Offensive Line

 

Note: For more current rankings, go to the offensive rankings page.

Dave-Te's look at the Center, Offensive Guard, and Offensive Tackle Crop

= Player on the rise
= Player on the slide

1... Leonard Davis
6'6"
370
OT
 

School: Texas
HUGE. Massive. Gargantuan. A collosus that can be both a, irresistible force, and an immovable object. Possesses great power in the upper and lower body and gets good movement in his drive blocks. A steamroller. Has fairly good quickness and rarely gives ground. Has the ability to hit on the move and plays the game intelligently; he can pick up blitzes and adjust naturally to stunts. Very wide base that allows him to anchor like a mighty red wood. Very long arms that lock on rushers like a vice. Does not have great long speed, but in the ten yard area his burst is uncommon for someone so massive. Did 33 reps of 225Lbs at the combine even though it is said that long armed players are at a disadvantage in that event. Needs some more work on lateral movement and some refinement of his hand punch, but the sky is the limit for him. He also must work on playing even throughout the game; at times he will let up. When he walks in the room you can't help but say "Damn! that guy is big"

2... Kenyatta Walker
6'5"
311
OT
 
School: Florida
Playing at Florida gave him a ton of reps in pass-blocking. That area of the game is the hardest to master and he has gotten a headstart. He is explosive out of his stance and does not allow much penetration. He is very athletic and gets a good solid punch on his combatant. His hand use has drawn raves as much as his feet. Has good lower body strength and quick feet that usually allows him to stymie bullrush types. He is a smart player who is very hard on himself when he makes a mistake. He is better on the move than in-line because his upper body needs to get stronger. He can over extend on occasion and sometimes struggles when rushers take a speed rush outside and counter back inside. Rarely does someone just run around him; he is too quick for that. Has good size and his frame looks like it can hold more without losing a step. Throw in a huge wingspan and you see why this prospect is highly coveted.
3... Steve Hutchinson
6'5"
315
OG
School: Michigan
Rugged and ornery. Big and nasty. Has the "you want some more?" mentality. Great leg drive and well rounded power allows him to push the pile forward or plant his foe in the turf. Has good quickness and can pull or trap with consistent and positive results. Borderline dirty player who goes to war every play. Was a team captain and inspirational leader. Stays on his feet and has the ability to play RT in a pinch. Having played defense early on he prefers to attack rather than absorb, but he does a fine job either way. Had a fine showing at the Senior Bowl and is a very safe pick in most scouts' minds. He can lose contact when on the move and will need to improve his pass-blocking to become an All-Pro, but his tenacity and competitive juices will push him to pay the price to get it done. He looked absolutely sensational in Mobile.
4... Dominic Raiola
6'2"
307
C
School: Nebraska
Mr. Pancake. You might run out of maple syrup after he gets done. When he gets his paws on you its over. Has a very explosive burst out of his stance. From the opening whistle his motor is reving high. He knows leverage and uses fine power, aggression, and technique to angle his man away from the play or plant his butt in the turf; the groundskeeper will get alot of work repairing the craters formed by buried defensive lineman and linbackers. Gets to the second level smoothly and intimidates LBs. Very smart player who knows his responsibilites amongst the chaos of interior play. Has outstanding feet; his shuttle time(4.35) was far and away the best in Indy. His 29 reps and recognition as a finalist for Nebraska's Lifter of the Year speaks to his dedication in the weight room. He is a great anticipator and finisher. Having played for the run and run some more Cornhuskers he will need to improve his pass blocking, but never bet against this determined young man, and don't forget to warn your groundskeeper.
5... Jeff Backus
6'6"
310
OT
School: Michigan
Scouts had trouble telling Jeff and Hutchinson apart in Mobile as both looked solid. Mr. Technician. Textbook positioning and hand use make him a very effective all around player. Stays low and often wins the leverage battle. A street fighter who may not be a bulldozer like Davis, but he gets the job done with reliable and high grade results. He is durable and started for 4 consecutive years. Average strength in the weight room, but not on the field where his technique allows him to open up holes for runners and stand up bull rushers. He is a student of the game who won't be fooled. May go high because many feel that there is a significant dropoff after him. Probably a RT in the making because his feet are just average. Has been called a Jon Jansen(the solid RT for the Redskins) clone. His standout performance in Mobile did him a world of good.
