL decision-maker said. “I don’t buy that he’s a great one. Your options aren’t great this year. The upside with him is better than the upside with the rest. There is a floor with him that’s concerning.”

 

 

When 17 scouts were asked to name the most overrated offensive lineman in the draft, Sewell and Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi led the way with four votes each. Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood and Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield were next in line with two. Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks, Northern Iowa’s Spencer Brown, Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey each received one vote, and Stanford’s Walker Little and Tennessee’s Trey Smith split the final vote.

At the same time, Sewell certainly is deserving of entering the draft as the No. 1 offensive lineman. When those 17 scouts ranked their six top linemen in order regardless of position, Sewell garnered 13 first-place votes compared to three for Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater and one for USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker.

With a first-place vote worth six points, a second worth five and so on, the point totals were Sewell (93), Slater (84), Vera-Tucker (52), Christian Darrisaw (50), Teven Jenkins (17), Dickerson (13), Jackson Carman (eight), Liam Eichenberg (six), Cosmi (six), Leatherwood (five), Little (five), Banks (four), Mayfield (four), Dillon Radunz (four), Dan Moore (two), Trey Smith (two), Wyatt Davis (one) and Drew Dalman (one).

Still, it’s difficult to come across an evaluator who is prepared to go all-in on Sewell due in part to the fact he opted out of the 2020 season, leaving him with a collegiate résumé of merely 21 games. He won’t be 21 until October.

“Sewell is super talented,” an AFC executive said. “Movement, bend, length. But you haven’t seen him in a year, and he’s a young, young player.

“The depth of the tackle group is better than the top end of it. The best value is 20 to 40; the guy you get at 36 won’t be much different than the guy you get at 21. It’s a deep group.”

The record for most offensive linemen taken in the first round is nine in 2013. With most positions on defense weaker than normal, some teams think that record could be broken if there’s a run on offensive linemen.

“I have 11 tackles with first-round potential,” an AFC scout said. “Nine for sure.”

So let’s say you’re the Bengals. You own the No. 5 pick, young Joe Burrow is your quarterback and perhaps with no player on defense rated that high, Sewell would appear to be someone under heavy consideration.

The naysayers would argue that the Bengals might be better off trying to trade the pick or possibly taking tight end Kyle Pitts or wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Sewell, they would say, will disappoint.

“I put the tape on expecting to see Jonathan Ogden or Joe Thomas or Walter Jones or Orlando Pace, and I didn’t see it,” one longtime scout said. “But he’s going high because there’s nobody else.”

Sewell might surprise. More than likely, though, he won’t sniff the enshrinement ceremony in Canton.

Nonetheless, Sewell didn’t fare badly at all when roll was called of the first offensive lineman selected in the past 15 drafts. The 1990s offered the crème de la crème at tackle.

The drafts from 2006 to 2020 demonstrated that if Sewell is in fact the first offensive lineman to be selected, his new team should feel confident of his future. An AFC evaluator with many years in scouting recently agreed to assess Sewell as a prospect compared to how he rated those linemen who were the first off the board in the past 15 years. The results: The scout ranked Sewell as a better prospect than nine of the 15.

“You’d be really happy with having Sewell,” the executive said after completing the exercise. “He will trend toward being a Pro Bowl-level player if not competing to be one of the best tackles in the league and if not the best just off those comparisons.”

 

 

These are the nine top players, all tackles, rated beneath Sewell as prospects by the personnel man, who scouted them all: Jake Long (No. 1 pick, 2008), Jason Smith (No. 2, 2009), Matt Kalil (No. 4, 2012), Eric Fisher (No. 1, 2013), Greg Robinson (No. 2, 2014), Ronnie Stanley (No. 6, 2016), Garret Bolles (No. 20, 2017), Jonah Williams (No. 11, 2019) and Andrew Thomas (No. 4, 2020).

Here are the six players that he had rated higher than Sewell: tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson (No. 4, 2006), tackle Joe Thomas (No. 3, 2007), tackle Trent Williams (No. 4, 2010), tackle Tyron Smith (No. 9, 2011), guard Brandon Scherff (No. 5, 2015) and guard Quenton Nelson (No. 6, 2018).

Of the nine players rated beneath Sewell, four have made the Pro Bowl: Long (four), Kalil (one), Fisher (two) and Stanley (one).

Of the six rated ahead of Sewell, all six made the Pro Bowl: Ferguson (three), Thomas (10), Williams (eight), Tyron Smith (seven), Scherff (four) and Nelson (three).

“Sewell isn’t a generational player, but he’s close to it,” said the scout. “I think he’ll be a really good starting left tackle in the NFL. I don’t see the generational player that people talk about just from a technique standpoint and his overall play.

