Position Breakdown: Offensive Tackle

1.  Jake Matthews (SR) 6'5 308 Texas A&M
Analysis:  Battle Test vs SEC pass rushers. Ideal size and length. Good athlete who moves well.  Excels in pass blocking. True Professional. Will struggle with speed rushers. Needs to get stronger
Projection:  Top 10

2.  Greg Robinson (RS SO) 6'5 332 Auburn
Analysis:  Best run blocker to come out in years. Drives defenders off the ball. Elite athlete for size. Unfinished Product. Lacks experience in Pass Pro. May have to start career at RT. 
Projection:  Top 10

3.  Taylor Lewan (SR) 6'7 309 Michigan
Analysis:  Best pass blocker in this class. Moves well for his size.  Uses size and length to keep pocket clean. Run blocking is average at best. Needs to improve strength
Projection:  Top 15

4.  Morgan Moses (SR) 6'6 314 Virginia
Analysis: Large man with length who uses his size to shield defenders. Strong run blocker. Good quick feet. Waist bender. Lateral agility may cause him to be a RT only.
Projection:  Top 50

5.  Joel Bitonio (SR) 6'4 302 Nevada
Analysis:  Good athlete who moves well.  Stout at the point of attack.  Physical blocker.  Highly productive vs top competition.  Size will scare some teams off. Struggles vs speed rushers
Projection:  2nd Round

6.  Cyrus Kouandjio (JR) 6'6 322 Alabama
Analysis: Large man with experience vs top completion. Uses technique and footwork to make up for below average athletic ability. Position run blocker. Bombed the combine on and off field.
Projection: 1st Round

7. Ja'Wuan James (SR) 6'6 311 Tennessee
Analysis: Uses ideal size and length to keep himself clean. Good pass blocker.Waist bender. Below average run blocker. Wall of run blocker. Played only RT in college.
Projection:  Top 50

8.  James Hurst (SR) 6'5 296  North Carolina
Projection: 4th or 5th Round

9.  Jack Mewhort (SR) 6'6 309 Ohio State
Projection: Day 3

10. Cameron Fleming (SR) 6'5 323 Stanford
Projection:  Day 3

11.  Billy Turner (SR) 6'5 315 North Dakota State
Analysis: Size, strength, and athletic ability to play tackle in the NFL. Heavy, strong hands. Powerful blocker who move defenders. Raw technique. Balance issues. Likely a RT or G.
Projection: 3rd or 4th Round

12. Brett Van Slote (SR) 6'7 300 Iowa
Projection: 6th or 7th Round

13. Charles Leno (SR) 6'4 303 Boise State
Projection:  6th or 7th Round

14. Antonio Richardson (JR) 6'6 335 Tennessee
Analysis: Ideal Size and Length. Shows good athletic ability for size. Bad lateral agility. Gets beat by quick or double moves. Lacks power and strength. Whiffs on too many blocks. Project player at best.
Projection:  4th or 5th Round

15. Sentreal Henderson (SR) 6'7 331 Miami
Projection:  Undrafted

Player Profile: Billy Turner

Height:  6'5
Weight:  315
School:  North Dakota State
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Ranking:  #11 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  3rd or 4th Round

Strengths
-Four year starter with 56 starts
-Has the ideal height (6'5) and weigh (315) and length (34") of NFL offensive tackles
-Moves well for somebody his size. Can get to the second level and pulling down the line
-Uses his quickness (1.75)  to fire out of his stance in both the run game and in pass protection
-Shows off good footwork that allows him to mirror pass rushers and stay in front of them
-Heavy hands that he uses to rock defenders back
-Shows good power in the run game.  Hits defenders with authority   
-Always has his feet moving. Allows him to move defenders off their spot
-Size allows him to overwhelm smaller defenders
-Solid anchor which will improve with added strength
-Plays through the whistle.  Always looking for somebody to hit
-Displays a nasty streak that teams love out of offensive lineman
-No injury issues to speak of

Weaknesses
-Played in FCS. Can he play LT in the NFL?
-Inconsistent pad level.  Will get to high in pass protection and cause balance issues
-Tends to lung which causes him to lose balance
-Could stand to reshape his body and add more strength. Should help anchor
-Footwork could stand to improve.  Especially on kickstep
-Still raw. Could stand to clean up his technique
-Begins to struggle when having to drop deep in pass protection