6... Maurice Williams
6'5"
304
OT
School: Michigan
A fast developing talent. Has top level athleticism and the burning desire to get better. He is a work in progress, having only played one full year at the position. Because he came so far so fast he is drawing alot of attention. He has a good burst off the snap and quick feet that allows him to cut off speed rushers and also get down field to take on Lbs and safeties. He almost always keeps his frame in front of the rusher and although he gives up ground more than you would like, his man usually does not make many plays. He is not a bulldozer, more like a stalemate guy. He needs work on his upperbody and also needs to pack more weight on. Has a high upside but probably is not ready to play right away. Some say he is a few techniques and pounds away from rounding into solid form. Looked good in Mobile and great in the Citrus Bowl. This year he overcame off-field problems (1999 embezzlement) and got his life back on track.
7... Kareem McKenzie 6'6" 328
OT
School: Penn St.
Has good size and strong hands that are very effective when engaged. When on his game he can frustrate DEs. Has light feet and can shuffle them well to stay between the passrusher and the QB. Gets good pop on his run blocks even though he is not overly explosive out of his stance. He scares you because he doesn't show passion on the field, but most of the time he gets the job done. Has good balance and stays on his feet. Didn't elevate his game as a senior so there is a concern whether he will do what it takes to become the best he can be. Some feel he is wasting god-given tools. His size, hands and movement skills will get him drafted in round two, but teams will have to live with the fact that he is not a killer and somehow light a fire in him.
8... Mike Gandy
6'4"
305
OG
School: Notre Dame
Smart and aggressive slugger. Has fairly good technique and gets off the snap quick. Stays low and rolls his hips correctly. Fights like mad when engaged. Built wide with a well proportioned physique. Not a bulldozer but he gets decent movement in his drive blocks. Shuffles well in-line and usually blocks to the whistle. Very difficult to bullrush. He is not a stiff; he can hit a moving target and pick up blitzes. Has been durable the past three years. Pass-blocking needs more work. Some say he didn't always take care of his body properly. Scouts are warming up to him more and more of late and he could now be considered a draft riser with a chance to be taken in round two.
9... Matt Light
6'5"
311
OT
Purdue
One of those guys that plays so well on gameday that what he does in a workout setting is not that important. More often than not grades out well. Excellent technique and smarts. If you don't have an extremely quick first step and a big bag of tricks you won't have much success verse him. Fairly strong and explosive. Good hand punch. Does not have top level foot quickness but he positions himself well and gained alot of experience protecting Drew Brees. Former tightend who is athletic and getting bigger and better all the time.
10.. Marques Sullivan
6'5"
338
OT
Illinois
Massive. Fairly good feet and quickness off the ball. Can get to the second level and make good contact. Plays tough and with proper technique when he is focused. The problem is he takes plays off and gets lazy. May be converted to OG because he is not great out on an island. Does a good job of thwarting initial moves, keeping his frame between the passrusher and the QB, but needs work on stopping counters.
11.. Kenyatta Jones
6'3"
308
OG
South Florida
Wide and powerful. Can uproot defenders and drive them down field. Quick feet and good sustained speed. Likes to get down and dirty. Did himself some good at the Senior Bowl. Looked alot smoother than higher ranked prospects at the combine. Stays on his feet and can be a factor downfield and when pulling. Needs to pay the price to increase his stamina and concentration.
12.. Elliot Silvers 6'7" 348
OT
Washington
Behemoth who delivers a mean jolt to oncoming rushers. Can be intimidating. Will maul in the run game when in shape and focused. May be better suited to OG. A nasty player who is borderline dirty. Will get overzealous when trying to take your head off; will commit foolish penalties. Has a throwback mentality. May need help verse wide aligned speed rushers. Needs to get in better shape.
13.. Mathias Nkwenti 6'3" 293
OT
Temple
A project, but one that has elite level athleticism worth waiting for. Moves around so well that you might think it odd he is an offensive lineman. Flashed the ability to mirror passrushers and explosiveness moving downfield. Only played one year of OT after playing defense previously, but came along way very quickly. Has much to learn but I wouldn't bet against him. Needs to get bigger. Don't worry about his combine 40 time; he was injured.
