For the longest time the offensive tackle has been one of the most important positions in football. Keeping the quarterback upright and opening holes in the run game
Elite Prospects
Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
DJ Fluker, Alabama
Luke Jockel and Eric Fisher are the top two tackles in this draft. Both are elite level tackles who have everything NFL teams want out of a left tackle. Fisher is a better athlete and a little bit longer, but Joeckel is a better run blocker and more proven against top level competition. Joeckel is the safe pick where as Fisher might have the more potential. Also fitting into this group is DJ Fluker. Fluker isn't my third ranked tackle and probably will never play left tackle in the NFL. But despite that, he is still an elite level player. Fluker is a massive man who has great strength and is a better athlete than people think. But he just doesn't have that lateral quickness that you need to man the left size. He'll be an instant starter and the potential to be a Pro Bowler.
Boom or Bust
Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
Menelik Watson, Florida State
Terron Armstead, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Every year we see players that come into the draft with a lot of raw talent. They have the physical skills to be great, but run the risk of becoming a huge flop. The dreaded Boom or Bust label. This year we have three players that really fit into this category. Lane Johnson is the third rated tackle in this class and has a great chance to go in the top 11 picks. A former quarterback he has the size and athletic ability teams like. But teams worry about his strength and experience at the position. Menelik Watson is a former basketball player whose only played two years of football. He picked the game up pretty quick and footwork is top notch. He's only played right tackle in college, but has the skills to be a left tackle. Terron Armstead was the star of the Combine breaking all sorts of records, but he is more than a workout warrior. He uses that athletic ability as a top level pass protector. But the way he run blocks isn't going to get it done in the NFL. He is going to need some serious coaching up.
Right Tackles
Brennan Williams, North Carolina
Chris Faulk, LSU
Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin
The top guys is who everybody wants to talk about, but for years teams have been able to find quality starters in middle to late rounds. Mitchell Schwartz was a second round pick and started at RT day 1 for the Cleveland Browns. J'Marcus Webb was a 7th round pick who has started the past two years at LT for the Chicago Bears. This year we have a few guys here that have the potential to become starters either right away or pretty soon. Brennan Williams has the athletic ability of a left tackle, but his pass blocking skills keep him on the right side. But if a team that runs a zone blocking scheme that needs a right tackle could insert him in right away. Unlike Williams, Chris Faulk and Ricky Wagner both played left tackle, but that's not where they project in the NFL. Both Faulk and Wagner are big strong powerful blockers. They uses their size and strength to move defenders off the ball. They lack the elite athletic ability and footwork to succeed at left tackle, but teams that run man blocking schemes will look to them to open up holes on the right side in the running game.
Question Marks
Justin Pugh, Syracuse
Vinston Painter, Virginia Tech
Luke Marquart, Azusa Pacific
Much like the boom or bust category, the players that fit into the Question Marks are prospects who could be good, but there are just too many question marks about them. Justin Pugh is a familiar name to some because he is getting a lot of attention from some experts. However I see a lot of question marks. Pugh has good athletic ability and looks like he could be a good LT. However he has short arms and lacks good strength. Pugh is going to have to find the right fit and scheme to be successful. Vinston Painter is another name that stood out at the Combine with a good showing of athletic ability and raised some eyebrows. However Painter was unassuming at Virginia Tech. Was he a poor scheme fit? Or just a workout warrior? Luke Marquart is a mountain of a man (6'8 315) but coming from Azusa Pacific nobody really knows anything about him. Maybe that's why 29 teams came to watch is Pro Day. Marquart is a former basketball player who is still learning the position. However he was coached by NFL Hall of Famer Jackie Slater and provides a lot of intrigue to NFL team.s
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