2015 NFL Draft: Defensive Ends

At one point I considered doing the defensive linemen as one big post. Then I saw how many names were on the list and thought it'd be better to split the two in half! This post will cover the defensive ends, which means I'm going to be looking at three types of player; 4-3 defensive ends, 3-4 defensive ends, and outside linebackers who could make the transition to a 4-3 end. Because I don't have the time to assemble my own list of players I end up having to use someone elses, which means it will inevitably contain a number of players who shouldn't really be here but are because the list maker thinks they would transition to that position. In a sense it's a bit like the list of centers and guards that I worked from which contained a fair number of offensive tackles who had been put there because the list maker presumed to dictate which players fit which position based on their own opinion and not where the player played in college.

So what's the difference then between these three types? Well clearly a 4-3 end is a defensive end who plays in... drum roll please... a 4-3 scheme. He's one of the outside of the 4 down linemen, will normally play in either a 3 or 4 point stance, and primarily will be drafted for his ability to rush the passer, with run defense something of an afterthought (there's good money to be made even by prime pass rushing ends who struggle in run defense. That's not necessarily true of the reverse).

A 3-4 end is, surprise, surprise, a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, being one of the two outside ends. They too normally line up in either a 3 or 4 point stance and are often drafted more for pass rushing ability than run stopping ability, but generally 3-4 teams expect their ends to be a bit more versatile than a 4-3 team would. Often a 3-4 end will have to line up further inside, even sometimes playing as what's called a 3 technique, a role that in 4-3 defense would be handled by a defensive tackle.

And of course there will end up being some outside linebackers who the original list writer felt were perhaps too big to play outside linebacker in the NFL and as such they get lumped in here, regardless of whether or not that's appropriate. I'm sure when I get round to looking at the outside linebackers there will be a variety of defensive ends included there who were considered to be too small to make it in the NFL as an end and as such were moved for no other reason than the list writers opinion. Can you tell that annoys me? Does it show? Ah well.

So what am I looking for out of these players? Four primary things;

1) Pass rushing technique,

2) Run defense,

3) Alignment to the ball,

4) Pursuit angles and effort,

One should be obvious. It's the culmination of speed, power, balance, agility and hand work to get past the offensive line and sack the quarterback. The NFL is fundamentally a passing league and so pass rushing technique is given the highest priority. Players should be able to demonstrate the ability to consistently defeat pass blocks and provide pressure on the quarterback, either to sack him, cause a fumble or force an error such as a missed throw or interception. Point two should also be fairly obvious, being the ability to execute their assignment as part of the teams run defense, holding their ground against the blocks of the offense before shaking off their blocker and making a tackle on the running back if they happen to be at the point of attack.

Three sounds a little odd but it's something that's always been a good tip for me. When the refs place the ball down ready to be snapped, the area from tip to tip of the ball is referred to as the neutral zone and only the center is allowed to have any part of his body in it. But in a game where inches often matter as much as yards, defenders can gain an advantage by lining up as close to the neutral zone as possible. I've noticed when recently looking at the offensive linemen that a surprising number of defensive linemen will set themselves a foot or more off the line of scrimmage. This only gives the offensive line more time and more room to make their blocks, especially when they're reach blocking or angle blocking, and as such it's something I like to keep an eye on.

Finally we have pursuit angles and effort. So this mainly becomes relevant when a running play has gone away from the defensive lineman, or when the ball is passed. Defensive linemen (indeed all defenders) should immediately begin to pursue the ball carrier, keeping in mind the need to take the correct angle in order to cut him off if possible. No defensive player in the NFL will be permitted to "loaf", that is to give up on the pursuit and jog, without taking a lot of stick from their coaches (and frequently team mates as well). Pursuit is vital to gang tackling, as well as increasing the chances of recovering fumbles and setting up blocks in the case of an interception. Pursuit effort can therefore be used as something of a tie breaker between equally talented defensive ends in much the same way that I often use run blocking as a tie breaker between equally talented wide receivers.

So with that out of the way let's get down to the action and as always this list is ordered the way it is because that's how the list I'm working from is ordered. You need to read the specific feedback about a player in order to find out how I rate them. Starting with;

Leonard Williams, USC

A lot of people have Williams as the best player overall on their boards. In almost every mock draft he goes number 2 overall, with Winston only beating him to first because of how important quarterbacks are (you'd have thought people would have learned their lesson by now when it comes to reaching for first round quarterbacks). So is Williams all that? In a word, yes.

Williams played defensive end in a 3-4 scheme but he basically has the size and the technique to move almost anywhere you want along the D-line. I wouldn't be surprised if he could put on weight and play as a nose tackle. I actually think his best position might be in a 4-3 defense though, probably as an end, but potentially even as a 3 technique defensive tackle. He's that versatile. He can jack up guards and offensive tackles alike with his power, he can swim over blocks, he used a spin move on occasion, he pulled people out of the way. At times he looked like he was toying with the opposition. Although he can two gap, I think he played much better when USC set it up so he only had to worry about the one gap. This allowed him to set about destroying the man opposite him without having to be so cautious.

And this is not a player you want to be playing cautiously. This is not someone that you want to get too clever with. He's an amazingly talented defensive lineman, just let him play. Don't get cute, don't try and disguise him etc. He doesn't need that. You'll just get in his way. Literally just line him up, say "that's your gap right there" and then let him go and feast on the opposition. Because this kid is going to be an utter nightmare to block. Whether he's rushing the passer from the outside or crushing the pocket up the middle as a 3 technique, he looks every bit like the most naturally skilled pass rusher to come out of college in years. His combination of size, strength, speed and technique is fantastic. I'd go so far as to say that he's the first player I've ever reviewed that I'd be willing to trade up for (as long as the price wasn't excessive). Any team that has a chance to draft him and passes up this talent will live to regret it I feel.

