2023 Offensive Tackles

[jetstream23]

[Untouchable]

Skoronski

Get on the bus

[Guilhermezmc]

Andrew Voorhees, if he keeps up the play from last season will be the first tackle off the board.

A lot of eyes will be on USC.

Cali, rockstar qb and rockstar coach

[kdels62]

The big problem is that right now the Jets have no starting center or LT on the roster next year and the RT hasn’t played meaningful snaps in 2 years. Not great

[derp]

2 hours ago, kdels62 said:

The big problem is that right now the Jets half no starting center or LT on the roster next year and the RT hasn’t played meaningful snaps in 2 years. Not great

This is why they’ve needed a better pipeline. Hopefully Mitchell locks down a starting spot and they extend Fant or McGovern.

[IndianaJet]

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/2023/all/tackle//

 

 

[#27TheDominator]

9 minutes ago, IndianaJet said:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/2023/all/tackle//

 

 

The weirdest thing on that list for me is tracking Riley Reiff's deal.  It was reported as $10M and I was fine with Douglas letting him walk.  Then looking at spotrac and overthecap, his salary is only $3M.  We would kill to have him in at that price and I was mad.  Sometimes they report these huge contracts and the real number is way lower, but that usually does not happen on 1 year deals.  I guess the Bears did some crazy structuring - $4.5M for 10% of the teams snaps, another several million tied to improvement in 6 offensive categories and a (not likely to be earned) playoff bonus.  I am back to being okay with passing on him.

[BCJet]

The decision is what to do with Fant.  RT is going to be  a competition between mitchell and becton, which is actually fine.  You either get a second year player growing into the role as he was projected to or we get the bonus of Becton actually being able to participate in a game. 

To me, resigning Fant is a key move as the Ravens model that JD is following keys on not going into the draft "needing" to do something. If they pay Fant something reasonable in the short term, they can continue to develop middle round OTs unless someone falls to them in the draft and they can pounce.  

Center to me is a bigger issue. McGovern is a good, not elite player, who is actually paid accordingly.  When players are unrestricted they tend to get overpaid, but if he likes this offense, he may be willing to do another 2 years at  his current rate, giving us the option to draft a developmental center.  The thing is that this offense really needs an excellent center - the falcons under kyle really excelled once alex mack came onboard, so I can see the team investing in the position.  This draft does seem to have a good amount of center prospects im just not sure how many would fit outside zone. 

[maury77]

@jetstream23 sorry to hijack the thread, but here is the list:

https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/watch-list-offensive-line-2023-nfl-draft/

T.J. Bass, T, Oregon

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

T.J. Bass started his college career at Butte College, and after two seasons where he was named a First-Team CCCFCA All-American, he set his sights on transferring to an FCS school. Bass had offers from Auburn, Fresno State, TCU, UCLA, Utah and West Virginia, among other colleges, but opted to play at Oregon.

He stepped into the starting lineup for the 2020 season, starting all seven games for the Ducks at left guard. He did not allow a sack and gave up just six pressures on 202 pass-blocking snaps that season.

Bass saw time at both left guard and left tackle last season, charting 523 overall snaps, and 258 pass-blocking snaps, at left tackle. He allowed 13 pressures, but where he truly stands out is as a run blocker. On this snap against Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, watch as Bass — aligned at left tackle — helps the guard at the point of contact before climbing up to the second level:

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Cooper Beebe, T, Kansas State

(Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports)

After redshirting during the 2019 season, Cooper Beebe stepped into the starting lineup for Kansas State for the 2020 season, making eight starts. He started seven games for the Wildcats at right tackle, and a game at left guard. This past season, he started 13 games for Kansas State at left tackle, and was named a First-Team All-Big 12 selection by both the coaches and the Associated Press, becoming the youngest offensive lineman ever to earn such accolades.

Studying Beebe, you see a fluid mover who handles both pass-blocking and run-blocking snaps well. He allowed just five charted pressures last season, and his combination of footwork and upper-body strength showed up on plays like this against Kansas:

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Blake Freeland, T, BYU

(Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)

Two seasons ago, Blake Freeland was part of an offensive line that helped turn Zach Wilson into a top-five selection in the NFL draft. Starting all 13 games at left tackle, Freeland was part of a unit that allowed just 15 sacks that season.

This past year, Freeland put together another solid season for the Cougars, logging over 900 snaps — and 426 pass-blocking snaps — at left tackle for BYU. He allowed just five charted pressures on the season.

This play against Boise State is a good example of what he offers in pass protection:

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Connor Galvin, T, Baylor

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

Connor Galvin is one of the more experienced tackles returning to college football this fall. As a freshman in 2018, Galvin played in 13 games for Baylor, making six starts at left tackle. He had nine starts the following season at left tackle, despite missing four games due to a knee injury.