Summary
When most players are coming from a lower level of football into the NFL you have to wonder if they can handle the increase is speed and strength.  I'm not too sure you have to worry about that with North Dakota State's Billy Turner.  Turner was a big part in North Dakota State winning two straight National Title's opening holes in the run game and keeping the pocket clean.  Turner is at his best when he's run blocker.  He shows good strength and power to open holes.  Pair that with good athletic ability and quickness and he can be a road grader.  Against a quality Kansas State team Turner blew up and knocked defenders off their feet.  He does get too high at times and loses some leverage but his ability to pull and get to the second level will attract teams.  Turner shows good pass blocking skills, but his technique needs some major work.  He does a good job with his heavy hands and length to keep defenders back, but in the NFL he'll need more than that.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Turner play LT in the NFL, but he'll likely be a right tackle or guard.  He could develop into a Pro Bowler at guard if moved there.  Because of his talent level and potential I see him going somewhere in that 3rd or 4th round.  He'll likely need a year to develop but he could be a steal we talk about in three years.

Player Profile: Ja'Wuan James

Height:  6'6
Weight:  311
School:  Tennessee
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Ranking:  #7 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  Top 50

Strengths
-Experienced.  Started every game since true freshman year
-Ideal height (6'6) and weight (311) for a tackle in the NFL
-Does a good job of using his length (35" arms) to keep defenders off his body
-Uses good footwork to mirror defenders and keep them in front
-Does a good job of redirecting and adjusting to the pass rush
-Has a good base which allows him to anchor in and not get pushed back off his spot
-Uses active heavy hands to knock defenders back
-Understands how to use his body to shield defenders off and overwhelm smaller defenders
-Able to get to the second level and make a block
-Durable. No injury issues to speak of

Weaknesses
-Only played RT at Tennessee.  Can he play LT?
-Will cross legs or turn his shoulders when having to do a deep drop in pass protection
-Isn't an over powering blocker. Doesn't drive defenders off their spot
-Strength is an issue.  Soft upper body.
-Struggles vs quick defenders.  Can get beat by quick moves inside
-Tends to be a waist bender, not a knee bender.  Causes balance issues
-Will tend to grab when run blocking.  Could be called for holding a lot
-Only an average athlete for the position. Doesn't show much explosion
-Struggles in the run game. A wall off blocker only

Summary
When you think about Tennessee offensive lineman you probably think of Antonio "Tiny" Richardson.  But it's Ja'Wuan James who people should be talking about.  He's the Volunteers best offensive lineman and will easily go higher than Richardson.  James is at his best when he's pass blocking.  He isn't a great athlete but instead uses his size and length to keep defenders off his body, while his footwork allows him to stick with defenders as they make their pass rushing moves.  James lack of athleticism shows up when he has to take a deep drop and will lung or turn his shoulders which can cause him to get beat.  Now for as good as he is in the pass game, he really doesn't offer much as a run blocker.  His lack of power and strength doesn't allow him to create a push on defenders.  Instead he's a wall off blocker who uses position to open up holes and occupy blockers.  Just by watching James play you have to wonder why he played right tackle all four years instead of playing the left side since he was their best tackle?  He looks like he could make the switch and if an NFL team thinks the same he could go higher than expected.  But look for him to go somewhere in the mid to early second round to a team that needs a plug and play right tackle.  Carolina, Miami, and Atlanta are all logical landing spots in that area.

Player Profile: Antonio Richardson

Height:  6'6
Weight:  336
School:  Tennessee
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Ranking:  #13 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  Day 3

Strengths
-Ideal size (6'6) and length (35" arms) to play tackle
-Experienced.  Three year starter in the SEC
-Good Strength. 36 Bench reps at combine is impressive with arm length
-Good quickness (1.81 10 yard split) for somebody his size
-Can a good job of using his body to wall off defenders
-Shows a good kickstep that allows him to get deep in pass protection
-Able to mirror defenders when consistently moving his feet
-Can show flashes of good quickness to beat a lineman to a spot
-Will show a nasty streak you like in lineman

Weaknesses
-Lacks a strong anchor.  Can get pushed back pretty easily.
-Struggles to block in space.  May have to play in a man blocking scheme exclusively.
-Lateral agility isn't good.  Gets beat frequently with quick moves inside
-Not an overpowering run blocker.  Isn't gonna move defenders off their spot
-Doesn't use his hands very well.  Grabs way too much
-Bends too much at the waist.  Creates balance issues
-Struggles to sustain blocks
-Gets called for a lot of false starts