Shane Ray, Missouri

Another SEC Defensive player of the year out of Missouri? Except this years one is a top 5 pick that everyone is raving about, whereas last years guy - with almost identical production and attributes - was a mere seventh round pick, which of course had nothing what so ever to do with him being gay. Nooooooo....

So is Shane Ray worth the hype? Kind of. He played as a 4-3 end and moved around a little bit, but not much. He is quick. Very quick. And that is basically the long and short of Ray. He's quick, but that's all. He's very weak in the run game and gets chucked about at times by bigger tackles. He is strictly an outside pass rushing guy. Either as an end in a 4-3 or standing up as an outside backer in a 3-4 (with the occasional appearance at the three technique on 3rd and long, i.e. passing downs, for variety) Ray is a dedicated pass guy. He's fine as long as you know what it is you're getting and act appropriately.

Don't get all pissy if someone runs an outside zone rush away from him and the fullback or tight end comes out to block the backside and takes Ray out, leaving a huge running hole on the backside of the play. He's not a great run defender. I say again, he is not a great run defender. He makes some plays in the running game don't get me wrong and perhaps I'm making it sound worse than it is, but fundamentally he is a smaller guy and is unlikely to be a major run force. Just as long as the person that drafts him appreciates that this is and probably always will be a weak point of his. But then again, you're not drafting Ray because of his run defense (or at least you shouldn't be. If you are, what's wrong with you?). You should be drafting Ray because this is a pass first league and teams need every good pass rusher they can get their hands on (except gay ones of course. Gay ones can go dance or something. Purely because they're not good enough you understand. Not at all because they're gay. Honest).

Ray is quick around the edge and he has some decent pass rush technique. Not a huge variety, but enough to go with his speed. He's not the most talented defensive end I've ever seen. He's not even the most talented defensive end in this draft. But what he will do is consistently produce you sacks. At some point in the game he will get fed and this predator chows exclusively on quarterbacks. As long as you can live within who Ray is and not get all upset if he gets muscled around sometimes in the run game then you've got yourself a hell of a player here. He's a bit like Aldon Smith in some regards. But without all the DUIs and weapons offenses. I think he's worth a top 5 pick.

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA

Pronounced something, something, O-diggy-zoo-wah. 6'3", 267 pounds. Described by NFL.com's draft analyst Lance Zierlein as having "average athleticism", despite the fact that he ran the second fastest 40 yard dash time of all defensive linemen at this years combine (4.62 sec) which was actually faster than a number of wide receivers. If a 267 pound player running a 4.62 is "average" then I'd love to see what Zierlein thinks is exceptional. Keep in mind that the 266 pound Jadeveon Clowney ran a 4.52 the year before and was touted highly for having jaw dropping speed, elite athleticism, once in a life time athletic ability yaddah, yaddah. Can you say "inconsistency"?

So is Odighizuwa any good? Does that speed translate onto the field? Very much so I feel. Zierlein claims that Odighizuwa has "marginal pass-rush skills", which is the sort of comment you would expect from someone that either a) didn't watch any of his games, or b) did watch them, but just doesn't understand what he's looking at it (If NFL.com needs a new draft analyst next year I'd be more than happy to take the check). Any time Odighizuwa was asked to single gap he did really well. His speed and strength were obvious and he demonstrated some variety in his pass rush techniques. His spin move isn't exactly on a par with Dwight Freeney just yet, but broadly speaking he proved that he could beat blockers in different ways and do it consistently.

And I think perhaps where Zierlein has gotten confused is because of the team effect of UCLA, as Odighizuwa was one of the few linemen on that defense that was able to consistently generate penetration from down to down. What that means is that the quarterback often had room to run in order to escape from the pressure generated by Odighizuwa. Not always, and UCLA in general seemed pretty good defensively, but it was a good demonstration of the dynamic that exists between pass rushing ends and their interior tackles. By comparison when you look at Ray at Missouri you can see how the entire D-line generated pressure as a unit and frequently left the quarterback with nowhere to go. You could also clearly see on a number of downs that Odighizuwa was being lined up to play run first and not pass first, mainly against opponents who were not strong passing teams, so schematically and game plan wise it wasn't always the case that Odighizuwa was allowed to rush all out.

Speaking briefly of run defense, Odighizuwa was very solid. His pursuit was not always the best and I suspect with his speed and agility that defensive coaches will be looking to light a fire under his butt in that regard but he was stout, defended his gap(s) well and did what was required for the team. Although he played as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme (and a bit of defensive tackle now and again, mainly on passing downs) I could see Odighizuwa also being able to play outside linebacker in a 3-4, probably better suited on the strong side (tight end side) due to his run stopping ability, but potentially also an end in a 3-4. He's a little light for that maybe, but his play suggests he would be able to adapt and he has room on his body to put on a bit of weight if needed. 

Overall I was very impressed with Odighizuwa. I think he's a talented guy that can help in all phases of the game, both run and pass, and probably play special teams as well. He has the versatility to move around and play different positions, can beat people one on one, can hold the point of attack and generally make a nuisance of himself on defense. I think he has pro bowl level potential and honestly I find it a bit odd that he's being talked about as a second rounder. I think Odighizuwa is worth a first round pick and wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a team bit on him outside of perhaps the first 16 picks, a price which I think he's worth.

Preston Smith, Mississippi State

Not sure what to make of Smith. He was a defensive end in what was normally a 4-3 scheme but also played a bit of nose tackle as part of a three man front on third down passing situations. And here is where we run into problems with Smith. As a classic 4-3 end he was largely ineffective. He just couldn't generate any pressure. He wasn't even close. Yet on those third downs, moving inside and typically playing over the center, he was much better. It's a little bizarre frankly. I can't see him making it as a 4-3 end in the NFL. He just isn't cut out for it. But as a 3-4 end? Maybe even a switch to defensive tackle, playing as a 3 technique in a 4-3 scheme? I could possibly see that. Maybe.

