Each day leading up to the official start of the NFL football season, I will be providing you with player rankings, team previews, analysis, predictions, opinions and a whole lot more.
What I look for in a guard:
Strength- Pushing your defender off the ball in the running game and absorbing contact and holding ground in pass protection.
Quickness- Having the agility and fluidity to get through the hole, change direction and angle block. It’s also important to be quick when pulling, trapping and getting to the second level to take on linebackers.
Toughness- Playing with a mean streak and physicality. Sticking up for your quarterback when a defender takes a cheap shot.
Hands- Hand use is vital in the trenches, trying to escape those enormous defensive tackles and prevent them from freeing up linebackers. Punching, recoiling and shocking defenders.
- Marshal Yanda (Bal) 8.2
- Zack Martin (Dal) 8.1
- Josh Sitton (GB) 8
- David DeCastro (Pit) 8
- Mike Iupati (SF) 7.9
- Kelechi Osemele (Bal) 7.8
- Kyle Long (Chi) 7.7
- Richie Incognito (Buf) 7.7
- T.J. Lang (GB) 7.6
- Evan Mathis (Ari) 7.6
- Gabe Jackson (Oak) 7.5
- Andrew Norwell (Car) 7.5
- Trai Turner (Car) 7.5
- Jack Mewhort (Ind) 7.5
- Kevin Zeitler (Cin) 7.5
- Laremy Tunsil (Mia) 7.5
- Brandon Scherff (Was) 7.5
- Justin Pugh (NYG) 7.5
- Jeff Allen (Hou) 7.5
- Orlando Franklin (SD) 7.5
- Brandon Brooks (Phi) 7.5
- Larry Warford (Det) 7.5
- Joel Bitonio (Cle) 7.4
- Alex Boone (Min) 7.4
- Rodger Saffold (LAR) 7.4
- Andy LeVitre (Atl) 7.4
- John Greco (Cle) 7.4
- Clint Boling (Cin) 7.4
- James Carpenter (NYJ) 7.4
- Ramon Foster (Pit) 7.4
- Andrew Tiller (SF) 7.4
- Ali Marpet (TB) 7.4
- Joshua Garnett (SF) 7.3
- Chance Warmack (Ten) 7.3
- Brandon Fusco (Min) 7.3
- Spencer Long (Was) 7.3
- A.J. Cann (Jax) 7.3
- D.J. Fluker (SD) 7.3
- Geoff Schwartz (Det) 7.3
- Patrick Omameh (TB) 7.3
- Brandon Linder (Jax) 7.3
- La’el Collins (Dal) 7.3
- Chris Chester (Was) 7.3
- Zane Beadles (SF) 7.3
- Tim Lelito (NO) 7.3
- Jonathan Cooper (NE) 7.3
- Shaq Mason (NE) 7.3
- Tre Jackson (NE) 7.3
- Laken Tomlinson (Det) 7.3
- Ronald Leary (Dal) 7.3