“You expect more out of him than what you see. But he has the size, the feet and the athleticism. He just needs some refinement.”

Ranking the tackles

 

Penei Sewell is ranked No. 5 on Dane Brugler’s Big Board. (Troy Wayrynen / USA Today)

1. Penei Sewell, Oregon (6-foot-5, 331 pounds, 5.09 40 time, Round 1 draft projection): Top-rated offensive lineman in the draft.

“He’s a good player, not a great player,” one scout said. “The guy’s young. He didn’t play this year. He has incredible body control and balance. Athletically, he can do anything. He’s got power. He’s 330. He needs lower pad level and technique work. He’s got enough to be a legit starter.”

Opted out of the 2020 season. Hailing from Malaeimi, American Samoa, he started seven games as a true freshman in 2018 before missing six games due to an ankle injury that required surgery. Then he started 13 of 14 games in 2019. Will turn 21 in October.

“Honestly, as big as he is, he’s still not fully developed,” said a second scout. “I mean that in a good way. He still has room to get bigger and stronger. When you’re picking that high, that’s kind of what you want.”

Said a third scout: “A bit overrated. He is a naturally thick, big-framed tackle. His workout was actually better than he played. I didn’t think he was super explosive. He covered people up with his size, and he would gouge somebody just because he was bigger than them. And name one pass rusher he actually played against in the Pac-12 who’s on a draft board?”

Arm length (33¼ inches) is short for a prospect of his stature. His hands are a large 10⅜ inches. Managed 30 reps on the bench press, but his vertical jump was a modest 28 inches.

“Every time I circle back and watch him, I just don’t see it,” a fourth scout said. “He’s not that gifted with his feet. He doesn’t really play that physical or strong. He can get in the way, but he’s not a really good finisher, and his balance isn’t that great. His technique is off. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”

2. Rashawn Slater, Northwestern (6-foot-4, 304, 4.91, Round 1): Slater was the Wildcats’ finest offensive lineman since tackle Chris Hinton, the seven-time Pro Bowler who was the No. 4 pick in 1983.

“His pro day workout was unbelievable,” said one scout. “Just extremely quick, extremely powerful.”

Logged 33 reps on the bench press and ran an exceptional 40.

“The underwhelming thing about him is his size and the way he looks,” a second scout said. “He’s built more like an inside player than a tackle, but he is really good. I hardly have any negatives. He’s athletic, strong for his size, super smart. He’s a technician. I thought he could play all five positions.”

Slater has his mind set on playing tackle in the NFL. He started at right tackle for Northwestern in 2017 and ’18 and at left tackle in ’19 before opting out of ’20.

“He’s only got 33-inch arms,” a third scout said. “Therefore, that will lead some people to say, ‘OK, he’s only a guard.’ In the NFL today, (tackles) have to have 34-inch arms. That inch may make a difference, but I still think he can play tackle. He has wonderful athletic skills, balance and control in his play.”

Slater, from Sugar Land, Texas, surpassed Sewell in the vertical jump (33), broad jump (9-4) and bench (33).

“He doesn’t have that Alpha dog (mentality),” said a fourth scout. “He doesn’t look tough, but he flashes it. I think he’ll succeed the best on the inside.”

3. Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech (6-foot-4½, 322, no 40, Round 1): His arm length (34¼ inches) was the longest of the top 10 tackles.

“He can pass block,” said one scout. “He’s a tough-ass, competitive kid. He’s not a road-grader type for the run, but he’s a good athlete.”

Third-year junior from Upper Marlboro, Md., started 35 games at LT.

“I saw a guy who played tough and with good angles, but I didn’t see him dominate in the run game,” another scout said. “You put him against a guy like Kenny Clark in Green Bay, I don’t think he can block (him). I really don’t. I have him in the third round.”

A third scout said Darrisaw was “up there sort of by default. He’s definitely overrated.”

His style of play was described as “so casual” by a fourth scout. Said a fifth: “Super light on his feet. Just effortless with everything he does. That kind of plays into his negatives a little bit. It’s always been easy for him. Does this guy have the drive, the competitiveness? Part of it is it’s easy for him. Part of it is get your ass moving. He has every bit as much talent as the top guys. It’s if you can marry yourself to the kid.”

4. Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State (6-foot-6, 317, 5.01, Round 1 or 2): Hailing from Topeka, Kan., Jenkins redshirted in 2016, started three of 12 games in ’17 and all 32 games from 2018 through ’20.

“He’s strong, has good stature,” said one scout. “I’m worried about his arm length (33½ inches) a little, but worst-case (scenario) is he can flex inside and be a good guard. He can be a starting right tackle or right guard in Year 1. Moves a little better than Robert Hunt with the Dolphins. Not as violent as Robert Hunt, but I thought (Jenkins) played smart and with good angles in the run game.”

