
1. Quenton Nelson – Guard – Notre Dame – 6’5” 325
Quenton Nelson is widely viewed to have the highest ceiling and floor of any prospect in this year’s NFL draft. He has been called the safest pick in the draft and a sure-fire Pro-Bowl guard. The consensus is that he is not only the top guard in this class but perhaps the best interior line prospect in history.
Nelson does stick like glue on defenders. They struggle to find any way to disengage from his blocks. He is an excellent athlete both as a puller and in pass protection. Working up to the second level is not a problem for him. Not only can he get to defenders at the second level, he can swing his hips around and seal them off. He is athletic enough to adjust to pick up blitzers who are coming from outside or across the formation. He does lean into his blocks a bit too much and makes shoulder blocks rather than using his hands.
Strengths:
Good feet in pass protection – post steps well
Excellent puller
Plays through the whistle
Can move to get to pass blocking assignment
Weaknesses:
Tends to lean too much on blocks
Uses his face and shoulder rather than his hands on blocks
2. Billy Price – Center/Guard – Ohio State – 6’3” 305
Billy Price is more of a brawler than a tactician on the offensive line, which is, of course, a good thing. He will need to clean up his technique. He plays with good leverage but will stop moving his feet at times and also allows his base to get to wide. He can move and pull but is not athletic enough to adjust in space. He is an extremely skilled run blocker and protects the pass effectively as well. He needs to keep his head in the game as he seems to be easily perturbed by opponents. His game is his aggressiveness, but it can also get him off balance and out of position at times.
Strengths:
Strong run blocker
Excellent puller
Good pass protection technique
Weaknesses:
Stops moving his feet on run blocks at times
Feet can get too wide at times
Can get impatient in pass protection
3. Isaiah Wynn – Guard – Georgia – 6’2” 313
Isaiah Wynn started at left tackle for the Bulldogs which at his size should tell you something about his pass protection skills. His skill set and proportions may actually make him a better fit at tackle, but with his lack of height, he will need to transition to the interior line. He has great strength and can collect himself even when a defender’s initial “pop” knocks him off balance. He is a good run blocker who can effectively down block or work up to a linebacker. His excellent feet allow him to get outside edge defenders and seal off the edge. He can whiff at times on run blocks which is more due to poor footwork and body position than over aggressiveness. He may not have the strength and power in his hips to zone block a defender who is lined up directly in his gap.
Strengths:
Good pass sets
Strong down blocks
Athletic at the second level
Great reach blocks
Weaknesses:
Lacks ideal height
Will have to transition inside to have a chance at the next level
Can whiff at times on run blocks
4. Frank Ragnow – Center – Arkansas – 6’5” 312
Frank Ragnow is an excellent center for the Razorbacks. He is a good run blocker and is solid in pass protection as well. He understands pass protection and how his responsibility changes as rushers move and stunt. He is excellent on double-team blocks where he seems to know exactly when to come off his initial block and work up to the second level. He can play with poor leverage at times, particularly at backer depth. He has trouble adjusting and using his body in space.
Strengths:
Has a knack for knowing when to come off of double teams
Good pass protector
A strong run blocker who can get to the next level effectively
Weaknesses:
Gets too high on blocks
Not very athletic in space
5. Will Hernandez – Guard – UTEP – 6’2” 327
Will Hernandez has excellent strength. He gets great initial contact on his opponent, which defenders tend to have trouble recovering from. He gets excellent extension, which allows him to anticipate get off moves effectively. He may have trouble with this when dealing with defenders with longer arms. He looks stiff in his upper body but is a decent athlete who can effectively pull. He can effectively slide his feet and maintain proper position in pass protection. He is a super aggressive player who loves contact. At times he has issues in run blocking because his pad level gets too high or his feet get too wide.
Strengths:
Good feet in pass protection
Gets a good strike run blocks
Okay athlete and puller
Weaknesses:
Gets too high on run blocks
Pretty stiff
Feet can get too wide on blocks
6. James Daniels – Center – Iowa – 6’3” 306
James Daniels is a quality center who does his best work in the run game. He is athletic enough to get out in space, but struggles at times to engage on these blocks. He is excellent driving his opponent down field once engaged in the run game, but can get driven back himself in pass protection. He needs to sink his hips and anchor his body better in pass protection. He is longer than most players at his position and makes the most of this with great arm extension. Daniels needs to get stronger and improve his technique in order to make the most of his talent at the next level.
Strengths:
Gets serious movement on defenders once he engages
Excellent athlete
Gets great arm extension
Weaknesses:
Can be overpowered at times
Will whiff on second level blocks
Spends too much time on the ground
7. Austin Corbett – Guard – Nevada – 6’4” 306
Austin Corbett lacks the size to play outside and will need to transition to guard or center to play in the NFL. He has good hands and decent feet. He seems to have good playing strength but can fall off blocks at times. He does not have experience playing on the interior but has a frame that is ideal for a guard. Corbett is a pretty solid player who does not wow you or stands out in any one particular area.
Strengths:
Can straight up outmuscle defenders and throw them aside like they are nothing at times
Uses his hands well
Effective pass blocker
Weaknesses:
Will need to move to the interior line to have success in the NFL
Pass sets aren’t great, but he should be alright inside
Can fall off blocks at times
8. Skyler Phillips – Guard – Idaho State – 6’2” 318
Skyler Phillips is a big strong player with a lot of technique concerns. His strength is as a run blocker. He is physical and gets defenders moving. He is not the type of player who is looking for a stalemate. He gets too aggressive at times causing him to overextend and end up on the ground. He can have issues with his pad level at times, particularly in pass protection. In pass protection he also struggles to close on inside moves with his post step.
Strengths:
Strong run blocker – engages quickly
Adequate in pass protection
Mauler in the run game
Weaknesses:
Can get over aggressive and fall off blocks
Can get burned by inside pass rush moves
Needs to clean up a lot of technique issues
9. Bradley Bozeman – Center – Alabama – 6’5” 311
Bradley Bozeman is a strong center who can get movement at the first level. He needs to learn to use his hands more effectively and not get sucked into defenders. He can move okay, but lacks the athleticism to be a great blocker in the open field. Pad level can be an issue for him, especially in pass protection.
Strengths:
Strong with stout build
Gets great movement on run blocks
Effective pass blocker
Weaknesses:
Needs to use his hands more and the flapper less on run blocks
Can get too high in pass protection
Whiffs on open field blocks
10. Viane Talamaivao – Guard – USC – 6’2” 324
Viane Talamaivao is a very good guard prospect who will need to clean up several things in order to have success on Sundays. He is an excellent run blocker who can get great movement and work up to the second level. He needs to work on his pass protection, technique and execution.
Strengths:
Athletic – can effectively work up to the next level
Strong run blocker who gets movement
Has great discipline – knows his assignment and does not try to do too much
Weaknesses:
Coming off torn pectoral
Struggles against quick pass rushers
Can get too high at times which has a major impact on his power
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