I just can't shake this itch that I have that Smith is something of a one trick pony who can only perform that trick in a certain, very specific set of circumstances. Smith is rated as a second round pick but I would have serious question marks about that. Given some of the talents that I've looked at already who will still be available in the second round (and beyond), how do you justify using a second round pick on a player who was only relevant in third and long situations, when placed in the right spot? To me that's a complete waste. Now maybe someone will find a way to get him sacks on a more regular basis, perhaps simply by playing him on more downs than Mississippi State did, but I'm not sure I'd want to take that gamble. Maybe in the unlikely event that he was still around by the time round five came about I'd bite, to use him mainly as a situational pass rusher who you could try and develop over time. But as a second rounder? No way.

Nate Orchard, Utah

Orchard posted some eye popping numbers in 2014, but having watched his bowl game against Colorado State and been less than impressed I wondered how it was that a player that looked so average in that game could have posted such impressive sack figures. So I then went to his best game of the season, a four sack performance against UCLA. The first sack came from what appeared to be a mix up. The left tackle barely tried to block him and when the play was done the tackle turned around with his hands out as if to say "well what the hell happened there, I thought we running play x?". The second sack was one on one with a running back whose effort was shocking. The third was a coverage sack where the quarterback held the ball for almost five seconds before Orchard got home. Only the fourth was a genuine pass rush around the outside of a blocking tackle. As a side note, UCLA's line and quarterback play was pretty horrible in that game.

And that concerns me. I wonder how much of that one season of superb production is the result of Orchard as a pass rusher and how much of it was just one of those freak seasons that happens now and again in football when all the pieces just seem to drop into place for a player. I could be wrong. I've come across this sort of thing in the past with players that have one year wonders or who seem to be the beneficiaries of an unusual amount of luck. Two I can think of were Jason Pierre-Paul and Von Miller. In both cases I remember coming away from watching them with the impression that their success in college couldn't transfer to the next level and in both cases I was wrong (by quite some margin as it turned out). So do I trust my eyes and gut instinct with Orchard? Or do I trust the numbers and back him?

I just can't shake the feeling that his production has been inflated. Those numbers are huge even by NFL standards and yet the year before he barely scraped together three sacks. Coupled with what I saw in the UCLA game, I'd have to push Orchard down the order a little. He still does have some speed and some technique, though at the minute he's a little raw. I think from the third round down he's worth a shot, but by that point I suspect he'll already be gone.

Danielle Hunter, LSU

Is an absolute dream for offensive coordinators. Yes, offensive coordinators. He doesn't generate any pressure, he doesn't stop the run, has almost no impact on the game, and the best bit is you can often block him in the passing game with a running back. It's that bad. I'd pass.

Frank Clark, Michigan

I'm a bit at a loose end with Clark. He had his moments. On the field and at the combine he showed that he has the athletic ability to at least compete in the NFL, even if he's not outstanding. The problem mainly was that his technique was not great. He wasn't really a major player - playing as a 4-3 end - but he popped up here and there to get a hand on the odd pass, make a correct read on a bootleg play etc. I think there is like a nugget of potential there in Clark that can be worked and possibly moulded into something more. Would I use a pick to get my hands on that potential? Probably not. Maybe a seventh rounder. But much more likely I'd wait to see if he made it through the draft then give him a call.

Henry Anderson, Stanford

Played a lot of defensive end in a 4-3, but was probably at his best when moved inside to the three technique position. And if we're being honest, Anderson's best wasn't that great. All I saw that caught my eye was a few nice swim moves when he was asked to one-gap against a guard when playing inside. Anderson is another person that I wouldn't use a draft pick on, but if he was still available after the draft then he would be a non-priority free agent signing to have a closer look at.

Za'Darius Smith, Kentucky

Bloody awful. Came off the snap about a half second after everyone else had started moving. Looked labored in his movements and barely contributed. Why is he even on a list? What does anyone see in him?

Markus Golden, Missouri

I'm pretty sure I could just sit and spend an entire day watching cut ups of the Missouri D-line. They're great. And that includes Golden. Played as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme and consistently generated pressure off the edge. Played the run pretty well too. There were times where I felt he was a little too eager against the run to get his shoulder into the tackle and work back down the line when the run went away from him and backs were thus sometimes able to cut back behind him. It didn't happen that often though so I can live with that. I was also impressed that Golden seemed to give maximum effort on every down throughout the game, regardless of whether it was the first snap or the last. I really like that, as well as his pursuit.

In terms of where he ranks on my hypothetical draft board, I think he has to pay a slight penalty because his pass rush moves were somewhat limited and as such a lot of his production came purely from speed around the edge and his constant running. I'd say perhaps second round, more third round though. I'm not certain he'd be an every down end in the NFL straight off. I think he'd have to work his way into the team as a backup first, but with very solid potential to go on and develop into an all around quality defensive end. I quite like Golden.

Anthony Chickillo, Miami

Played as a 3-4 defensive end. And did almost nothing of note. He was a body that needed blocking and that's about the only good thing I can say about him. I'd pass.

Obum Gwacham, Oregon State

Do you remember all those great defensive ends who were once wide receivers? No, nor do I, because that's an incredibly odd transition that I don't think has ever worked out well. There was a guy called Al Wallace who went undrafted in 1997 and eventually played nine years in the NFL, totalling a career tally of 23 sacks. Coincidentally Gwacham is the same height as Wallace at 6'5". Now because he used to be a receiver it's no surprise that he's very quick. But having spent just his senior year as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, it's also no surprise that he's not a very well developed pass rusher. 

Gwacham then is a project. A massive, multi-year project that may very well run over time and over budget. I think he'd probably be a better fit as a 3-4 outside backer personally, because I don't think he's strong enough to play the run consistently without help and is not really a pure pass rusher. He's more of a scheme guy that gets moved around, drops into coverage etc. At 246 pounds he already looks like he's maxed out what his body is physically able to carry without losing a ton of athletic ability. As a non-priority free agent who will most likely go nowhere in the NFL but has an outside chance of being a major hit, I can see the value. As a draft choice? No.