Shared the lead among tackles on the bench press with 36 reps.

“This year, he played mean,” said a second scout. “In 2019, there were times you scratched your head and said, ‘What the hell are you doing, man? Get after it.’ He’s got kind of a soft personality, but if you watch the 2020 film, he’s not soft. Talent-wise, it’s there.”

His starts included 26 at right tackle, seven at left tackle and two at right guard.

“He can’t take hard coaching, but he’s very smart and has a mauler’s mentality,” a third scout said. “He’s a 20-to-40 (draft) guy. He’s got size. Plays nasty. He gets a little inconsistent, but not bad.”

5. Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame (6-foot-6, 306, no 40, Round 1 or 2): From Cleveland, Eichenberg was a three-year starter at left tackle after redshirting in 2016 and backing up Mike McGlinchey (now starting for the 49ers) in ’17.

“I don’t think you miss on him,” said one scout. “These other guys (tackles), I think you can miss on them.”

Looking to follow McGlinchey, Ronnie Stanley and Zack Martin as successive Irish left tackles drafted in the first round.

“(I) like him,” said a second scout. “All he does is win his battles. He’s efficient, steady, dependable, prideful. He is technically sound.”

Might be forced to move to guard because of short arms (32⅜ inches).

“He’s a steady Eddie,” a third scout said. “It never looked like he was out of his league with anything. He always did his thing. He showed enough athletic ability.”

“Is he ever going to be a Pro Bowler?” asked a fourth scout. “Probably not. But I think he’s going to be a really good pro for a long time. He’s a really good second-round pick. I’m not sure he couldn’t play every position. He’s not a dynamic left-tackle athlete. I’d rather have him at right tackle, but he can play left tackle. He doesn’t do anything great, but he does everything really well. His level of consistency improved this year.”

6. Samuel Cosmi, Texas (6-foot-6, 314, 4.87, Round 2): Blew out pro day. His 40 time, bench-press reps (36) and short shuttle time (4.39) either tied or led the efforts of the other leading tackles.

“Had a really impressive workout,” said one scout. “He’s a big, strong dude. I didn’t see that on tape all the time.”

From Humble, Texas, Cosmi redshirted in 2017, started 13 games at right tackle in ’18 and 21 games combined at left tackle in 2019 and ’20.

“He is a good athlete, and he has some feet,” said a second scout. “Athletic zone type. Needs to play stronger and be more physical. He reminded me of that Jonah Williams guy.”

Arms measured in as 33 inches, hands were 10¼.

“His workout numbers do not indicate at all what kind of player he is,” said a third personnel man. “Just a stiff-hipped guy. Everything has to be in line. He just can’t adjust, he can’t position. He just doesn’t have good coordination with his feet and his hips to adjust to (movement). He’s always on the ground because he gets snatched. He’s so top-heavy.”

“He’s a typical spread (offense) tackle,” a fourth scout added. “He looks the part and tests the part, but his play is just OK.”

7. Alex Leatherwood, Alabama (6-foot-4½, 312, 5.01, Round 2): From Pensacola, Fla., Leatherwood started 41 of 48 games over four seasons.

“I think he’s got to be a right tackle or a guard,” said one scout. “Big, powerful man. Moved well for a big guy. He worked out better than I thought. There’s some similarities between him and Andrus Peat, thick-boned guys who could play tackle but are really good guards.”

Played 44 snaps in the 2017 national title game when left tackle Jonah Williams was injured. Started at right guard in 2018 and at left tackle the past two years.

“He’ll play,” a second scout said. “You love his length (34-inch arms) … but he doesn’t play that strong and doesn’t have a lot of grit to him. He just kind of does everything OK, OK, OK, nothing elite. Someone may fall in love with him just because it’s an Alabama offensive lineman. Every year they don’t do anything, but every year we keep taking ’em. He falls in line with a lot of those ’Bama guys of the past.”

Led the tackles in the vertical jump (34½) and broad jump (9-10).

“They say he’s smart, but during games he seems to lose concentration and has all these penalties,” another scout said. “More talented than Jonah Williams. Really a nice athlete.”

 

Dillon Radunz, left, is projected to be taken in Round 2. (Vasha Hunt / USA Today)

8. Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State (6-foot-5½, 301, 5.16, Round 2): Recruited as a defensive end out of Becker, Minn., he moved to offense and redshirted in 2016 before suffering a torn ACL on the 15th play of the 2017 season. Started 31 consecutive games at left tackle in 2018 and ’19, all North Dakota State victories.

“Talented left tackle,” said one scout. “Only played one game this year. What helped him was he showed up at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and was one of the more consistent offensive linemen all week.”

