Written by; Joseph Yun
Twitter: @ItsDuckinTooYun
The 2020 NFL Draft is edging ever so closer by the hour. In this episode of the positional big boards, we take a deep dive into the offensive linemen. There are some elite prospects and some hidden treasures waiting to be unearthed in a surprisingly deep class across the board. Who will be the first tackle off the board in a close race for OT1? In case you missed the other big boards in the series, they are listed as follows:
Note: All RAS scores are courtesy of Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network (@mathbomb). Blitzalytics scores are a result of a comprehensive grading system within the scouting network.
Note 2: All other charts are courtesy of mockdraftable.com
OT
- Wirfs can flat out MOVE for a dude his size. He blew away every offensive lineman at the Combine with his times. How good was he as a true freshman? He was the first Iowa freshman to make starts at both tackle positions in a long time, meaning versatility won’t be an issue. He’s been the primary right tackle for the Hawkeyes for the past four years, and while he can move to the second level well, he can get lost at times seeking contact and engaging defenders. Hand usage is a strong suit; once he locks on, it’s usually over. He did track and wrestling in high school (like most Big Ten kids) and it shows on tape as an athlete and in the trenches. I see a lot of Trent Williams in his game, traits wise.
BA Grade: 7.2
Round Grade: Top 10
- If there ever was an award for the best right tackle in America, Wills surely would be on the shortlist. He’s that good. He’s very disciplined with his hands, which contain a powerful punch to ward off defenders. Very light and nimble on his feet, he shows off the elite ability to mirror. While Wirfs is the best tackle overall, Wills wins in the footwork department. Simply put, he’s crazy phenomenal. Football IQ is a big plus for him, and it’s clear former S&C coach Scott Cochran did wonders for him. He was exclusively a right tackle in college, so that will hurt his stock a teensy bit. I see Jack Conklin when I watch him.
BA Grade: 7.87
Round Grade: Top 10
RAS Score: 8.44
- Becton took over as the creme de la creme among those in the scouting world with an outstanding 2019. He is what you would call a mountain. We all saw the Combine, right? Dude can SCOOT for a guy his size, demonstrating excellent lateral movement to complement his long arms and powerful boxer-like hands. While he is 6’7 and can lose leverage at times, he doesn’t show it often, hunkering down in anchor as a pass blocker very well. I see a ton of Bryant McKinnie's physical traits in Becton.
BA Grade: 6.37
Round Grade: Top 15
RAS Score: 9.85
- He’s a road grader at left tackle, which is somewhat rare at the position. Fundamentally very sound, there have been times where he’s beaten laterally due to slow footwork. That said, Thomas is strong as an ox and is built like a house. Short area quickness is a downgrade compared to those above him, but it’s not like he’s slow as molasses either. Being very experienced in pro-style fundamentals and playing the majority of his career at left tackle will definitely help his stock. A much more developed Cam Robinson or Germain Ifedi?
BA Grade: 7.55
Round Grade: Top 20
RAS Score: 8.12
- The “IT” prospect exiting the 2019 season has taken a bit of a tumble, but not by much. He’s an uber-athletic tackle that has the hips of an offensive tackle version of a Russell Westbrook. Very well built from top to bottom, however, his footwork is a bit hit or miss for a guy with his talent. With ideal arm length as well, Jones should be a first-round pick. He compares physically to former Jaguars first-round pick Eugene Monroe.
BA Grade: 6.7
Round Grade First
RAS Score: 7.83
- Niang would be a little higher on the board if not for his medical history. He’s an athletic mover when healthy and a road grader with attitude to match. He has the ideal arm length but needs to work on landing his punch more consistently. Leverage was an issue at times as well. He still has enough talent to get drafted early.
BA Grade: 6.73
Round Grade: Second
RAS Score: N/A
7. Ezra Cleveland / Boise State
- Cleveland’s an athlete that started at left tackle but is more like a right tackle at the next level. Hands are a bit inconsistent at times with his punches failing to land. Fluid laterally, it’s debatable how effective he can be against a mover when there’s a defender going around the edge. His athleticism will get him places, but he really needs to improve on his techniques. The RAS score belies a great athlete; in fact, it's one of the best during the past couple of years. Garrett Bolles 2.0?
