2018 NFL Draft: Offensive Linemen

Now for my sexiest preview of draft week, offensive line. And to be honest the bookends are lacking a bit but the interior line play is magnifique. Line play is a tough eval because upside is tough to quantify with less practice time to develop. Then there are quite a few little things that go into winning and losing along the line and interior defensive linemen are getting freakier every year. That said I’ll try to give you as much info as I can both what I saw and trying to contextualize the workout numbers.

Tackles

1)     Mike McGlinchey, Sr, Notre Dame, 6’ 7 7/8”, 309 lbs. – Starter (7.3)

Stats - 40: N/a, 10: N/a, Short Shuttle: N/a, 3-cone: N/a, Vert: 28.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 9”

McGlinchey isn’t otherworldy at tackle and some think he’ll need to move to right tackle at the next level. Whichever side, left or right, you fall on McGlinchey was the most consistent tackle last season in college football. He’s not the athletic standout that Miller or Noteboom are, nor the name that Williams was coming into the season but him and Nelson (G, ND) made doing anything against the left side of the Notre Dame line extremely difficult.

2)     Kolton Miller, Jr, UCLA, 6’ 8 5/8”, 309 lbs – Starter (7.1)

Stats - 40: 4.95, 10: 1.67, Short Shuttle: 4.49, 3-cone: 7.34, Vert: 31.5”, Broad Jump: 10’ 9”

3)     Joseph Noteboom, Sr, TCU, 6’ 5”, 309 lbs. – Starter (7.1)

Stats - 40: 4.96, 10: 1.71, Short Shuttle: 4.44, 3-cone: 7.65, Vert: 26.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 9”

4)     Korey Cunningham, Sr, Cincinnati, 6’ 5 3/8”, 311 lbs. – Expected Starter (7.0)

Stats - 40: 4.90, 10: 1.75, Short Shuttle: N/a, 3-cone: N/a, Vert: 35.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 11”

5)     Connor Williams, Jr, Texas, 6’ 5 1/8”, 296 lbs. – Expected Starter (7.0)

Stats - 40: 5.05, 10: 1.72, Short Shuttle: 4.63, 3-cone: 7.83, Vert: 34”, Broad Jump: 9’ 4”

Miller and Noteboom are two players with insane athletic testing scores. Miller’s explosion stats jump off the page at you outpacing just about every linemen. Add that to exceptional agility scores for his size and you have exceptional raw skills with some holes on tape to sure up. Noteboom and Cunningham were my favorite guards when watching on tape. Both showed nastiness in the run game and the agility to control edge rushes when they came via power or speed. Lastly in this second clump of tackles is Connor Williams. Williams was the near consensus tackle in the 2018 class coming into the season, that got derailed by a poor performance against Maryland early in the season and injuries. Maryland not withstanding it’s easy to see Williams’ upside and the technique base he’ll grow from.

6)     Geron Christian, Jr, Louisville, 6’ 5 1/8”, 298 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.8)

Stats - 40: 5.33, 10: 1.83, Short Shuttle: N/a, 3-cone: N/a, Vert: N/a, Broad Jump: N/a

7)     Brian O’Neill, Jr, Pittsburgh, 6’ 6 7/8”, 297 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.7)

Stats - 40: 4.82, 10: 1.70, Short Shuttle: 4.50, 3-cone: 7.14, Vert: 29.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 11”

8)     Tyrell Crosby, Sr, Oregon, 6’ 4 5/8”, 309 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.7)

Stats - 40: 5.23, 10: 1.86, Short Shuttle: 4.77, 3-cone: 7.89, Vert: 30”, Broad Jump: 8’ 9”

9)     Greg Senat, Sr, Wagner, 6’ 7 1/2”, 305 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.6)

Stats - 40: 5.37, 10: 1.82, Short Shuttle: 4.71, 3-cone: 7.41, Vert: 26”, Broad Jump: 8’ 10”

10)  David Steinmetz, Sr, Purdue, 6’ 7 1/2”, 321 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.3)

Stats - 40: 5.38, 10: 1.93, Short Shuttle: 4.75, 3-cone: N/a, Vert: 33”, Broad Jump: 9’ 7”

11)  Desmond Harrison, Sr, West Georgia, 6’ 6”, 292 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.3)

Stats - 40: 4.90, 10: 1.72, Short Shuttle: 4.79, 3-cone: 7.64, Vert: 30”, Broad Jump: 8’ 2”

I don’t hate the top of this class as much as the whole of #DraftTwitter generally does. The problem, as was discussed on Twitter, is that upside is much less likely to be reached with reduced practice time allowed currently in the NFL.

Guard

1)     Quenton Nelson, Jr, Notre Dame, 6’ 5”, 325 lbs. –Starter (7.9)

Stats - 40: N/a, 10: N/a, Short Shuttle: 4.62, 3-cone: 7.65, Vert: 26.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 9”

Nelson is damn near the perfect prospect at guard. He’s nasty, mean, and athletic. He’s good in all facets of the game and is rarely beat. When people talk of prototypes, they’re talking about Nelson.