The Bison played just one game in 2020 because of the pandemic. He was named “best practice player” in Mobile.

“Wish he were a little thicker, stronger,” another scout said. “He’s got a chance to be a starter.”

Often compared to Green Bay OT/G Billy Turner, the 67th player selected in 2014 and the Bison’s highest-drafted offensive lineman.

“He’s better than Turner,” said a third scout. “High character. Got a little nasty demeanor to him. He’s got room to put strength on. He loves to practice football. Longer defenders give him some problems around the edge. He’s got a degree of tightness in his lower body that really hurts him.”

Arm length (34 inches) was fine, but his hands measured just 9 inches, the smallest of the tackles.

9. Jalen Mayfield, Michigan (6-foot-5, 326, 5.38, Round 2): Hurt himself with a mediocre workout at pro day.

“He’s got no lower body, which scares me,” said one scout. “I didn’t like the (pro day). Never saw him explode. I thought he played more athletic than what he tested. He quickly makes contact, which he has to do because of the short arms (32⅝ inches). I didn’t think he was consistent with his leverage. He more or less used his upper body to steer guys and wall ’em off rather than nasty-drive ’em out.”

Third-year junior from Grand Rapids, Mich., played sparingly off the bench at left tackle in 2018 before starting 15 games at right tackle in 2019 and ’20. Declared for the draft after his second game last season.

“The longer I kept watching him, I thought this guy can be a really good guard,” a second scout said. “Somebody will try to make him a tackle. I’m not sure somebody won’t try to make him a left tackle because he has enough athletic ability. He’s got great bend. He did the pulling and the movement stuff in space really (well). I thought he played pretty smart.”

10. Walker Little, Stanford (6-foot-7½, 313, 5.26, Round 3): Suffered a season-ending knee injury in Game 1 of the 2019 season, then opted out of ’20.

“Well, the guy’s played two games (actually one) in two years,” said one scout. “Does he have talent? Yes. … I don’t think the knee is good, but he’s going top 100.”

Originally from Houston, Little started six games at left tackle as a true freshman in 2017 and 12 more in ’18.

“Massive,” a second scout said. “Got a lot of length (33¾-inch arms). Short-area guy. Needs a bumper on the inside. Needs help. But as a right tackle, he might have a chance to develop into a solid starter.”

His workout was merely average. It’s entirely a projection based off tape from two years ago.

“He has nice feet and nice movement,” said a third scout. “He just hasn’t played in two years.”

11. Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa (6-foot-8½, 311, 4.91, Round 3): Didn’t play in 2020 after UNI postponed its season until the spring. Impressed at the Senior Bowl and pro day in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“He tested off the charts,” one scout said. “He’s raw, long, athletic. He just lacks a little strength and power, which is weird because he’s off the charts with squats and the bench (29). He can get to the second level. He struggles to stay under control, but he can get there.”

Played five sports at high school in Lenox, Iowa. Redshirted in 2016, suffered a season-ending knee injury after five games in ’17 and started for two years at right tackle.

“He’s a poor man’s Nate Solder,” a second scout said. “He still needs to grow into his body. He needs to get stronger. He was a tight end (in high school). He’s got a lot of upside. If you’re going to count on him too early, you might be disappointed.”

His 6.96 time in the 3-cone drill was far better than any other offensive lineman in the draft.

“He’s too big,” groused a third scout. “He’s like that (Dan) Skipper from Arkansas.”

12. Larry Borom, Missouri (6-foot-5, 322, 5.14, Round 3): He’s a fourth-year junior originally from Detroit.

“They were surprised he came out,” said one scout. “Really light on his feet. He’s a big, good athlete. Still got some rawness to him. That said, he’s definitely got starting right-tackle upside. I’d be shocked if he’s still on the board once the third round is over.”

His 19 starts at Missouri included 16 at right tackle.

“A basketball player who made the switch to football,” said a second scout. “Originally played guard, but they switched him to tackle when somebody got hurt. He’s got great feet, and he wants to get his weight under control. He was like 360 (pounds) at one point. Third round.”

“He’s a low-end starter,” a third scout said. “He’s not always urgent, but he’s a big guy who can pass protect. Good player.”

Other top tackles: Dan Moore, Texas A&M; Stone Forsythe, Florida; James Hudson, Cincinnati; D’Ante Smith, East Carolina; Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan; Landon Young, Kentucky; Brenden Jaimes, Nebraska; Tommy Doyle, Miami (Ohio); Larnel Coleman, Massachusetts; Alaric Jackson, Iowa; Adrian Ealy, Oklahoma; Josh Ball, Marshall; Drew Himmelman, Illinois State.