Summary
This summer when everybody moved past the 2013 draft class and started looking towards 2014 we often saw Antonio Richardson as somebody who was mentioned as one of the top tackles in the class and a potential first round pick.  And why not?  Richardson has prototypical size and length teams covet out of left tackles and despite his size he moves well.  However as you watch Richardson you see somebody who just isn't that good.  Despite his size he isn't overly strong or powerful.  In the run game he's a position blocker, he's not going to move anybody off their spot.  In pass protection he gets pushed back against bull rushes.  When playing South Carolina, Jadeveon Clowney made Richardson look like he was on skates.  Kony Ealy of Missouri regularly beat him. Now his size and length makes it hard to get past him quickly and the fact that Tennessee ran a spread and got the ball out quickly he didn't give up a ton of sacks or pressure.  However pass rushers in the NFL would have a hay day with him. There were several times in each game where he doesn't block anybody.  So where does Richardson go?  I believe he'll go somewhere in the fourth round where a team will take a chance of trying to fix his technique and get the most out of him.  However it wouldn't shock me at all of he fell to the sixth or seventh round.  He'll be drafted.  Just not where everybody had him this past summer.

Player Profile: Terron Armstead

Terron Armstead

Height:  6'5
Weight:  306
School:  Arkansas Pine Bluff
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Ranking: #6 Offensive Tackle
Projection: Day 2 Pick

Strengths
-Has the frame (6'5) to be a left tackle
-Long arms (34") that allows him to keep defenders off his body
-Extremely athletic for his size (Fastest 40 for any lineman)
-Good strength (31 reps in bench).  Won 8 SWAC shot put championships
-Shows elite quickness (2nd fastest 10 yard split) off the ball
-Quick feet he uses to mirror pass rushers and keep them in front of him
-Shows good balance without lunging.  Never lunging
-Uses a good hard punch to keep defenders off balance
-Tough.  Played with a broken collar bone

Weaknesses
-How good of competition did he face?
-Not a great run blocker
-Despite strength, isn't going to force players off his spot
-Doesn't have a great anchor.
-Needs to add weight
-Not sound fundamentally
-Only fit in a zone blocking scheme
-Can get too high when blocking both in the run game and in pass pro

Summary
Terron Armstead was the star of the Scouting Combine using the platform to show of his athletic ability and get his name out there.  This caused teams to go back and watch his film and as a result he is shooting up draft boards.  However once you look at his film you see that he is more than a workout warrior.  He showed this when he was invited to the Shrine and Senior Bowl and held up against high FBS level competition.  Armstead has great footwork and long arms that allows him to mirror pass rushers and keep them in front of him. He has good strength and it shows when he locks on a defender they are done.  However it would be in his best interest to add some weight which will help him develop a better anchor against bull rushes.  What Terron needs to improve the most is in his run protection.  He does a great job of getting into position, but lacks the strength to move defenders off the spot.  He is nothing more than a positional blocker.   Because of this his best bet is to land with a zone blocking scheme that can take advantage of his athletic ability and have him on the move.  The good thing for him is that the NFL is a passing league and keeping the QB clean is the top priority.  Because of that he'll likely go somewhere in the second or third round.

Player Profile: Justin Pugh

Justin Pugh

Height:  6'5
Weight:  301
School:  Syracuse
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Rank:  #9 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  5th Round

Strengths
-Experienced.  Started 37 of 37 games.  All at Left Tackle
-Has room to add bulk to frame
-Very quick (1.67 10 yard split.  3rd fastest for offensive lineman)
-Does a great job of getting set in his pass pro
-Moves well latterly to mirror defenders
-Big hands that help in controlling defenders
-Shows good technique in run blocking.  Very sound
-High Football IQ.  Understands scheme and stunts/blitzes
-Strong Character with excellent work ethic.
-Durable.  Never missed a game because of injury

Weaknesses
-Short Arms (32") for a tackle
-Doesn't have much strength which causes him to have a weak anchor.
-Needs to add weight.  Played under 300 lbs
-Doesn't have the ideal height for a tackle
-Doesn't play with great pad level.  Can be stood up by defenders
-Not an over powering run blocker.  More shield blocker

Summary
Before the draft process started there was a lot of buzz about Justin Pugh possibly making his way into the late first round consideration.  However Pugh was dominated for most of the Senior Bowl and it really raised some questions about where he should play in the NFL.  Pugh has the athletic ability to be a LT.  He moves well, has good footwork, and can mirror defenders.  Add in his good technique and you have something to work with.  But the big issues lie in his size.  He's only 6'5 and barely 300 lbs.  He played most of his career in the high 280s.  With his lack of bulk and not dominant strength he can get pushed around a lot.  There are several times on tape where the defender was able to get under him and move him around or had him pushed back into the QB.  There is talk that Pugh might be a guard, but I don't know how he would do dealing with stronger defensive tackles.  Right now I'd think his best fit would be as a Right Tackle in a zone blocking scheme.  There he could use his athletic ability and technique to beat defenders.  But don't look for him to go anytime in the first couple of days.  Pugh might be a 4th round pick at best.