Cedric Reed, Texas

Played as a 4-3 defensive end, which is laughable because he was so slow. God help your team if they draft this guy. Partly because he's taking up a spot in your camp (can't see him making a roster) and partly because it casts a very worrying shadow over your teams player evaluation system. Reed - along with big chunks of this years draft class - also serves as the perfect statement as to why I don't watch College football. It's mostly boring and the standard of play is horrendously variable. It seems in some cases that some teams go from being brilliant to miserable in the space of one off season. There's some stuff I don't mind, like watching Missouri's D, but a lot of college football at the minute just looks like amateur garbage.

Shaquille Riddick, West Virginia

He's 6'6" and ran a 4.66 average 40 at his pro day. These are the good things about Shaq Riddick. The rest is bad. He's another "potential" guy, another non-priority free agent, bring him into camp and see what you can make of him type player. Good luck to him, he has speed and size, but don't hold your breath waiting for him to make the pro bowl.

Brian Mihalik, Boston College

An absolute giant at 6'9". Shame that despite having a dominant size advantage he didn't really do anything with it. He was nothing special, but again as a non-priority FA you might be interested to see what he can do with that height. In the long run I don't think he's really cut out to be a defensive end, but I could see him putting on weight (he's a somewhat slim 295 pounds) and moving inside to become a run stuffing defensive tackle, or even flipping to the other side of the ball and either trying out as an offensive tackle with that huge frame, or perhaps (though far less likely) trimming right down to get as lean as possible and trying to make it as a massive target man tight end.

Andre Munroe, Maryland

He's actually not on the list that I'm working from and probably isn't on many other lists either. I suspect a big part of that is because he's a D-lineman who is only 5'11" and there aren't many guys like that in the NFL, though Baltimore Ravens 5'11" outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil had 17 sacks last year, so it's not a completely unknown phenomenon. There's a good chance that this is the last article you will ever read about Andre Munroe in relation to football. But I saw him while scouting Brandon Scherff for the centers and guards post, liked what I saw, and decided to take a closer look.

And on closer inspection I saw what I liked. Munroe had 10.5 sacks last year which is impressive considering he was a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, which isn't really a position ideally suited to a guy of his size. Having to two gap against offensive line severely restricted him and exposed his shorter arms as he tried to go head to head with much bigger opponents. Now don't get me wrong, even then he held his own and was pretty strong and stable at the point of attack, he just wasn't able to generate much push backwards. Where he excelled was when he was asked to one gap as the Terrapins (what a chronic name for a football team) brought pressure with their linebackers. Here his size was no longer a restraint. It was an advantage.

Because when you're 5'11" it means that offensive linemen often have to dip forward to get their hands on you. It also means that you can get one of your shoulder pads under them quite easily and with a good burst off the line you can fill your gap quite effectively, often getting penetration. He also demonstrated a good swim move. Yes, a 5'11" guy was able to use a swim move on 6 foot and a bit offensive linemen. It's quite something to witness I can tell you that. Now the question is will Monroe ever be a pro bowl caliber player? It seems a little unlikely. But here's a different question; can you really make me believe that there are 32 teams in the NFL that genuinely can't afford to use a camp spot on this guy? Because I'm not buying that.

Undrafted I'd give this guy a chance in a heartbeat. We all know that very few undrafted guys make it. Even most low round picks don't make it in the long run. I think Monroe has potential as a one gapping lineman. Either by shedding a little bit of weight and playing as a 4-3 end, or even a slightly optimistic conversion to a 3-4 outside backer, I think Monroe deserves a shot and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was able to carve out a little spot for himself as a backup pass rusher somewhere. I hope that someone at least gives him a chance.

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And that concludes the defensive ends post, which took a little longer than expected on account of me spending the Easter holiday with family. Next up is the interior defensive linemen, another of my favourite groups to assess. If you liked this post then please don't forget to share it. Every little helps.

2015 NFL Draft: Centers and Guards

Name five centers. Ok, name five guards. Ok, ok, name a combination of five centers or guards. Most people can't because interior offensive linemen are not highlight reel material. But their role in an offense is vital. The Center is the only other player aside from the quarterback who will touch the ball on every offensive snap. He is the captain of the offensive line, the conductor of a violent orchestra. The guards are his closest comrades in arms, flanking him on either side, as between them they clog up any inside pass rush and drive back defensive tackles to create openings up the middle in the run game. In the case of the guards they also frequently have to pull and take on difficult moving blocks as part of a power running offense.

So what am I looking for in the guards and centers?

1) Pass blocking,

2) Run blocking,

3) Awareness,

4) Versatility,

Very similar to the tackles then, except that awareness leaps over versatility because stunts and twists are more common with interior defensive linemen and because most guards are already reasonably versatile, otherwise they wouldn't make it to the field in the first place. In the pass game I'm looking for these interior linemen to bend their knees, engage their defender with a good punch with the hands inside, and then the ability to hold their balance and their position without being driven back or thrown aside. Against the run I'm looking for quick movement off the snap, getting their hat between the defender and the hole, and the ability to combo block with those around them to get up to the second level and grab a linebacker. Awareness is the ability to recognise movement, blitzes and stunts, coordinating with their fellow linemen to pick up these up. And versatility is simply the ability of the player to perform a variety of blocks, to be scheme versatile as opposed to being pigeon holed into a specific offense, and bonus points if they could play tackle in an emergency.

That last point is something that is coming to the fore more and more these days as teams are struggling to find adequate tackles and frequently find themselves shifting their lines around. It's becoming far more common for tackles to have to move inside and play guard, with guards sometimes being thrown into action as emergency tackles. This I believe is a function of what I talked about in the offensive tackles post (plus the clarification) where an increasing number of college tackles are arriving in the NFL without the prerequisite skill sets needed to block the best pass rushers that the NFL has to offer. Oddly enough it's often college guards who come better equipped for this, having at least some experience of facing one-gap rushes from blitzing linebackers and defensive tackles.