Ranking the guards

 

Alijah Vera-Tucker is ranked No. 13 on Dane Brugler’s Big Board. (Kirby Lee / USA Today)

1. Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC (6-foot-4½, 308, 5.12, Round 1): Fourth-year junior from Oakland.

“He’s a Pro Bowl-level guard and a functional right tackle,” one scout said. “He can bend. He’s quick. He’s got lateral agility. He’s physical. He’s got strength. I was impressed.”

Arms measured just 32⅛ inches, perhaps moving him inside as a pro.

“But I see him as a left tackle,” said another scout. “He looks like a left tackle. He moves like a left tackle. He’s talented, man. At guard, he shows the bend and quickness, and he shows some nasty. This is a guy who’s on the rise.”

Played guard his first two seasons in 2018 and ’19 before starting the Trojans’ abbreviated six-game season in 2020 at left tackle.

“He’s quick and sudden with his hands,” said a third scout. “He’s got balance, he’s got slide. He could start at multiple positions.”

Shared the bench-press lead among the top guards with 32 reps.

2. Jackson Carman, Clemson (6-foot-5, 322, no 40, Round 2 or 3): His draft status is in flux after he underwent back surgery in January. Rated the best prospect in Ohio (he’s from Fairfield) in the 2018 recruiting class.

“I think he’s been reading his press clippings,” said one scout. “He doesn’t work to finish. He’ll work in pass pro a little bit. He does do that pretty well.”

Played as a reserve in 2018 before starting 27 games at left tackle protecting Trevor Lawrence’s back side the past two seasons.

“He’s talented enough (to be drafted high), but I don’t think his play warrants it,” said another scout. “His issue is focus. I can’t see him coming in and starting.”

3. Aaron Banks, Notre Dame (6-foot-5½, 325, 5.34, Round 2 or 3): Three-year starter from Alameda, Calif.

“He’s big, nimble, productive, quick,” said one scout. “He can position and jolt guys. He tries to finish. He’s good enough when he gets out in space. He anchors in pass pro and is quick with his punch. He’s damn good. I wouldn’t expect a guy that big to run faster than he did (5.34).”

Made 30 starts at left guard before declaring a year early.

“They were recruiting him to come back and play left tackle,” another scout said. “I didn’t think he had the feet for that. He’s a big, powerful guard. His feet were a little sloppy in space. Did struggle at the second level moving laterally. If you got him on a straight line, he could logo some guys. Any change-of-direction stuff, he’d struggle.”

Much better fit for a power-gap scheme than a wide zone run game.

“I think he’s vastly overrated,” said a third scout. “He’s stiff, feet weren’t good enough. Has weight issues.”

4. Kendrick Green, Illinois (6-foot-2, 305, 4.88, Round 2 or 3): Played defensive tackle as a redshirt freshman before moving to offense in 2018 and starting for three years.

“That’s the workout wonder guy,” one scout said. “He doesn’t play to his numbers. He is very athletic. Somebody will take him in the fourth (round).”

Paced guards in the 40, the vertical jump (35½) and the broad jump (9-11).

“Very physical,” said another scout. “Has good foot quickness. Very strong. Like the strongest guy on the team. He’ll be one of those serviceable starters.”

The Peoria, Ill., native started 29 games at left guard and four more at center.

“As a center, he can reach a 3-technique,” said a third scout. “Most of the time, he will snap and step at the same time. Almost nobody does that anymore. He’ll get to the second level and block people. He’s dominant as an athlete. He’s not the anchor type that can move the line of scrimmage.”

Has problems staying connected with his foes because of short arms (32¼ inches).

“I liked him at center, but he could play all three inside spots,” said a fourth scout. “I could see him as a starting center eventually. He was better vs. speed than power, but he can hold his own.”

5. Trey Smith, Tennessee (6-foot-5½, 321, 5.11, Rounds 2 through 5): “Is he going to pass medically?”

In the words of one scout, that’s the question hanging over Smith since he was diagnosed in February 2018 with blood clots in his lungs. He missed the last five games of that season when the clots reappeared, then was restricted in practice in 2019 and ’20.

“If he can overcome the blood-clot issue, you’ve got yourself a starting right guard who can play on a Pro Bowl level,” said another scout. “The toughness he played with reminded me of Kelechi Osemele. He’s not as long as Kelechi, but that size, that violence and that power reminded me of him.”

A five-star recruit out of Jackson, Tenn., Smith was a two-time Tennessee Mr. Football.

“He just hasn’t practiced,” said a third scout. “His play has really fallen off the last two years.”

His solid pro day included 32 reps on the bench.

“He’s a great kid,” said a fourth scout. “He started at left tackle as a freshman, which is crazy. He’s a big, stiff, super tough guy. He will step on your soul. But his balance is bad. He’s on the ground all the time. He’s got everything you want intangibly.”