Player Profile: DJ Fluker

DJ Fluker

Height:  6'5
Weight:  355
School:  Alabama
Position:  Offensive Tackle
Rank:  #4 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  Late 1st, Early 2nd

Strengths
-Extremely long arms (36 3/8) that allow him to keep defenders off his body
-Experienced.  Started 36 games in the SEC.
-Massive size allows him to anchor in against power rusher.  Rarely pushed back
-Very strong upper body.  Once he locks on, your done
-Moves well for his size.
-Good quickness off the ball
-Good punch that can rock defenders back
-Good instincts that help him predict what the defender wants to do
-Never gives up.  Plays through whistle.

Weaknesses
-Played only Right Tackle in college.  Can he play LT in the NFL?
-Weight Issues.  Can he keep it at a maintainable number?  Weighed 400 LB at one point.
-Inconsistent.  Can dominate at times and then let lesser players beat him.
-Doesn't have the best balance.
-Tends to lung
-Not a natural knee bender.  May make it hard if he has to move inside to guard.
-Conditioning.  Can get wore out by the end of the game.

Summary
Fluker is a massive man who is a pretty good athlete for being so big.  He's started since his sophomore year on one of the best offensive lines in the past decade.  Because of his size, athletic ability, and long arms many people feel that Fluker could slide over to the Left Tackle spot in the NFL.  However you have to be concerned if that was true, why hasn't he played there in college?  Even when they moved Barrett Jones from LT to C.  The problem with DJ is that he does move good for his size, but that doesn't mean that he moves well.  He struggles to mirror pass rushers and move good latterly.  He struggles against speed rushers.  That is exactly the things he needs to be good at to play LT in the NFL.  Fluker is a very good run blocker using his massive size to engulf defenders and move them off their spot.  With that said, Fluker's best position is probably Right Tackle.  He's not a natural knee bender but if he can fix some technique flaws he may be able to move inside where he could be an elite guard.  Look for Fluker to go somewhere in the early second round, but if some teams feels that he can play LT he could go in the early 20s.  A team like Detroit who needs help at both guard and right tackle could be an option in round 2.

Scouting Report: Lane Johnson

Lane Johnson

Height:  6'6
Weight:  302
Position:  Offensive Tackle
School:  Oklahoma
Ranking:  #3 Offensive Tackle
Projection:  1st Round

Strengths
-Ideal frame for a Offensive Tackle.  Should be able to add weight.
-Has played both left and right tackle in college
-Long Arms (35") that allows him to keep defenders off his body.
-Elite athletic ability for the position.  Moves well laterally and in drops
-Does a great job of mirroring defenders and keeping them in front of him
-Has a nasty streak (surprising since he was  former QB)
-Makes everything look easy
-Reacts well to double moves
-Explodes off the line
-Successful pulling and trapping.  Can get to the next level.
-Good at blocking in space.  Especially in the second level
-Natural Knee bender
-High football IQ

Weaknesses
-Inexperienced.  Is a former QB, TE, and DE.  Played TE in JUCO.
-Light.  Could stand to add more weight.
-Not a powerful run blocker.  Tends to lung at times
-Lacks a strong anchor.  Can be beat by a good bull rush.

Summary
Not a whole lot of people know who Lane Johnson is, but that hasn't stopped him from shooting up draft boards and locking himself into a first round grade.  Lane Johnson is a former high school quarterback and played tight end at his Junior College.  Once Johnson got to Oklahoma they tried him out at defensive end before moving him to tackle where he really settled in.  You can tell that Johnson is a former skill player because he moves so well.  Lane Johnson is at his best when he is in pass protection where he can use that athletic ability to mirror defenders and keep them out of the backfield.  He can struggle in run blocking because he isn't overly strong yet, but does a good job with his technique and shielding off defenders.  Because of his athletic ability and potential scouts are really raving over him.  It was the Senior Bowl where Johnson really made people notice.  Johnson consistently locked down the top rushers and was only out shined by fellow tackle Eric Fisher.  Look for Johnson's name to go pretty quickly come draft day.  He could go as high as #7 to the Cardinals, but shouldn't fall past the Giants, Bears or Rams in the early 20s.  But San Diego is the strongest possibility.