And as always with these lists, they're ordered the way they are because that's how the list that I'm working from is ordered. Read the specific piece on the player to find out how I rate him. We start this list with...

Brandon Scherff, Iowa

Of course the very first player on the list of guards and centers is actually a tackle, or at least was for his final season at Iowa. So, any good? Perhaps he might make up for the dearth of good tackles this year?

Hahahahaha! No.

Scherff is being talked about as a first round pick. Possibly a top ten pick. I would love to know why. He was awful! Against Nebraska he just about held his own for most of the game, then on the final play of regular time he finally faced a one-gap pass rush and got absolutely destroyed. Against Maryland he got destroyed for four quarters by a combination of Yannick Ngakoue, Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil, and Andre Monroe. Maryland, that powerhouse of NFL development. Let me say that again; MARYLAND! They ruined him. Monroe is 5'11". Jason Pierre-Paul is 6'5". 6-5! Based on the evidence presented by his senior year Scherff is going to get killed in the NFL. Honestly, it was so bad that this could get real ugly, real quick. Pass, pass, pass.

On a side note, I mentioned last year that I liked the then junior Iowa running back/fullback Mark Weisman, who was a senior for 2014. Got to see plenty more of him watching Scherff and yeah, I still like him. He is absolutely an undrafted guy, I don't think anyone expects otherwise. I don't think anyone's even paying attention to him. But I would absolutely want him in my training camp. He has decent speed for his size, finds the hole well and then powers through it. He's not an amazing running back by any means and he'd probably be at the bottom of any running back committee, but I think he has value. I can see him as a brawler, used in a rotation to take the pressure (and some of the pounding) off the other backs. I really like Weisman.

A.J. Cann, South Carolina

What to say about Cann? He was pretty solid in general. He has a nasty streak at times that offensive line coaches like, though he's not a pitbull-esque mauler by any means. Can't say as I'm overly keen on him though. He didn't dominate the line in the manner that you'd like a top guard to. At times his decision making seemed poor and you could see a number of plays and protections that broke down because of his mental errors. He struggled to cut off faster linemen because he's a little slow off the snap at times, but he dealt with power rushers pretty well. He's only 6'3" so he gets under the defensive linemen with ease. My overall thoughts on Cann? Not a bad player. I like that streak of aggression and he's a legitimately strong guy, but I'm concerned how he'd cope with the greater speed at the next level, something that will only exacerbate the mental problems he seems to have. Those errors will kill an offense at the next level just as assuredly as they did at South Carolina. On balance I have to say I'd pass on Cann.

Tre Jackson, Florida State

You know what's not fun? Trying to track a Florida State offensive lineman when their jerseys are white and the numbers are gold (or are they blue and black?) with no definition. You'd have thought someone would have had a quiet word with them by now to point out that it makes identifying players very difficult for the crowd. Enough of that though, what about Jackson?

Well, Jackson for the most part seemed solid. Against smaller defensive linemen he had sticky hands, in the sense that once he got his hands on them they weren't going anywhere. His run blocking was broadly ok. But the issues tended to stand out for me. At times Jackson seemed to be a little lost. The defense would be charging all over the shop and Jackson would frequently lose track of his man in the chaos. He's quite a restricted guard in terms of what you can do with in the running game, having little experience outside of zone rushing plays. On the two occasions I did see him pull on a power type run he was very slow getting to the point of the attack. He doesn't come off the snap with great speed either. Against bigger power rushers he really struggled, which is a problem when you consider where he's heading. They had a tendency to get under him and just jack him up and out of the way. For me? I think the flaws stick in my mind too much, so I'd pass.

Cameron Erving, Florida State

Beaten to the point of attack every time in the run game and couldn't handle power, speed or technique rushers in the pass game. Will get destroyed in the NFL I suspect. Suffice to say I pass.

Hroniss Grasu, Oregon

Played in a gimmick offense and got bullied mercilessly. Couldn't block anyone effectively without help. If you were putting together a defensive game plan then - regardless of where he ends up - I think Grasu would be the top target to go after as the weak link in the O-line. Maybe Chip Kelly will give him a job? I wouldn't. I have to wonder how long it will take before high school kids begin to realise that very few players from these gimmicky offenses are putting together solid NFL careers and start veering towards programs that may not offer them the same short term rewards in college, but are more likely to prepare them for a longer and more profitable career in the pros?

Laken Tomlinson, Duke

Ok, it's getting a bit better. That's not saying that much but Tomlinson seemed a little more, shall we say 'robust' up the middle. He did ok. In the run game he was very strong blocking D-tackles individually and showed a degree of versatility that would make him a fit for a number of offenses. The problem was that pass protection wasn't brilliant. On the occasions that the defense pinned back their ears and went after him he was often beaten by those single gap pass rushers. He was exceptionally lucky in a few cases not to concede a holding penalty, but then guards generally seem to get away with more holding than the tackles. Again though, can't say as I walked away wowed by him. If he was available undrafted (which I doubt) then I'd be willing to offer him a camp spot to see if we couldn't work out some of the kinks in his pass protection, but I wouldn't want to use a draft pick on him I don't think. Definitely an improvement though. Fingers crossed.

Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M

Definitely starting to improve. Massive dude at 6'4", 330 pounds. Crushed people at times in the run game. Pretty versatile, though his awareness of pass rushing stunts wasn't great. His pass blocking was... meh, neither here nor there. As a left guard he faced few one gap rushes and when he did - sticking to the common theme - he looked vulnerable. Given the importance of the passing game to modern football I just wouldn't be able to justify using a pick on someone I couldn't be certain would hold in the pass game. I think Harrison probably would make a decent left guard and has a better shot than most on the list so far to be able to make the leap, it's just me personally, I wouldn't be able to get that nagging itch out of my head. The draft is a great way to build a team from the ground up, but only I think if you play it somewhat safe. Maybe as a late round pick, depending on what else was out there?

