Adrian Fedkiw
There was a time when you drafted an offensive line in the top 10 you were getting a sure thing, a player that you can plug into your offensive line and not have to worry about for the next decade.
Not anymore.
Of the 17 tackles selected in the top 10 since 2005, only Joe Thomas, Tyron Smith and Jake Long have been named first-team All-Pro. Just take a look at some of the major disappointments over the last couple of years.
Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel were the first two picks in the 2013 NFL Draft and neither has lived up to expectations. Jonathan Cooper was the seventh player taken in that same draft and was just traded to the New England Patriots because the guard wasn’t getting the job done in Glendale. Lastly there’s Greg Robinson, selected second overall in 2014 but a tackle who’s looked lost in two seasons with the Rams.
The Rams had a lot better luck in 1997 when they took future Hall-of-Famer Orlando Pace No. 1 overall. Another future Hall-of-Famer, Walter Jones, got taken with the sixth pick. A year prior it was another future Hall-of-Famer, Jonathan Ogden, who got picked in the top 10 when the Baltimore Ravens nabbed him at No. 4.
Times have changed.
This year’s class has a tackle in Laremy Tunsil, who appears to be a sure thing but how can we possibly know after what recent history has told us. The Ole Miss product began to really separate from the rest of the pack after an outstanding combine where he showcased his athleticism, light feet, quickness and balance.
After the Tennessee Titans moved out of the top spot, however, how far will Tunsil fall? He was slotted to be the No. 1 pick by many mock drafts, but now how many teams in the top six really need offensive line help than the Baltimore Ravens?
The only lineman the Eagles hosted on a pre-draft visit was Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley, but I’ve soured on him and with Philly now picking second he won’t be an Eagle next year. He played at around 280 pounds in college and relied on his athleticism to make up for some deficiencies. Stanley bulked up for the combine, got to 300 pounds, but disappointed. So he bulked up to meet the mandatory weight requirement for an NFL tackle, but appeared to lose his athleticism. I’m skeptical on him.
As for the Eagles, the offensive line remains a huge need despite the signings of guard Brandon Brooks and guard/center Stefen Wisniewski in the offseason. I expect the Birds to go with a guard and tackle in the middle rounds. I really like Stanford’s Joshua Garnett for the Eagles because of his ability to generate movement in the run game and pull effectively, but he’ll probably go in the second round so I don’t think they’re sniffing him. I didn’t see any other reports of the Eagles hosting another tackle, guard or center for a pre-draft visit.
Arkansas’ Sebastian Tretola would be a perfect fit for Philadelphia and its power attack. He’s one of the most powerful men in the draft and gets a lot of push in the run game. Some middle round tackle prospects to watch out for concerning the Birds are Texas Tech’s Le’Raven Clark, UCLA’s Caleb Benenoch and Western Michigan’s Willie Beavers. A late round sleeper of mine to keep on eye on is Mississippi’s Fahn Cooper.
Adrian’s Top 10 Tackles
1. Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss)
2. Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwQoiB8Sbco
3. Jason Spriggs (Indiana)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHcZDGnoqNw
4. Jack Conklin (Michigan State)
5. Taylor Decker (Ohio State)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Af6uRWkCU
6. Germain Ifedi (Texas A&M)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlHnptehjR0
7. Le’Raven Clark (Texas Tech)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsM9vjzQRWc
8. Jerald Hawkins (LSU)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQkiIogSD9M
9. Willie Beavers (Western Michigan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOFtSh4Hvkw
10. Fahn Cooper (Ole Miss)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fas_o42gc0
Adrian’s Top 5 Guards
1. Joshua Garnett (Stanford)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kc07a0tyM0
2. Cody Whitehair (Kansas State)
3. Joe Dahl (Washington State)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BawPJdfLm0g
4. Vadal Alexander (LSU)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRQjgul9HXU
5. Christian Westerman (ASU)
Adrian’s Top 5 Centers
1. Ryan Kelly (Alabama)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1XArEAd8hM
2. Nick Martin (Notre Dame)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eTGexyvwwQ
3. Graham Glasgow (Michigan)
4. Max Tuerk (USC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lMTp_2nqQg
5. Jack Allen (Michigan State)