During 2020, he started all eight games for the Bears at left tackle. This past season was his best for Baylor, as he started all 14 games at left tackle and was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press, a First-Team All-Big 12 selection, and the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. He allowed just four charted pressures last year on 410 pass-blocking snaps.

Plays like this one against Oklahoma State are a big reason why NFL scouts are going to be watching him closely this fall:

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Anton Harrison, T, Oklahoma

 (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

A four-star recruit coming out of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., Anton Harrison saw action almost immediately for the Oklahoma Sooners as a true freshman in 2020. That season he played in nine games at left tackle, and allowed just one sack on 173 passing plays according to charting data from Pro Football Focus.

Last year, Harrison made 12 starts for the Sooners, all at left tackle. He allowed 18 charted pressures according to PFF, which we would like to see him reduce next season, but the potential is there for Harrison to be a cornerstone left tackle at the next level. You can see that potential on plays like this against Iowa State, where he matches the spin move from the edge defender before help has a chance to arrive:

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There is some projection involved with Harrison, but if he cuts down on the allowed pressures, he will make some noise next season.

Paris Johnson Jr., T, Ohio State

(Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)

Coming out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Paris Johnson Jr. was one of the highest-rated recruits in the 2020 cycle. He was a consensus five-star prospect, and graded as the top offensive tackle in the entire class according to 247Sports. He was named his high school’s offensive MVP as a senior, and was a two-time USA Today All-American.

Johnson chose to stay in-state and play for the Buckeyes, and saw action in five games in 2020, including in the National Championship game.

This past season, Johnson played exclusively at right guard, allowing 14 charted pressures. For the year ahead, Johnson is going to kick outside to left tackle, stepping into the spot vacated by Thayer Munford, now in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders. If Johnson performs like the top-rated tackle he was back in his high school days, you know the NFL is going to come calling.

Jordan McFadden, T, Clemson

Jordan McFadden became a starter for the Clemson Tigers at right tackle for the 2020 season, after redshirting in 2018 and seeing limited action in 2019. He started all 12 games for Clemson in 2020, earning Second-Team All-ACC honors. McFadden was part of an offensive line that allowed fewer than two sacks per contest, the only ACC team to accomplish such a feat.

This past season, he made the switch to left tackle, and he barely missed a beat. McFadden was again named a Second-Team All-ACC performer, and he allowed just ten charted pressures on 435 pass-blocking snaps. He is technically sound with good hand placement, which you can see on this play against Louisville:

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Zion Nelson, T, Miami

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

In last year’s “Way Too Early” mock draft, I had Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson coming off the board 11th-overall to the New York Giants.

Perhaps I was just a year early.

Nelson started 13 games for the Hurricanes as a true freshman, but after struggling as a freshman and early in his sophomore campaign, Nelson was replaced in the starting lineup. The time on the sidelines seemed to do him some good, as he started the final six games of the 2020 season and looked like a much different player.

Last year, Nelson allowed three sacks and 11 pressures over the first five games of the season, but in the final seven games, he did not allow a sack and gave up only four quarterback pressures. That performance has him on the minds of many as the 2022 season looms. If this is the kind of player we see in 2020:

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Then perhaps that first-round prediction will finally come true.

Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan

(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

Olusegun Oluwatimi began his college football journey at the Air Force Academy, but after a season out west, he transferred to Virginia, closer to where he grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He sat out the 2018 season, but stepped into the lineup for the Cavaliers for the 2019 season. Oluwatimi started 13 games at center for Virginia in 2019, earning All-ACC Honorable Mention honors.

As a junior in 2020, he started all ten games for the Cavaliers at center, and was tasked with calling the protections at the line of scrimmage. In 2021 he started all 12 games, marking 32-straight starts for him along the offensive line dating back to the 2019 season. He was one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, becoming the first Virginia center to earn such accolades, and was a Second-Team All-ACC selection.

Having graduated from Virginia with a degree in economics, Oluwatimi transferred to Michigan this off-season. His experience, technique and awareness could see him be the first center off the board next spring.

Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame

(Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)

After seeing action in three games as a true freshman in 2018, Jarrett Patterson stepped into the starting lineup for Notre Dame in 2019, starting all 13 games at center for the Irish. Patterson did not allow a sack that season, and gave up just a pair of quarterback hits over the 13 games.

During the 2020 campaign, Patterson missed some time with a foot injury, but he remained one of the top interior offensive lineman in the nation. This past season, Patterson continued his streak of not allowing a sack yet in college, starting all 13 games for the Irish. He was also named a team captain.

Despite the sack numbers — or more accurately, the lack thereof — where Patterson truly stands out is as a run blocker. he is a force in the interior, and you see it on plays like this one against USC:

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If Patterson keeps his sackless streak alive, while continuing to block like this in the run game, then he might have the best case as the top center in the class next spring.