B.J. Finney, Kansas State

Bingo! We have a winner at last. It's certainly taken long enough.

Finney is a 6'4", 318 pound center who locked down pretty much everything that came at him. He really only had two major weaknesses that I could see. One was blocking in space, for example against linebackers in the screen game. He was slow to get out in the first place and then struggled to find his target. That can be more or less of an issue depending on how often you run screens and how you go about setting them up. Middle screens for example should be a little easier for him, the problems only really starting when you make him run outside into space and try to pick up linebackers on the move.

The other issue is that sometimes he gives up too much ground against one gap rushing tackles which will hamper the quarterbacks movement in the pocket sometimes, but a good quarterback should be able to shift around this without too much trouble. It's just a slight weak point that coaches would need to be aware of. And yes, you heard that right, he actually had to block some one gap rushers! And he didn't get beaten senseless by them! It's a miracle people! I cannot describe how happy I am to actually see an offensive linemen that I'm interested in.

All in all, I thought Finney was pretty good. He wasn't outstanding, but he was solid. I'd want a risk premium to cover those weak points because they might be a little restricting on the offense, but Finney is a powerful center who held his own individually against some good D-tackle play. I'd say probably from the third round down you're in good shape. If things keep up the way they've been in terms of offensive linemen you'd possibly put an asterix next to his name to remind you that "hey, there's good depth at a number of other positions but not this one, so if he's there in the third then take him". It would depend on what the board looks like and how the rest of these guards and centers pan out, but Finney is definitely a player that has caught my eye. Let's hope that some of these other guys I'm about to watch reach this same bar that he's set.

Daryl Williams, Oklahoma

Actually played as a right tackle but projected to kick inside to guard at the next level. Which is probably for the best because Williams couldn't handle speed on the outside and would probably get creamed as a right tackle. As a guard? Not sure I can comment because that's a difficult thing to do, projecting how someone will play in a completely new position. I don't think he did anything particularly exceptional to suggest he'd make a great guard. As a right guard I'd be extremely worried about his vulnerability to 3 technique defensive tackles rushing him one on one through his B gap (the gap between the guard and the offensive tackle). On the move he seemed surprisingly good for a guy with such a slow 40 time (even by O-line standards). He seems every bit as strong as you'd expect a 6'5", 327 pound guy to be. I just get the feeling that his technique and balance lets him down at times. Personally I'd pass.

Josue Matias, Florida State

Not a great O-line and Matias has to accept his share of the blame for that. His run blocking was ok, but several times he would fall off his blocks which had a big impact on the running game. His pass protection was ok, but nothing special. Again I couldn't see anything that would make me part ways with a pick for him. Maybe B.J. Finney really will just be an island in the middle of an otherwise drab drizzle of an offensive line class.

Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah

Actually played as a left tackle for Utah but projected to come inside as a guard. How would I sum Poutasi up in one word? Awful. Utterly and chronically awful. Horribly bad. Pass.

John Miller, Louisville

Hahahahaha! Laughably poor. Got jacked up repeatedly and driven off the line. Most of the time he looked like he was thankful just to be in the game, let alone do anything productive. Supposedly scouts are excited by his upper body strength and believe that he will perform better in the NFL than he did in college. To call that assessment 'wildly optimistic' would be an understatement. And people wonder why coaches look at scouts and personnel guys sceptically. Pass.

Shaquille Mason, Georgia Tech

Bit shorter than some of these other guys at 6'1" (300 pounds) but tremendously quick. Ran a sub 5 second 40 yard time at the Georgia Tech pro day and it shows on the field. And here we get into the dilemma of Shaquille Mason. Georgia Tech was a massively run heavy offense and so Mason has very limited experience of pass blocking. Very limited. However he was very good on the limited snaps where he was asked to pass protect. He showed good balance, technique and used his hands really well. In the running game his speed and agility offered him a unique ability to cut off linebackers, even when they (and he) were on the front side of a play. He has varied experience of different run plays and coupled with his athleticism he should be able to fit any run scheme.

He did have his problems in the run game as well though. He has a tendency sometimes to cut block at the defenders feet when he could take them on head to head. Then on some plays where he was sent upfield he would try and use his shoulder to deliver a big hit to knock a defender out of the play instead of engaging them properly. You have to wonder how much of that is him naturally and how much of that is his coaches? And because of those weak points and because of his very, very limited experience in the passing game I'd have to say I'm not sure whether I would be able to justify the use of a draft pick on him as a right guard.

But hang on just a moment.

While teams aren't allowed to work players out during pre-draft visits to their facility, they are allowed to arrange private workouts at the players college. I'd be willing to go visit Shaq Mason for three reasons. Firstly, to get a general look at his pass blocking skills and movement. Secondly, to assess his potential for a shift to the right tackle spot. Even though he's a bit short for a tackle, he's strong, quick and technically very skilled. I'd be intrigued as to whether that could be tapped for use on the outside against speed rushers. Thirdly, I'd be interested in assessing his potential as a defensive lineman.

As mad as that sounds, I saw him do a really good swim move as he was trying to work his way through to a linebacker and it got me thinking. With his combination of size and speed he might have a shot as a 3 technique tackle in a 4-3, or as a 5 technique defensive end in a 3-4. It's a long shot and probably something he hasn't done since high school, presuming of course he played both ways, but it has me rubbing my chin in deep thought. When you consider how few seventh round picks ever pan out - with less than half even making their teams roster in their second year - then I have to wonder whether it might be worth a cheeky gamble to use a seventh rounder on Mason, depending on the outcome of the facility visit, and perhaps convert him to a right tackle or even D-lineman. If it works, hurray! If it fails, ah well, another of the many, many seventh rounders that didn't amount to anything in the league.