Smith’s 41 career starts included 23 at left guard, 10 at left tackle and eight at right guard.

6. Brady Christensen, Brigham Young (6-foot-5, 302, 4.89, Round 3): His draft prospects gained some traction March 26 when the throng of scouts in Provo to watch quarterback Zach Wilson throw also saw Christensen’s superb workout.

“I think he moved up the draft board because he had a really good pro day and played well this year,” said one scout. “He ran a 4.9 (40) and benched 30 (reps). Had a really good workout athletically.”

The workout included shuttle-run times that were the fastest by guards.

“He had the big workout, but you don’t see (his) athletic ability on the field,” another scout said. “He is strictly an in-line guy who can’t adjust. No bend. Slow and wide with his hands, so guys get into his chest. Gives you good enough effort.”

From Bountiful, Utah, Christensen started all 38 games at left tackle the past three seasons, but arm length (32¼) might portend a shift inside. Went on a two-year mission to New Zealand before enrolling, so he’ll be 25 in September.

“Short-armed, played like it,” a third scout said. “I moved him to guard. In a zone-dominant offense, he could develop into a potentially solid starter. He looks light. Quick feet.”

7. Robert Hainsey, Notre Dame (6-foot-4½, 306, 5.23, Round 3 or 4): One of four Fighting Irish offensive linemen expected to be drafted.

“You think of Pittsburgh tough (Hainsey is from Monroeville, a Pittsburgh suburb), that’s what he is,” said one scout. “At the end of the day, he wins ugly. He doesn’t really move guys, but he wins with a stalemate. He needs to make contact first. High-effort technician. He’s going to play like 10 years. Coaches will love him. Once he’s in the building, it’s going to be tough to get him out.”

Strictly a right tackle in South Bend, Ind., starting 34 games for Notre Dame.

“He showed tremendous versatility coming to the Senior Bowl and playing center and guard,” said a second scout. “This guy’s going to start for somebody as an inside player. You don’t want to like him because of the way he looks. But man, you talk about a guy who knows how to play football. … I think he’ll end up being a really good starting center.”

8. Wyatt Davis, Ohio State (6-foot-3½, 315, no 40, Round 3 or 4): He declined an invitation from the NFL to attend the draft.

“That was smart,” said one scout. “He was a media-buzz guy for a long time. I think the media was even told to chill out on this guy.”

Bellflower, Calif., native was a two-time All-American after making 22 starts at right guard in 2019 and ’20.

“He kind of is what he is,” said a second scout. “I don’t feel he necessarily slipped (in 2020). Just maybe was overrated in some people’s eyes. Mid-rounds.”

Hard-nosed, power guard with long arms (33⅞).

“In 2019, he corkscrewed guys,” said another scout. “This year, man, he looked unathletic. He’s a worker, he’s a pro, but it’s hard to get on the table for him. And if he’s not starting at guard, he can’t play another position.”

Other top guards: Deonte Brown, Alabama; Ben Cleveland, Georgia; Kayode Awosika, Buffalo; Tommy Kraemer, Notre Dame; Jack Anderson, Texas Tech; Royce Newman, Mississippi; Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina; William Sherman, Colorado; David Moore, Grambling; Will Fries, Penn State; Jared Hocker, Texas A&M; Dareuan Parker, Mississippi State.

Ranking the centers

 

Landon Dickerson had a successful but injury-plagued college career. (Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)

1. Landon Dickerson, Alabama (6-foot-5½, 333, no 40, Round 2 or 3): By now, his injury history is known to many: right ACL, right ankle surgery, left ankle surgery, left ACL. All three of his seasons at Florida State were cut short, as was the last of his two for the Crimson Tide.

“If you’re trying to re-establish a culture, he’s everything you want as a person,” said one scout. “He’s real. He’s just nasty. Only problem is the multiple surgeries he’s had.”

His second ACL injury occurred in December during the SEC Championship Game.

“He’s an oversized man in the middle,” said a second scout. “He’s got a lot of intangibles and leadership, toughness and all that. But he’s had three season-ending injuries in four years. For teams that run a wide-zone scheme, he’s really not a fit.”

His 37 starts include 20 at center, 15 at guard and two at tackle.

“Not a good athlete, on the ground a lot,” a third scout said. “I don’t like his stiffness. I don’t like this and that. But he’s a guy I want on my team. He’s my type of guy even when I look at him as an athlete. Fortunately, you’re not going to be able to work the guy out.”

Dickerson’s athletic testing presumably would have been less than stellar.

“It’s a wonderful story … but he’s not that good,” a fourth scout said. “He’s been hurt his whole life, and he’s limited athletically. Does the guy have any talent? No. Just a guy.”

2. Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma (6-foot-4, 302, 5.10, Round 2 or 3): Redshirted in 2017 before starting a total 37 games at center over the past three years.

“He’s a better fit than Dickerson for those teams that want more agility,” said one scout. “He’s a left-handed snapper, which five to 10 years ago was problematic because people were taking a snap under center. Now that everybody’s in the shotgun it doesn’t matter. If you draft him in the second or third round, you’d probably feel pretty decent about it.”

Helped himself on pro day with a respectable 40, a vertical jump of 33 inches and a 9-4 broad jump that paced the centers.

“I thought he was a better player than athlete, but his athleticism is deceptive,” said a second scout. “Watching him in person, he is a good athlete. He was a wrestler, and he plays like it. He has some limitations playing in space, but in a gap scheme, he’ll be good. He’s one of those old-school maulers who plays in a short area.”

Humphrey’s arms and hands were an inch shorter than Dickerson’s.

Added a third scout: “I’m not a big fan. I just thought he was a marginal athlete. He and the ’Bama center were kind of in the same boat. I just thought he was an average player.”

3. Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater (6-foot-3, 325, 4.99, Round 2 through 4): Leading prospect in the draft from the NCAA Division III ranks.

“He’s a Division III lineman who showed up at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and actually earned his keep there,” one scout said. “He got himself drafted in probably the third to fifth round. It’s an amazing story.”

From Hartford, Wis., Meinerz backed up for Whitewater, a small-college dynasty, as a freshman, started all 29 games at left guard in 2018 and ’19 and was idle in 2020 when the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which hasn’t had a player drafted since 2007, elected not to play.

“Oh, my,” said another scout. “I’ve heard people talk about him at every level of this draft, from the second round to free agent. He’s a really interesting player, there’s no doubt. He plays the game exactly how you want it played from an effort standpoint. You just want to see a lot more control. I could see somebody taking him in the second. I’ve got to go third on him.”

Shared the bench-press high among centers with 33 and had the longest arms (33⅝). Although center was foreign to him before showing up at Mobile, he worked there all week and now more teams appear to be evaluating him as a center.

“He’s getting pushed way up grade-wise because of the Senior Bowl,” said a third scout. “I think the college film is a concern. The grit, the determination, all that stuff checks out. There will be a lot of growing pains with him. But you have to love his strength and toughness. I’d be shocked if he went (top 50).”

4. Josh Myers, Ohio State (6-foot-5, 310, no 40, Round 3 or 4): Played mostly guard in high school (in Miamisburg, Ohio) and in his first two seasons for the Buckeyes before starting all 21 games at center in 2019 and ’20.

“He will be a starter,” one scout said. “The center position is smart, tough, reliable, and he’s all of those things. He’s a solid player across the board. No flash to him, but he’ll be a reliable player.”

Underwent turf toe surgery in January.

“He gets knocked back every once in a while, but all in all, he’s a good prospect,” said another scout. “Loves the game of football. Good with his snaps. He’s got size. He’s a technician. He knows how to turn guys.”

Has short arms (32 inches).

“Very limited,” a third scout said. “Slow. Not flexible at all. Top heavy. Limited-type backup.”

5. Drew Dalman, Stanford (6-foot-3½, 299, 5.05, Round 3 or 4): The fourth-year junior from Salinas, Calif., made 22 starts from 2018 through 2020, including 20 at center and two at right guard.

“He’s a better player than Nick Harris when he came out of Washington last year,” one scout said. “Really good hands. Really good at the second level. His bugaboo will be short arms. He’ll wind up being a starter.”

Arms measured in at 32 inches. His hands (10½), however, were the largest among centers. At pro day, his shuttle runs and bench-press numbers were outstanding.

“He’s a Nick Hardwick-type player,” a second scout said. “Undersized, but really athletic.”

Father, Chris, started 64 games at center and guard for the San Francisco 49ers from 1994 to 1999.

“Small and quick, but not Jason Kelce-quick,” a third scout said. “He’s a good athlete. Great athlete? Nah. I think he’s going to have some problems. Good luck playing (against) Baltimore. Those 3-4 teams will put a heavy nose over him.”

Other top centers: Drake Jackson, Kentucky; Michael Menet, Penn State; Jimmy Morrissey, Pittsburgh; Trey Hill, Georgia; Ryan McCollum, Texas A&M.

The Skinny

Unsung hero

Larnel Coleman, T, UMass: His arm length of 35½ inches, longest in this class of offensive linemen, earned him a double take from teams. He has good size (6-foot-6, 307 pounds), plays smart and has good athletic ability. A defensive lineman upon enrolling at UMass, he converted to left tackle on offense. He also has good leadership ability.