2)     Will Hernandez, Sr, UTEP, 6’ 2 3/8”, 327 lbs. – Starter (7.6)

Stats - 40: 5.15, 10: 1.75, Short Shuttle: 4.70, 3-cone: 7.59, Vert: 27”, Broad Jump: 8’ 8”

Hernandez has the unfortunate honor of winding up in the same draft class as Nelson. Hernandez is a bit stockier than Nelson with shorter arms, but he showed up against P5 and G5 opponents and showed more than enough athleticism on tape and against better competition at the Senior Bowl

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3)     Isaiah Wynn, Sr, Georgia, 6’ 2 3/8”, 313 lbs. –Starter (7.3)

Stats - 40: INJ, 10: INJ, Short Shuttle: INJ, 3-cone: INJ, Vert: INJ, Broad Jump: INJ

4)     Austin Corbett, Sr, Nevada, 6’ 4 3/8”, 306 lbs. – Starter (7.1)

Stats - 40: 5.15, 10: 1.76, Short Shuttle: 4.50, 3-cone: 7.87, Vert: 28”, Broad Jump: 8’ 10”

Isaiah Wynn was injured during the post-season draft run up but his tape at Georgia speaks loudly enough. Wynn played multiple positions at Georgia and that versatility only makes him more valuable at the next level. Corbett is one of my favorites of the draft season. He played left tackle at Nevada but showed off his power routinely in the run game and more than held his own against the pass. I don’t think he’s a bad RT prospect either, but I’ve been trying to place prospects in only one position this year and I think his best fit is at guard.

5)     Braden Smith, Sr, Auburn, 6’ 6 1/4”, 315 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.9)

Stats - 40: 5.22, 10: 1.80, Short Shuttle: 4.77, 3-cone: 7.81, Vert: 33.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 5”

6)     Taylor Hearn, Jr, Clemson, 6’ 4”, 330 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.8)

Stats - 40: 5.31, 10: 1.88, Short Shuttle: 4.78, 3-cone: 7.55, Vert: 24.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 5”

Smith and Hearn are both power 5 guards from blue blood programs with good athletic traits and games that translate well to the next level. Smith is more of a power blocker, and Hearn is better out in space. All in all, both are solid day 2 options at guard.

Center

1)     Frank Ragnow, Sr, Arkansas, 6’ 5 1/8”, 312 lbs. - Starter (7.7)

Stats - 40: 4.99, 10: 1.74, Short Shuttle: 4.51, 3-cone: 8.04, Vert: 33.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 7”

Frank Ragnow is everything you want from a center. He moves well, understands the play, and what really catches your eye is the fact that he immediately latches on to blocks at the second level. I fell in love with him watching tape.

2)     James Daniels, Jr, Iowa, 6’ 3 3/8”, 306 lbs. – Starter (7.4)

Stats - 40: N/a, 10: N/a, Short Shuttle: 4.40, 3-cone: 7.29, Vert: 30.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 0”

Daniels is very good in his own right. He consistently found a block at the second level and was strong in the run game. He was a less consistent than Ragnow  but should be a consistent starter at the next level.

3)     Scott Quessenberry, Sr, UCLA, 6’ 3 5/8”, 315 lbs. – Starter (7.2)

Stats - 40: 5.09, 10: 1.76, Short Shuttle: 4.69, 3-cone: 7.50, Vert: 33.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 3”

4)     Billy Price, Sr, Ohio State, 6’ 3 3/4”, 305 lbs. – Starter (7.1)

Stats - 40: INJ, 10: INJ, Short Shuttle: INJ, 3-cone: INJ, Vert: INJ, Broad Jump: INJ

The difference between the top two and Quessenberry/Price is consistency and flash. Where Ragnow consistently had plays that made you exclaim and Daniels had them here or there these two got the job done consistently but with less plays that made you sure they were going to routinely handle the better interior players at the next level.

5)     Austin Golson, Sr, Auburn, 6’ 4 3/4”, 304 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.9)

Stats - 40: 5.19, 10: 1.84, Short Shuttle: 4.65, 3-cone: 7.71, Vert: 28.5”, Broad Jump: 9’ 1”

Golson plays power well, but in today’s NFL he will need to get more consistent in pass pro against quicker interior players.

6)     Mason Cole, Sr, Michigan, 6’ 4 1/8”, 305 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.7)

Stats - 40: 5.23, 10: 1.78, Short Shuttle: 4.72, 3-cone: 7.77, Vert: 27.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 8”

7)     Brian Allen, Sr, Michigan State, 6’ 1”, 300 lbs. – Expected Starter (6.7)

Stats - 40: 5.32, 10: 1.87, Short Shuttle: 4.71, 3-cone: 7.81, Vert: 26.5”, Broad Jump: 8’ 3”

Allen and Cole need time to adjust to the next level. Allen is going to take a little while to adjust physically to the pros, Cole will need time to adjust to his move inside, but both have starter upside.

Overall, I really like this interior group especially at the top. On the outside there’s high floor guys (McGlinchey) and high ceiling guys (Miller, Noteboom) but no one that combines both in that truly exciting way that top players in recent classes have.