Andy Gallik, Boston College

Like Finney he's a guy that actually has plentiful experience against one gapping pass rushers. And you know what, he handled it really well. But not only is Gallik strong, he's also pretty athletic. He has quick feet and can pull from the center position and get around the end of the line before the running back catches up, giving coaches more variety in their options for the run game. He's also proven that he can climb to the second level and pick up linebackers on the move, so Gallik is definitely scheme diverse. In terms of his awareness Gallik did a superb job of switching blocks and finding work for himself, his head constantly on a swivel and his heart eager to get stuck in. All in all a very likeable center whose projection is somewhere in the third to fifth round. For that price I think you get good value.

Trenton Brown, Florida

6'8", 355 pound man mountain. Moved reasonably quick for a guy of that size and could probably afford to shave off a few pounds (or twenty. Or thirty) and still have the strength and weight to move people around. The problem is that once again we get back into the realms of another guy who did very little pass blocking at all, let alone any against a one gapping lineman. He was ok in general, not brilliant, not bad. Bit limited. I think teams will be attracted by what they could do with a guy of his size and sure, that would warrant maybe a seventh round pick/undrafted look as a project, but that's the price I would want for someone who has no proven record of pass blocking.

Tayo Fabuluje, TCU

Another man mountain at 6'6" and 353 pounds. Played left tackle for TCU but scouts are talking about him moving inside to guard. Part of the reason for that is because he can't handle the sort of speed rushers he'd face in the NFL. Playing inside he might be ok simply because of how large he is, but he does have a tendency to turn his hips and open the door for one gap rushers which is quite alarming. For me he has project written all over him and as such, much like Brown, if you wanted to bet a seventh rounder on the potential of what he might become then ok, but nothing more than that.

Reese Dismukes, Auburn

Having read quite a glowing review of Dismukes I was surprised to then see this under his list of weaknesses; "Has difficulty with a zero nose or shade techniques". Which is basically one way of saying that as a center in the NFL he will have difficulty with... every defense in the NFL. In fact, the only time he's unlikely to have either a zero/nose or a 1 technique shade over him would be on long third downs when defenses tend to widen their alignments because they're going all out against the pass and not worried about the run. Which poses a significant problem then because what do you do with Dismukes if he can't handle the sort of techniques he'll face 90% or so of the time in the NFL?

Well in fairness I didn't actually think he was that bad. I guess "has difficulty" is quite a broad statement with plenty of wiggle room. Then again, Dismukes didn't exactly shine either. Another one of these players from a very run heavy offense, one that involves a lot of misdirection, and with a passing game that's heavily reliant on play-action passing. As a result he didn't really do that much classic pass protecting and I think he could struggle having to read a defense and make line calls in a more conventional setup. In summary, not terrible, but not worth a pick either.

Arie Kouandjio, Alabama

Just as a side note, it's a miracle watching Alabama that they even made it to the Sugar Bowl. Some of their O-line play was horrible, as was most of their quarterback play. It's a testimony to just how much of an advantage it is in college ball to have four and five star athletes like Amari Cooper on your team. And speaking of bad O-line play, Kouandjio was a big part of that. He was ok as long as you didn't ask him to move more than about three or four yards from his starting spot. His movement is limited by a shortage of athletic ability and he really struggles to pick up blitzes and stunts. I wouldn't trust him as part of my O-line.

Bobby Hart, Florida State

I'm frankly surprised that Jameis Winston survived the season without taking a career ending hit given the play of Bobby Hart, who actually played at right tackle but is projected to play inside at guard. If you're bored one day and you want to conduct a little experiment for yourself then go and find a video of Bobby Hart somewhere and just watch. What you're looking for and should pay particular attention to is how an offense can be severely limited, both in terms of play calling and play execution, by poor offensive line play. It restricts how long you can allow the quarterback to hold the ball for, which often rules out any kind of seven step drop, as well as limiting how and where the offense can attack the defensive front in the run game.

Because Hart was awful. And I do mean awful. His feet are incredibly slow even by college standards and he just couldn't cope. Whether it was outside rushers, inside rushers, straight ahead blocking, pulling, climbing to the second level, the whole shebang. He literally could not do a single thing right. So I have a question; who in their right mind thinks he could play guard in the NFL? I've seen one comment from a draft expert that basically said "oh it's ok, the sort of problems he faced as a tackle won't be a problem at guard, they're different positions". Really? Pass blocking (something he had a massive problem with at tackle) isn't something he'll have to do as a guard? Pulling? That's sort of a bread and butter part of being a guard in a power running offense. Climbing to the second level to pick off a moving linebacker? That's a major part of playing guard in a zone offense. I would say this to you reader, keep an eye out for Bobby Hart on the third day of the draft. As in, hope on all you hold dear that your team doesn't draft him and laugh at your friends when their team does. Pass.

Quinton Spain, West Virginia

Wasn't horrible, which is a start. But at 6'4" and 332 pounds I think alarm bells have to start going off when you see him get bull rushed back into the quarterbacks lap like he was a mere training sled. He looked determined, I'll give him that. He never gave up and kept fighting right to the whistle. But nothing I saw filled me with any confidence to put him in front of a multi-million dollar quarterback. I'd pass.

Max Garcia, Florida

Pretty strong center and moved well onto the second level I thought. Showed great ability to turn people out of the hole and create space for the running back. Again though, back to that same old, same old problem. Did very little pass blocking full stop and faced almost no single gap rushers. And once again that means that he might yet be a great pass blocker in the NFL but nobody will know until they throw him in at the deep end and he either sinks or swims. Would you use a precious draft pick on that, on what is basically guesswork? I wouldn't. If he was still around after the draft I'd be interested to see what he was capable of, but not for a pick.