BA Grade: 7.4
Round Grade: Second
- The former five-star recruit had a decent career for the Bulldogs. He was the starter at right tackle. Clearly not the best athlete as the 40 time suggests, he can be dominant in the run game but raw in pass games. Footwork is less than ideal as he slows down a bunch against faster EDGE players. Leverage is the issue with him. There’s talk of him going in the first round, but I don’t see a first-round tackle. He’s still raw technically.
BA Grade: 6.34
Round Grade: Second to Third
RAS: 7.27
9. Prince Tega-Wanagho / Auburn
- He’s shown a ton of improvement over his 2018 tape. A fluid athlete that can move on the perimeter just as well as be a road grader. Due to Auburn’s offensive system being what it is, he got a ton of run game experience. Hand usage is generally solid, and he’ll likely stick at left with some further development. He has similar traits to Martinas Rankin and should be drafted in a similar range.
BA Grade: 6.6
Round Grade: Fourth
RAS: N/A
- Jackson is a raw athlete as seen by the RAS score below. He has potential, but there was talk that he could be a first-round prospect a few weeks ago. Hand usage isn’t good, but this can be chalked up to horrifically subpar coaching at USC. If you want to like him, just don’t watch the bowl game against Iowa. Physically, he’s similar to former NDSU tackle Billy Turner.
BA Grade: 7.52
Round Grade: Fourth
11. Ben Bartch / St. John’s (D3)
- Bartch has had a whirlwind offseason process as the only D3 prospect invited to the Senior Bowl and excelling in the event. He continued his good form into the Combine. However, there’s still a severe jump up from D3 to the NFL in terms of competition level. I really like his power game, and his smoothie game is on point. Could he be on the Ali Marpet track of former D3 unknown to NFL star?
BA Grade: 7.59
Round Grade: Fourth
RAS: N/A
12. Jack Driscoll / Auburn
- The unheralded dude on the Tigers offensive line transferred from UMASS, Driscoll had a good season in 2019. He had a few reps at left tackle because Auburn is weird and didn’t look lost, so that’s a point in his favor. Driscoll’s footwork is a work in transition, but he does well in transferring weight from left to right. His hand usage is phenomenal and stays locked onto the defender through the whistle. However, the play strength isn’t there as he can get bullied by bigger defenders. He did enough in 2019 to merit a look on Day Three pick. Remember Kenyatta Walker of Tampa Bay and Florida fame? He matches up traits wise.
BA Grade: N/A
Round Grade: Fifth
RAS: 8.89
- The starting left tackle for the record-breaking reigning national champions, the peaks and valleys of his game are startling to watch. He’s a solid athlete when going on the perimeter and has great footwork when moving laterally. However, there are issues when he gets beat by speed as he can’t recover in time due to slow reaction times. Strength is also an issue as he gets punished by stronger EDGEs. That said, he does well in combo blocking and communicating stunts and twists to teammates. He had a suspension in 2019 due to team rules violations, so teams will take a harder look at that before drafting him. Interestingly, mockdraftable has one of his traits matches to one James Carpenter. I can see it.
BA Grade: 6.31
Round Grade: Fifth
RAS: N/A
OG
- In a close contest in terms of true guards, Bredeson wins out on the board based on the fundamental aspects. He’s a road grading mauling tough guy that will translate most successfully in a power man blocking scheme. He won’t shock anyone with his less than ideal explosion, but once he locks on, it’s academic. A four-year starter, he’s very experienced in the nuances of guard play against some of the better interior defenders in the class. He could teach a master class on power after that Senior Bowl effort. His closest physical trait match could be Bryan Stork of Florida State and New England fame. Bredeson is a plug and play type of dude that teams won’t worry about for the next decade.
BA Grade: 7.12
Round Grade: Second
RAS: N/A
- If Bredeson was OG1, then Jackson is a close OG1A. He has experience at both center and guard but primarily played guard after transferring in from Rutgers. He’s a very good puller when called to do so. A versatile lineman that has seen some of the best interior defenders much like Bredeson. He isn’t as powerful as Bredeson, but is more refined technically, doesn’t get bullied much and stands up to even the most power-packed IDL in the game. Jackson stood out against Clemson, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some team pulled the trigger earlier than projected on him.
