Jordan Laube
Apr 124 min
Pass protectors, run maulers, and ginormous titans - offensive tackles have always been cornerstones for any successful offense, and even more so in today's game. This class is loaded with talent at this position, and I have first round grades on a good chunk of them.
We'll cover my top 12 trench tyrants today, and with the majority of teams needing at least one heading into the draft, it'll be a scramble to see who gets the cream of the crop (if you're looking for Graham Barton, he's in the Interior Offensive Linemen ranking below this write-up).
Photo: Paul Burdick/State College
Caedan has all of the tools an NFL tackle needs. He has great footwork when mirroring defenders, he keeps his eyes up throughout the entire play and is always looking for work, and he's got some mean blocks on tape. He needs to stay within his frame more, especially due to a lack of strength, but I think he could eventually become a good starter for a team.
Pro Comp: Austin Jackson
I think Puni will be a solid tackle, but would be electric moving inside to guard. He's a good run and pass blocker, has great eyes and footwork to read and react to blitzes and stunts, and he stays within his frame. He needs to get stronger up top to handle the elite interior defenders, but he has a really solid foundation to work with besides that.
Pro Comp: Jonah Jackson
The best part of Blake's game is his pass protection. He has great footwork and mirrors rushers well, is able to recover if he gets beat at first, and isn't beat by advance pass rush moves. His run blocking could stand to improve; the main issue is his high pad level and not driving into defenders aggressively. With more experience, he should fix that. I really liked what I saw from him.
Pro Comp: Zach Tom
I think Morgan has the tools, size, and athleticism to be a starting LT in the league for a long time, just needs to improve on the little things. He has great footwork and a ton of up top strength, but rarely uses it to abuse defenders. I need to see more fight from him in order to take that next step.
Pro Comp: Dan Moore Jr
Photo: Rick Scuteri/AP Photo
Jones' film looks a lot better than his consensus ranking does. He has a great lower body foundation that helps him drive through blocks and take on tough pass rushers. He can play in any run scheme and be more than capable as a starter. He will need to get better transitioning between horizontal runs and getting vertical mid play, but that will be fixed at the next level.
Pro Comp: Dion Dawkins
I loved what I saw from Amarius from a pure blocking standpoint. He drives guys out of their gap and plays with his feet under him rather than getting over extended, and he dominates as a pass protector as well. The injury bug is something that will be tough to get over, and his minimal playing time is the main reason why he isn't in my top 5 OTs.
Pro Comp: Brian O'Neill
Photo: Jason Getz/Getz Images
Tyler is this year's Darnell Wright. His pass pro is fantastic, but he leaves something to be desired in the run game. Between his athleticism, hand strength, and awesome footwork, I have a strong feeling a coach will be able to tap into his skillset, making him a good enough run blocker to compete at the next level.
Pro Comp: Jawaan Taylor
Overall, JC was better than I expected. He's super violent and isn't afraid to drive guys into the dirt. He does need to play more upright sometimes and use his legs to his advantage, and that showed against Michigan. I think it was just a one-off bad game, he should do well at the next level.
Pro Comp: Mike Onwenu
Olu is a really polished pass protector with smooth footwork despite having short steps at times. He's a decent enough run blocker to move guys out of their gaps, and he picks up stunts better than any tackle in this class. He does need to run his feet on contact and get deeper in his pass set, but those are fixable.
Pro Comp: Andrus Peat
Taliese has some impressive tape. He has all of the athletic tools to be an anchor on the right side of the line in today's NFL, he just needs to get stronger and/or more confident with his upper half. If he can let himself maul people instead of being technical at times, he can be awesome at the next level.
Pro Comp: Donald Penn
Photo: Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports
Troy will be a starting tackle in the NFL due to his technical skills, fundamentals, and athleticism. He will need to get a bit stronger to handle the bigger and more powerful linemen, but I think having a good foundation with his form will help him get to where he needs to be.
Pro Comp: Garrett Bolles
Joe Alt is the clear OT1 in this class and for good reason. He has a massive frame at over 6'8 and 320 pounds, unbelieve athletic ability that shows up on film and with his 9.93 RAS, and he's a nasty run blocker and decent pass protector. He should improve with the pass game with NFL coaching, and his background in a pro-style scheme puts him ahead of everyone else in this class.
Pro Comp: Kolton Miller
Photo: Matt Cashore/Notre Dame Athletics
Final Notes:
Some big fellas who just missed the cut were Garret Greenfield, Kiran Amegadije, and Walter Rouse. All three have decent tape, but need to show more polish on a down to down basis.
Join me next week as we round out the PRR series with the best edge defenders and quarterbacks in this class, as well as "my guys" for this class!