1. Charles Cross (Mississippi State) 6’5″ 307 lbs.
Cross shows sound pass protection ability. Long arms and incredible movement skills for a man his size. He’s a work in progress when blocking in the run game but still has the temperament and skillset to excel there. Excellent Zone Blocker. Wins with length. Needs to work on footwork post pass set.
2. Ikem Ekwonu (North Carolina State) 6’4″ 310 lbs.
For what it’s worth he’d be Guard 1 if a team wanted to make him an iOL. The most upside in this group lies between he and Cross. Ekwonu has the frame and physicality for the NFL game. He can make make an immediate impact on a roster as a run blocker. I have no problem with Ekwonu being OT1 here but based strictly off of tape I think Cross is specialized in the one area that’s coveted most. Thus will ease him into an early role as a pass protector. Ekwonu probably has the better career over the long haul due to his versatility.
3. Evan Neal (Alabama) 6’7″ 337 lbs.
Neal is an impressive unit. Played with the best and against the best. Shows excellent talent as an OL. The issue with me is, for his size I don’t see otherworldly push or play strength. I don’t see a very good athlete either. He moves good for his size but he doesn’t necessarily move good for his position. Neal should be open to iOL so that he can best maximize his talents.
4. Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa) 6’7″ 325 lbs.
He loves to use his physicality early and often. The smaller school OT dominated his ranks then put on a show in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. Workout warrior. Long arms and good core strength. Level of comp on tape is below subpar and he only marginally won some of those Senior Bowl battles that I saw and several were against smaller players. I love the aggressive approach but I question the longevity of the brawn over technique approach.
5. Abraham Lucas (Washington State) 6’6″ 315 lbs.
Lucas held his own vs. the best competition on his team’s schedule then proceeded to be equally as impressive vs. the top talent at the Senior Bowl. High Football I.Q. paired with legit NFL physical traits. I can see Lucas being taken as early as Round 2. He certainly will be competing with Penning down the stretch for my #4 ranked OT.
6. Kellen Diesch (Arizona State) 6’7″ 301 lbs.
Big time natural traits for the Left Tackle position. Refined and strong. Has a frame that could put on another 15 lbs. Good footwork and is an already saavy chess player against defenders. Hand fights too much at times. I love the athletic profile. Looks like the prototypical LT.
7. Sean Rhyan (UCLA) 6’4″ 321 lbs.
Tough and reliable. Shows excellent effort. Lower on my list than most at tackle largely because of movement ability, specifically agility. Has tremendous instinct for playing on the OL. Strong base and anchor. Will be a Top 10 Guard at some point in his career if he stays healthy but only a serviceable OT at this point.
8. Tyler Smith (Tulsa) 6’4″ 324 lbs.
The draftniks darling. Powerful and tenacious. Very natural in the way he carries out run blocking angles. Possesses the core strength and knee bend necessary to be successful at the next level. The issues arise when plays speed to power elite NFL level guys. He has a tendency to to hold and lose technique at times. Overall love the playstyle and effort but he’s a project.
9. Nicholas Petit-Frere (Ohio State) 6’5″ 316 lbs.
Big game experience and craftiness. He’s agile for his size and has veteran technique. He offers versatility and can play on the interior. NPF can sometimes get lackadaisical with his physicality and hand usage at times. Smart player that should have staying power.
10. Daniel Faalele (Minnesota) 6’8″ 384 lbs.
Behemoth. Hard to go through him (although it’s been done) because he’s such a large human being. He can seal and get to the second level. If he adds a more consistent anchor and gets a tick more light on his feet. Faalele is a project who’s still learning the position but as a developmental mid to later round pick he’ll do just enough to be a legitimate backup option for years.
(11-24: Vederian Lowe, Bernard Raimann, Max Mitchell, Luke Goedeke, Matt Waletzko, Braxton Jones, Spencer Burford, Myron Cunningham, Luke Tenuta, Rasheed Walker, Chris Paul, Erik Swenson, Logan Bruss, Austin Deculus,)