Scouts’ nightmare

Deonte Brown, G, Alabama: There’s a lot to like about Brown, a 26-game starter at guard over the past three seasons. He was an absolute load folding behind center on the Crimson Tide’s gap-scheme plays. In January, he showed up at the Senior Bowl weighing 364. He was 20 pounds less at pro day, but his 40 time of 5.57 was unsatisfactory.

Scout to remember

Ron Hughes: He directed the Lions’ personnel department for 17 years before Matt Millen arrived as general manager in 2001 and pushed him out the door. A decade earlier, Hughes had hired Kevin Colbert as a pro scout in Detroit. Colbert, then the GM of the Steelers, returned the favor by hiring Hughes as his scouting director, a position he held until his retirement in 2015. Just like Ron Wolf’s drafting system has been used by his protégés across the league, Hughes’ own drafting system remains in effect in Pittsburgh and elsewhere. Hughes, who maintained his residence in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., died in 2019. He was 75.

Quote to note

From an AFC personnel executive: “Not that many guys develop into difference-making starters. Maybe 50 of the 300 draft picks are names you remember.

M

[Morrissey]

I dunno who this guy is but his rankings seem pretty good 

[joewilly12]

[Beerfish]

I very much want Creed Humphrey and then one of the other high  end guys guard or Rt doesn't matter.

[Shockwave]

Firstly this is a great read. 

The Jets have been linked with AVT, Humphrey and Jenkins. Whats most interesting about this is they all play different positions.

With AVT you see in multiple places hes going to be a Pro Bowl guard. With Jenkins "He prob can play RT". I would love to draft him but you probably want to hear about a-lot more upside then "He prob could play a position". 

Side Note- Many of these players have short arms this year. People want 34 but only a few have it. 

 

[TheClashFan]

I figure if I keep saying it, maybe it will come true:  Jenkins at 23 and Creed at 34...

Jenkins may not be there at 23 even if the Jets are inclined to take him, and JD may be happy enough with McGovern to not take a C.

[AlexVanDyke]

53 minutes ago, TheClashFan said:

I figure if I keep saying it, maybe it will come true:  Jenkins at 23 and Creed at 34...

Jenkins may not be there at 23 even if the Jets are inclined to take him, and JD may be happy enough with McGovern to not take a C.

I would love that but I have read the Jets current pieces may do better in this scheme ie Fant will be much better suited for RT in this scheme.  Do we really think we need to 2 starter OL from this draft or do we think we only need 1?

[jetstream23]

3 hours ago, hmhertz said:

“The depth of the tackle group is better than the top end of it. The best value is 20 to 40; the guy you get at 36 won’t be much different than the guy you get at 21. It’s a deep group.”

I’ve been saying this for a little while. There’s a large group of 2nd/3rd tier offensive linemen from which the Jets can choose. The specific guy they want will depend on a variety of factors including his movement skills and fit for the outside zone rushing scheme. Positional flexibility would be a big help to. wouldn’t mind a guy at 34 who can play RG this year and transition to RT next year.

[hmhertz]

3 hours ago, Morrissey said:

I dunno who this guy is but his rankings seem pretty good 

Packer writer relies on scouts words

[Obrien2Toon]

Move up and get AVT

[jetstream23]

It just feels that somehow, someway either Jenkins, Eichenberg, Radunz or Hainsey will become a Jet next week.

[jetsons]

"The best value is 20 to 40; the guy you get at 36 won’t be much different than the guy you get at 21."

That at least bodes well for the Jets... If 1 of the top rated OL are not there @ 23 they can draft the best CB/Edge on the board & still draft a quality OL @ 34.   

[Be_a_Jet]

Prepare your self for very mixed opinions whoever Jets go for OL. 
 

it seems with such great depth and the weird 2020 season plus injury history = a class that is very all over the place in terms of perceived value. 
 

unless we get Vera-Tucker or Jenkins, there will be little consensus on value. Which is fine - all about how they play. 

[Philc1]

Another year of neglecting the OL.  And then Jets fans wonder why we’re 4 wins or less almost every season

[Warfish]

I'll take one of each (One Tackle, one Guard, one Center) before the end of the 4th round, thanks.

In all seriousness, my dream Draft is QB, OT/OG, RB, WR, OT/OG, C. 

In whatever order they need to to get them.

[TheClashFan]

12 hours ago, AlexVanDyke said:

I would love that but I have read the Jets current pieces may do better in this scheme ie Fant will be much better suited for RT in this scheme.  Do we really think we need to 2 starter OL from this draft or do we think we only need 1?

JD might very well be satisfied with Fant and McGovern for now, but I hope he's not. I really hope he takes two OL in the first three rounds. There were also lots of injuries along the line last year, so depth is needed, not just 2 new starters.