Layden Robinson, G, Texas A&M

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A few weeks ago, Texas A&M saw guard Kenyon Green come off the board in the first round when he was picked 15th overall by the Houston Texans.

Could the Aggies get a guard in the the first round for the second year in a row?

Layden Robinson became a starter last season, starting ten games at right guard for Texas A&M. He was named a Second-Team All-SEC performer by the Associated Press at the end of the season. He displayed good movement skills and lateral quickness last season, traits that showed up on this snap against LSU:

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Whether Robinson gets into the first round remains to be seen, but the potential is there for him to make that case this fall.

John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The potential is there for the 2023 NFL draft class to be loaded at center. We have already discussed Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson and Michigan’s Olusegun Oluwatimi, but there is also Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz to add into the mix.

Schmitz first cracked the starting lineup during the 2019 campaign, making four starts at center for the Golden Gophers. He started six games during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and last year started all 13 games at center for Minnesota. He was named a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, and a Third-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media. Schmitz allowed just eight pressures last year, on 317 passing plays, and is also a dominant run blocker on the inside.

Just watch the effort on this play as he rocks the defensive tackle before climbing to the second level to take on the linebacker:

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We all love the battle for QB1, but the race for C1 might be the most fascinating to study this fall.

Peter Skoronski, T, Northwestern

 (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Peter Skoronski was a four-star recruit coming out of Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he helped Maine South to three-straight conference championships. He was ranked as the fourth-best center in the 2020 recruiting class by 247Sports, and chose Northwestern over Illinois, Iowa, Notre Dame, Michigan and Penn State.

He stepped into the starting lineup at tackle as a true freshman in 2020, and at the end of the season he was named a Second-Team All-Big Ten performer by both the coaches and the Associated Press. Last season, Skoronski allowed 19 pressures at left tackle, but here he is working against second-overall selection — and Heisman Finalist — Aidan Hutchinson:

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And here he is again against Hutchinson, mirroring the counter/spin to the inside:

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Dare I say, not too shabby.

Andrew Vorhees, T, USC

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, as you can tell, Andrew Vorhees is an experienced offensive lineman.

He enrolled early at USC in the spring of 2017 after graduating a semester early from Kingsburg High School in Kingsburg, California. As a true freshman in 2017, he started the final nine games of the season at right  guard. In 2018, he started 11 games at right guard for the Trojans, but also saw some snaps at tackle.

Vorhees suffered an ankle injury in the second game of the 2019 campaign, and took a medical redshirt. He returned for the shortened-2020 season, starting five games at left guard. This past season, he started eight games at left guard, and four more at left tackle, where he finished the season. He earned Third-Team All-American honors, and was named a First-Team All-Pac-12 selection.

And yes, he blocked for Sam Darnold in college.

 

[Dwight Englewood]

On 8/9/2022 at 8:55 AM, kdels62 said:

The big problem is that right now the Jets have no starting center or LT on the roster next year and the RT hasn’t played meaningful snaps in 2 years. Not great

Well we coulda drafted Linderbaum but….

[Dwight Englewood]

On 8/9/2022 at 11:37 AM, derp said:

This is why they’ve needed a better pipeline. Hopefully Mitchell locks down a starting spot and they extend Fant or McGovern.

Stick with the plan.  Fant plays well again franchise tag him.  Hopefully Becton can somehow play next year without getting injured because we would be lucky to get a 6th round pick for him

[maury77]

7 hours ago, Dwight Englewood said:

Stick with the plan.  Fant plays well again franchise tag him.  Hopefully Becton can somehow play next year without getting injured because we would be lucky to get a 6th round pick for him

I don't think the organization can count on Becton anymore. Nothing against him personally, but his body just isn't holding up under all that weight. 

Let's pray Mitchell pans out as a good starting caliber tackle. 

[Dwight Englewood]

3 hours ago, maury77 said:

I don't think the organization can count on Becton anymore. Nothing against him personally, but his body just isn't holding up under all that weight. 

Let's pray Mitchell pans out as a good starting caliber tackle. 

The interior of the OL scares me.  They got 0 push in the running game the first preseason game

[derp]

11 hours ago, Dwight Englewood said:

Stick with the plan.  Fant plays well again franchise tag him.  Hopefully Becton can somehow play next year without getting injured because we would be lucky to get a 6th round pick for him

Honestly the way the line has worked out a) I’m not so sure there is a plan and b) if there is a plan it hasn’t been a good one so far.

4 minutes ago, Dwight Englewood said:

The interior of the OL scares me.  They got 0 push in the running game the first preseason game

Agree. Starters should be good, if they’re not it’ll be a long season, but they’ve done a terrible job acquiring young depth with upside. Wild to me that there’s no potential answer for center next year on the roster, for example.