BA Grade: 7.32
Round Grade: Second to Third
RAS: N/A
- The versatile lineman projects better as a guard, and thus is OG3 on the board even though he’s capable of switching to tackle. He’s very physical at the point of attack and is a huge mauler with no quit in his motor. Hunt isn’t the most laterally athletic, but he makes the feet work once he engages the defender. A small school guy who shined on the big stage in Mobile as well. Competition level is a huge step up, so he likely will need a redshirt year. Physical traits compare him to Jamil Douglas or a Arie Kouandijo according to mockdraftable.com
BA Grade: 6.79
Round Grade: Third Round
RAS: N/A
- We have arrived at the best interior lineman in the Pac-12. Lemieux was a rock at left guard for the Ducks for three years. That said, he did not show well at the Combine, featuring an underdeveloped lower body and, as a result, a poor RAS. He’s another power man blocker projection. Also, there were times where he didn’t play up to the hype, but that could be a system fit rather than a talent issue. Some have speculated if he didn’t play well due to a hidden injury. Blossomed under the tutelage of Mario Cristobal, Lemieux does not have any tackle attributes.
BA Grade: 7.18
Round Grade: Third
RAS: 6.65
- He was a steadying presence for the Bayou Bengals and barely lost any reps all season. The only huge losses were against Derrick Brown, but Brown has a lengthy list of IOL he’s beaten. Lewis isn’t the best athlete, but is a phone booth type of blocker (i.e. Larry Warford or Chance Warmack). Call him the black hole as defenders who get sucked into his vortex don’t leave.
BA Grade: N/A
Round Grade: Third
RAS: 7.96
- Simpson’s a big hoss that can move for a guy his size, as indicated by his RAS score. An excellent puller, he effortlessly moves to the second level. He has a chance to be the highest-drafted Clemson offensive lineman in a long time (which is surprising given the amount of talent that has gone through there). Defenders can definitely feel the difference when Simpson punches them compared to other OL. He’s very adept at adjusting to stunts and twists and is an excellent communicator with his linemates. Football IQ is very good as a result.
BA Grade: 7.0
Round Grade: Fourth
RAS: 8.52
C
- Ruiz is the best IOL prospect in the class, PERIOD. End of story. He has positional versatility in that he has played both guard and center in Ann Arbor. Lateral agility is really good, and his tape consists of nothing but opposing defenders being blown off the ball by him. Toughness isn’t even a question. He matches physically to Eric Wood. Ideally, fit for a power run scheme, he’s shown enough versatility to pull it off in a zone blocking based offense.
BA Grade: 7.03
Round Grade: First to Second
- Hennessy really showed out at the Senior Bowl against much tougher competition and that vaults him to C2 status over some others. Lateral quickness is a thing to watch. Fundamentally sound and outstanding football IQ, he isn’t the most physically impressive. Short area lateral burst is above average as well. Flexible hips allow him to make the defender dance with him instead of the other way around. Physical traits compare him to Maurkice Pouncey, but the mental side is Rodney Hudson.
BA Grade: 7.0
Round Grade: Third
3. Lloyd Cushenberry III / LSU
- Just how good was “Cush” in his college career? He wore an 18 patch for LSU for a time. That’s how good he was; they don’t hand out 18 to just anyone in Baton Rouge. LC3 was one of the rare blockers who won a rep against Javon Kinlaw in Mobile. An okay athlete that can accelerate to the second level, he’s always looking for secondary assignments. Hand usage is great but the lateral burst is even better.
BA Grade: 6.58
Round Grade: Fourth
- Biadasz had a tough go of it in 2019 due to injury, and it showed. He’s a typical Wisconsin tough born and bred lineman in every way possible. Lateral agility is not his forte to say the least. Versatility is not there either as he’s only played center. Peter Konz 2.0
BA Grade: 6.87
Round Grade: Fourth to Fifth
RAS: N/A
- Harris had been trending the wrong direction this offseason after a mixed bag during the 2019 season. He’s not the most athletic or longest center but does what he can with his skillset. Initial explosion is underrated, and he’s a bit undersized by undersized center standards, so he may be limited to a zone blocking scheme. A faster Ben Jones maybe?
BA Grade: 7.34
Round Grade: Fifth
RAS: 6.78