Sean Hickey, Syracuse

Actually played as a left tackle, but another one of these guys projected to move inside to guard. But you know what, I'd want to keep him at tackle because he was actually pretty decent. Let's put it this way, do you remember Brandon Scherff from Iowa who I talked about first in this post? Scherff is projected as a first round talent but got utterly destroyed against Maryland. Well guess who else played Maryland last year? That would be Syracuse and in that game Hickey didn't give up a single sack or pressure that I could see. So you tell me then, how is Scherff considered a first rounder while Hickey is described as the following; "As an NFL prospect, he won't check off many of the boxes teams are looking for in terms of his natural talent"? Someone please explain that to me. Two players, same defence, one got mauled and the other stood up well. The guy that got mauled is a first rounder and the guy that held up well doesn't "check off many of the boxes teams are looking for in terms of his natural talent"? Because... scouting.

Now, just because I think Hickey is better than Scherff that doesn't make Hickey a first rounder. Just because Scherff is massively over valued that doesn't mean Hickey should be. I think Hickey is probably a fourth or fifth round pick, maybe a bit lower. He has his own flaws that will cause him problems in the NFL. His technique is a little wanting in some places and he's not the most athletic player in the world just for a start. I think there are limits on what you could ask him to do in the run game and although he didn't get beaten against Maryland he did come close several times. Maybe then you go lower and say rounds six or seven, another gamble pick where you see the small nugget of something good and wonder what could be made of it.

Adam Shead, Oklahoma

Guess what I'm about to say?

If you guessed something along the lines of "not enough pass blocking experience to justify drafting" then good for you, at least you've been paying attention. If you didn't then seriously? Go back and have another read through because you've been skimming. So yeah, not a bad run blocker really but not enough pass blocking experience to justify drafting.

Jake Smith, Louisville

The other guard in the Louisville starting O-line alongside John Miller. And just as bad. Got bullied all over the place, struggled horribly to pick up rushers and just generally looked like a disaster waiting to happen.

Malcolm Bunche, UCLA

Started 2014 at left tackle but later moved to guard. And I have to question why. Is Bunche a brilliant tackle? No. But he was pretty effective. Has been marked down almost across the board for "mental errors leading to sacks", but I call bullsh*t on that right away. Offensive linemen work within a scheme. That scheme tells them who to block. In some cases the scheme will acknowledge that it's not possible to block every rusher and so sometimes the quarterback has to account for the free rusher using a "hot" pattern (a quick throw to a receiver), while the blockers pick up the most dangerous threats.

That's what seemed to be happening with Bunche. One of the ways you can tell is because I never once saw him doubling up on a defender with his left guard while a rusher came free outside, nor did I ever see him standing around looking lost as a free rusher came through. In each case of what I'm guessing other people are recording as "mental errors" I came away with the impression that the protection was either not set correctly (which is normally the centers fault) or that the scheme simply called for the quarterback to throw hot off the unblocked rusher and didn't. If anything the running backs were commonly at fault, something which Bunche has taken it in the neck for.

As such I think he's been treated unfairly. Now like I said, he's not a brilliant tackle. He still needs some work and there may be a finite cap on his ability which falls short of being a top caliber left tackle, partly because of his limited run blocking when picking up second level targets like linebackers in space. But overall I think Bunche is worth a pick, if only a low round one. Probably somewhere in that fifth to sixth round region, Bunche would be a guy that you draft with the intention of developing into a starting tackle over time, as opposed to a plug and play guy. If you're someone like the Jets and you have a superb starting left tackle but one who is getting a bit long in the tooth (and bloody expensive) then drafting Bunche in the later rounds to mould as a low cost, low risk, long term replacement makes a lot of sense. Or at least to me it does.

Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern

Personally I didn't feel like Vitabile could stand up to NFL defensive tackles without help. He struggled mightily one on one at the college level, so I fail to see how it's going to get any better at the next step up. Pass.

David Andrews, Georgia

Like Vitabil Andrews struggled to hold his ground one on one, and this was against smaller college defensive tackles. Imagine him trying to solo block someone like Haloti Ngata. Or don't, because you don't want to have nightmares. Did a lot pulling on wide runs which was odd because he almost always lacked the requisite athletic ability to get out in time and actually make blocks in open space. I'd pass.

Christian Lombard, Notre Dame

So Lombard played a bit of right tackle and a bit of right guard, but for some reason he's listed as a center. I really hate it when people put together lists of players and instead of listing them at their proper positions instead presume to put them in a different category based on their opinion. Imagine if I had put tight end Ben Koyack in the offensive tackles post because I felt like he could be converted to that position. But it is what it is and watching Lombard I thought he actually did an ok job at right tackle. He wasn't stunning and he got a reasonable amount of help from team mate Koyack when he lined up next to him, but by and large Lombard looked solid.

Would I draft him? That I'm not so sure about. The problem is I didn't see him take on too many pure edge rushers (that's partly where Koyack came in). I just can't say as I would be confident enough to take that step and part with a draft pick for him, especially as I suspect there would be other players on the board even down at the bottom who I would feel more confident in. Would I offer him a camp spot as an undrafted free agent? 100%.

Ian Silberman, Boston College

Let's put it this way; Leonard Williams is considered a top 5 pick in this years draft, possibly going number 2 overall, and represents the sort of talent that Silberman will have to face regularly in the NFL. Williams absolutely destroyed Silberman. If it was a boxing match it would have been stopped in the first round as a no contest. Still want Silberman on your team? I wouldn't.

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And on that damp squib we finally reach the end of the centers and guards post, 29 players later. That was the most painful draft post I have ever had the misfortune to have to produce. I cannot even muster the energy to proof read it. I'm just glad that it's done now, over with, and I can move on to the defensive lineman, which is another of my favourite groups to watch. In my estimation this is not a good year for drafting offensive linemen. Not at all.

Thanks for stopping bye and reading this. Sorry I had to put you through all that. Trust me though, it was a lot worse to watch than it is to read about. But I guess it's all in the name of the draft, so worth the pain. Just about. If you liked this post or indeed one of my past posts then feel free to share the address about on twitter, facebook etc. Every share really does make a difference.