14.. Robert Garza
6'2"
303
C
Texas A&M Kingsville
One of the stars of the combine. Tremendous weightroom strength(37reps). A coach's dream in terms of dedication and preperation. A smart technician who plays a physical brand of ball. Has good instincts and can pick up opponents tendencies and stymie them. Tenacious finisher who also is a leader on the field. Had to work hard to get to his current size and may not be able to hold much more weight. Played small school competition.
15.. Brandon Winey
6'6"
301
OT
LSU
Agile in space and can really scoot downfield. Showed much improvement this past year and displayed more toughness than in the past. Huge wingspan used well in directing outside pass rushers away from the quarterback. Very athletic; can slide and pull smoothly. Needs more work on the weights and more stamina. Does not have a ferocious attitude.
16.. Chad Ward
6'5"
321
OG
Washington
Morris Trophy winner as best offensive lineman in the Pac-10. Mr. Hammer; will beat up his man with his hand punch. Tough and mean. A bulldozer who takes weight training very seriously(500Lb bench). Has the ability to take defenders for a ride if he locks on. Alittle stiff. May need help verse top level quickness. Did not have a great Senior Bowl week.
17.. Ryan Diem
6'7"
338
OG
Northern Illinois
Big as a super tanker. Thick and massive. A hulk who can rip out your heart out and show it to you. If he gets his paws on you its over. Very smart player. Can lift the gym. Overwhelming power. Will need to bend his knees better to maximize his brute, almost inhuman strength. Plays alittle stiff and will get off balance on occasion. Nicknamed "Roadgrader". Can get sloppy with his hand placement but if he fires off properly its almost like a bomb going off.
18.. Bernard Robertson
6'3"
308
OG
Tulane
One of the most versatile lineman in the draft. Can play anywhere and hold his own. Played alot of tackle but projects better inside. Has very good feet; rarely does he hit the ground or stumble when catching a passrush. Can lead the sweep very well. Gets after linebackers and shows improvement every year. Needs to get stronger and handle the bull-rush better; will give too much ground. Has had shoulder problems.
19.. Jonas Jennings 6'4"
334
OT
Georgia
Wide and athletic. Not a mauler in the run game but he usually keeps his man from making a play. Has decent feet an can steer his man away from the quarterback with quick and strong hands. Fairly good in space. Workmanlike ,but not a destroyer. Needs to get in better shape and learn to stay more lower so he can get more movement in his blocks.
20.. Ben Hamilton 6'5"
303
C
Minnesota
Strong mentally. A technician who has short area quickness and superior instincts. Knows how to take angles on opponents. Pulls and traps well. A leader who has to be dragged off the field, he loves playing football. Not very strong or naturally big. Can be overpowered. Needs to prove he can handle the weight he added recently.
21.. Casey Rabach 6'5"
298
C
Wisconsin
Durable with the proper attitude. Works hard at his craft. Does not have the computer numbers but it does not seem to affect his play on the field. Has a strong hand punch. Picks up stunts well and plays sound football. Strength is better on the field than in the gym. Not much speed or quickness. Made First Team Big Ten at C and OG.
22.. Victor Leyva 6'3"
313
OG
Arizona St.
Likes to pound the iron. Has a strong base and knows how to use leverage. Not the greatest athlete, but he gets positioned quickly and can be like a brick wall when set. Studys and gets better. Not a space player who can handle cat-like quickness. Needs to be in a phone booth. Did 37 reps at the combine, tying for top honors.
23.. Paul Zukauskas 6'5"
307
OG
Boston College
First true freshman to start for the Eagles in over twenty years. A warrior who gives it his all. Has good balance and functional football strength. Can handle bigger men. Knows some tricks and is advanced in his knowledge of the game. Not a threat pulling and not great at hitting a moving target in space.
24.. Floyd Womack
6'4"
345
OG
Mississippi St.
"Pork Chop" is a very tough competitor who can play through pain. He has a very wide body with long arms. Its not natural for a guy this big to be able to slide and move so well. Can swallow up bullrushers. Held his own at the Senior Bowl, although not quite in shape. Needs to lose a few pounds and learn to stay lower so he can be more explosive.
25.. Chris Brown
6'5"
329
OT
Georgia Tech
Can be dominating as a drive blocker when on his game. Has long arms and more than adequate feet. He gets off the ball very well; making his opponent scramble to stay in the play. Alittle sporatic in his his performance. Has tools but will lose concentration. Needs to learn how to use his hands better and stay focused. Had a tough time at the Senior Bowl.

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