A OT/OL Each Round...

tynimiller

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Little exercise I figured I'd throw out there are at minimum one (limit two) OL I like in each round of the upcoming draft. I'm going to try to not rely on others opinions too much, similar to how I saw Tom as a borderline 3rd rounder so if I'd done this last year decent chance you could have seen him in the 3rd for this exercise.

FIRST ROUND - I'm going to personally assume Paris Johnston is gone by the time our 15th pick is up - if he isn't there is not truly a prospect that could have fallen to us outside of arguably Bresee, Carter, Anderson or maybe Lukas Van Ness (far more dependent on scouting staff's opinion of him). With those assumptions I'm going to throw out there Broderick Jones first.

Broderick is a young prospect not even 22 year which is a massive bonus. He put forth only snaps at LT the last two years and this last season logged 930 snaps there earning a pass blocking grade per PFF of 84.1 and a run blocking grade of 71.7 - solid solid grading. 6'4' 310lb frame with arms expected to measure at or over that 34 inch threshold and rumored to have wingspan over 82.

SECOND ROUND - So I'm going to throw out two guys, that BOTH could slip into the first...again there are others I like (Darnell Wright for instance) but let's flesh out two VERY different prospects:

Dawand Jones - This man is a mountain....but many have him locked in as a RT at the next level. Senior Bowl had limited reps as he missed some time, but his footwork is clearly better on the right than the left and he is too massive of a man to put at guard - you draft Jones, you're doing so clearly with the intent of locking him in as your RT of the present and future. Does GB necessarily need this for sure? No....but Yosh is most likely tendered and that is somewhat cheap...and imagine having Yosh as a reserve or for that matter Dawand as a reserve for one year. Dawand's measurables are OTHER WORLDY honestly... at 6'8' and 375lbs this mans arms are closer to 37 inches than 36 (36 5/8) and his wingspan is as close to 90 (WTF?!?!?) as they are 91 (at 90 1/2). His mittens folks are 11 3/8 inches.... I'll be honest while not the smartest perhaps for some, I'd not be mad at Gute if he saw Dawand there at 45 and selected him even if he also drafted a OT in the first...I truly believe Jones will be a starter day one at RT...

John Michael Schmitz out of Minnesota is going to be the second guy here in the second round to highlight. This young man is EVERYTHING I want in my locker room, in my offensive line group and on my teams. His work ethic was stated to be the absolute tops of everyone at the Senior Bowl...and he instantly planted himself as the general of any group he was working in. Instructing others, helping others....being the first to get to a station regardless of where it was. He is HUNGRY and stays HUGNRY. You see it on film as well, if that whistled hasn't sounded he will block you and keep blocking you...and once the whistled is blown he likely to help you up and still be the first lineman hustling back to the huddle. The issue here is he is a iOL and likely should be your center. He worked at guard at the Senior Bowl...so drafting him would not just put Josh Myers on notice but also that RG position could have three NFL starters (Runyan/Newman/Tom) and him battling for it.

JMS measured at senior bowl at 6'3' 306lbs 32 3/4 inch arms / 9 5/8 hands / 78 7/8 inch wingspan. Just an absolute general of a center or guard, and someone that if he isn't starting for your team in 2023, I guaran - DAMN - tee you he made the starter freaking awesome to beat him out. Would drafting JMS as the only Day 1 or Day 2 OL make a ton of sense for actual need since center is his best spot...argument is there for no...but does the OL get better if he walks in and Myers is forced to guard or bench? Yes.

THIRD ROUND

I've mentioned this guy elsewhere but for the third round I'm going to go with Jaelyn Duncan from Maryland - his measurables are solid at 6'5' 298lbs 33.5 arms 80 5/8 wingspan and 9 3/8 hands...good but nothing like crazy massive and I truly see him as a swing type guy that in his career and at Senior Bowl he illustrates the technique to succeed at Tackle (albeit I think more RT) but he truly shined at interior snaps...but this dude is a pulling machine out of Tackle or Guard...you want him to block in space or get to a spot this guy checks that box twice.

*I personally would say Cody Mauch should be a great third rounder but I think teams are going to push him into the second round at the latest...so won't put him here officially despite I have a third grade on him.

FOURTH ROUND

He is an older prospect and a prime example of a guy that should have come out instantly first year eligible because folks had him christened as a Top 60 type OL...however he's "struggled" to hold that momentum and while one could argue his play hasn't lessoned, but others have passed him in the process. Now a guard prospect, despite years of solid play at LT Jaxson Kirkland of Washington will be there Day 3 in my opinion and some are going to say I have him too high...others right on. Jaxson could be a Tackle at the next level, but possibly only for a game filler due to injury is more likely...however he is built like a tackle yet was moved to Guard in 2022 - PFF grades three years in a row of over 74.0 illustrates how solid of a prospect he is, however in the same sense he may have hit his potential (high floor low ceiling type guy) Personally I feel there is a touch more there, and if he can be more of what he was early in college than he was late (both solid but that first Kirkland was special) he is a steal in the 4th....or he is a 7th rounder truly that his early play in college is what is artificially elevating his draft spot.
*Honorable mention is the pure guard prospect Jarrett Patterson from Notre Dame here.

FIFTH ROUND

Here's two of my favorite OL prospects of Day 3 for what I believe they are vs where they're most likely going to be available:

Braeden Daniels OL from Utah...I love everything about this mans' versatile experience for UTAH. Has started at Guard, RT and last year LT all year. Putting together PFF grades overall the last three years of 79.4 / 84.4 / 72.2 he has produced for a high octane offense that tests lineman abilities in pass pro often. He was originally going to be at Senior Bowl but ended up not going not sure why, but really look forward to his measurements. 49 career games at Utah (18 at LG, 14 at LT and 11 RT)...First team Pac 12 in 2022 and second team Pac 12 in 2021....in 2022 he was part of a unit that averaged 1.07 sacks a game....his OL group pushed for an average of 217.6 yards rushing per game which was the 11th best figure in FBS this year. Mr. Utility is literally what I have written on my spreadsheet beside him back in November when I started looking over the Tackle landscape. IMO ignore the folks that clamor he is slow, weak base and such other things I hear folks say...some think I'm crazy having him as high as I do and I've already argued I'm not knocking a team say taking him in the 4th...

Another guy I'm much higher on than many is John Ojukwu from Boise State. When I watched his tape, he popped as clearly THE man in the trenches in most games he was in this season. Historically the chiseled in stone LT for the Broncos the last three years (spent the first two at RT) replacing Ojukwu is going to be very tough for them to accomplish. Some of what makes him pop to me is his strength in technique - which I argue has to come from his wrestling background...that in the trenches ability is where he shines...get him out in space pulling or downfield and his functional athleticism can be his downfall. The biggest question with John is has he peeked or can technique and more base strength built at the next level tap a little bit more out of him, if so I truly do see a pathway to being a starter like Yosh after a few years time. His measurements are impressive 6'5' 317lbs 34 3/8 inch arms and a 84 1/2 inch wingspan.

SIXTH ROUND

The other guy I love in the Sixth is one I haven't touched on before here and that is a guy that has exceptional experience. Connor Glavin of Baylor holds down this spot for me and this man has literally logged a tremendous amount of games for the Bears at LT over the years. His freshman year this man appeared in all 13 games for Baylor - starting the last six of them at LT. Sophomore year he appeared in 10 games (missed 4 due to a slight knee injury) - started all of them at LT. Junior year (2020 abbreviated) he started all eight games at LT. 2021 he started all at LT and last year again all at LT. Now two things keep him down in this round....his measurables at Shrine Bowl say he doesn't have the length in his arms for tackle...which is fine but there is some concern in his bend as he can get too upright as well. Is he a guy I'm drafting and expecting to start...no...do I see a 53 man rostered guy with potential year one - personally yes that guy I think is in there.

SEVENTH ROUND

My seventh round pick was a guy I discovered when I went looking for a Tackle prospect for Day 3 that most likely was that RT pure prospect. A buddy of mine from Kansas actually asked me what I thought of Earl Bostick as a prospect and I had to be honest - didn't know. I was happy he told me to look into him. His measureables check boxes at 6'5' 311lbs 33 5/8 inch arms and 81 wingspan. This kansas prospect lived at LT for the Jayhawks and at times was very successful for them...last two years he only gave up 2 sacks each year...but the man on long drops gives up too much pressure as his sustained strength/anchor just isn't quite there yet. I do believe it is more of a functional strength issue moreso than a technique issue watching tape. He is a guy I would love to take a late round flyer on and figure out if a year or two in a new conditioning program if what he truly is actually is more than many think (which is a surefire depth backup).




McClendon Curtis is a guy I just simply have to mention...I personally have him as a fifth round grade - LOVE LOVE this guy...as I delve deeper into his film and what he did at Senior Bowl I think he may be the Day 3 prospect over all others listed here I WANT on our team.
 

Dantés

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I think the recent success of Orlando Brown is going to help Dawand Jones a whole lot.

The worst game to play regarding the NFL draft in February is the "he won't be there" game. It's way too early to be definitive about where guys will go. So this is just a thought, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Jones ends up being a 1st round pick.
 
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tynimiller

tynimiller

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I think the recent success of Orlando Brown is going to help Dawand Jones a whole lot.

The worst game to play regarding the NFL draft in February is the "he won't be there" game. It's way too early to be definitive about where guys will go. So this is just a thought, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Jones ends up being a 1st round pick.

Yup, which is why I'm going off my grades for this exercise. I want a guy in the first that I strongly feel I could see starting for me everywhere but Center if I go tackle prospect. I would fully embrace the concept of Dawand in the first though if we did it.
 

Dantés

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Yup, which is why I'm going off my grades for this exercise. I want a guy in the first that I strongly feel I could see starting for me everywhere but Center if I go tackle prospect. I would fully embrace the concept of Dawand in the first though if we did it.

I can understand how that would be a bonus but I have to think that NFL teams will take a starting tackle all day in round 1 even if he’s OT only.
 
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tynimiller

tynimiller

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I can understand how that would be a bonus but I have to think that NFL teams will take a starting tackle all day in round 1 even if he’s OT only.

I agree, but Dawand is to many a pure RT that is the limiting factor for him - I was really hoping he could do more reps at Senior bowl and illustrate if he has the footwork to pass over to LT. Physically that man at that size and that reach is just INSANELY SPECIAL.
 

Dantés

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I agree, but Dawand is to many a pure RT that is the limiting factor for him - I was really hoping he could do more reps at Senior bowl and illustrate if he has the footwork to pass over to LT. Physically that man at that size and that reach is just INSANELY SPECIAL.

Why would he be a pure RT given that Orlando Brown has all the same limitations and is playing at a high level at LT?
 
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tynimiller

tynimiller

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Why would he be a pure RT given that Orlando Brown has all the same limitations and is playing at a high level at LT?

Those I’ve talked to have said his hands and feet if they translated to the left side that he would have been the LT not Paris.

That is reason why I was hoping he laid down some left tackle reps at senior bowl.

I personally wouldn’t say he is only going to be a right tackle, because if he can translate over to LT he arguably is the fourth best prospect worst case at tackle for me. I may be grading hard this year but I just have three first rounded graded OTs is all.

In the end both of us agree he has NFL starter written all over him - how or where doesn’t matter much.
 

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