The Long, Slow, Arduous Bataan Death March To Drafting OL On May 8th

[McBeard]

I really like Gabe Jackson but most have him projected as a 2-3 rounder right now. The Senior Bowl will be very telling for him.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Sorter

I turned off the LSU vid halfway through.




That's fantasy. No way Gabe Jackson, the year after 2 guards were selected in the top 10 falls to KC.

This^

Originally Posted by McBeard

I really like Gabe Jackson but most have him projected as a 2-3 rounder right now. The Senior Bowl will be very telling for him.

Would like to see your links to Jackson being a projected that far down.

[Direckshun]

OT Cameron Erving, Florida State



I think Cameron Erving has all the potential in the world, and if you've got absolute faith in your coaching staff, you take a shot on this guy.

He's just a really special awesome athlete for a guy his size (6'6", 310). He doesn't quite have Eric Fisher's fluid movement but I'd put him on par with Brandon Albert. It really wouldn't surprise me if Erving blew up into a Top 10 pick after the Combine. He looks like a perfect zone-blocking tackle.

That's his greatest strength and perhaps his greatest weakness? I don't know, he doesn't seem to explode in the blocking game like some of the other dudes do on this list. He blocks effectively against inferior competition, but it'll be interesting to see how he handles the bigger, stronger DL in the NFL, primarily when he's playing 3-4 defenses.

He's fast enough to handle the edge, but he'll give it up from time to time for a pretty simple reason: his kickslide. I think Erving has a pathetic kickslide, but I can't imagine that could be that hard to coach up, is it? His kickslide looks like he has two thick rubber bands holding his feet together, and it's a really odd contrast to compare that to how well he moves all over the field.

It's reported that Erving has great strength, but I don't see it anything above average there. He can hang with smaller defenders, and block them effectively, but he doesn't get a lot of push in the run game like you'd expect from somebody with his skillset...

My primary fear would be that Erving is a finesse player, and not a grind-it-out player. Which is great in some schemes that require more athleticism than Reid's, but as I've said (and will say) ad nauseum, Reid's scheme prefers bigger and badder. But then again, he's got all the tools. The question is: how much do you trust your coaches. My guess is somebody in the Top 20 picks will trust them enough.

Projection for Erving: As for all of these players, it's too early to project much seeing how the draft is almost half a year away, but whatever. Erving has Top 10 potential if he tests well, and 1st round potential even if he doesn't. He's just too good of an athlete, and too many teams prefer great athletes who need work on technique over technicians who aren't great athletes.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Decently high. Dorsey has shown an affinity for drafting great athletic projects and trusts the Chiefs' coaches, as most teams do. He drafted Fisher, Kelce, Davis, and Commings in the earlier rounds, all players who need significant work from coaches. The problem, however, is that the Chiefs just drafted a super athletic finesse tackle in Fisher, and it's doubtful they want to go that exact route again -- no doubt they'd love a tougher, more powerful guy. But it's possible that with good coaching, Erving could be that guy.

[Direckshun]

OT Antonio Richardson, Tennessee



Antonio Richardson is nicknamed "tiny" sarcastically for his mammoth size (6'6", 330 lbs), though I'd compare his game to a slightly more refined version of the even-larger tackle Phil Loadholt.

I'd say his game is comparable, his technique is superior, and his athleticism is about the same. Richardson is a massive load with a surprisingly good kick step and when he locks on, your player is usually out on his passrush. Try bullrushing this dude -- ****ing try it.

Not to argue that Richardson is nimble in any way, however. Noooo, no no no. Not at all. Matter of fact, he makes Taylor Lewan look like Usain Bolt. I have no idea what Richardson's 40 time will be but if it's under 5.5, I will be dead shocked. Richardson lumbers around and is mostly unreliable for any screens or blocking downfield, which the Chiefs obviously run.

Loadholt was, coming out of OU, a superior run blocker than Richardson is right now. Richardson can negate his guy, but he doesn't blow him off the blocks like you'd expect a guy his size to. Considering the only offense that Richardson could really fit into is a bruising, downhill rushing offense, that is something he is going to have to work on.

His technique in pass protection is pretty good. He's faced a very, very tough slate of passrushers and handled all of them very well. I think, in the right offense, with the right coaching, he's a potential 10-year guy at RT.

The hole in Richardson's game is his less-than-awesome athleticism. Watching him run is almost painful, compared to somebody as effortless in his motions as Eric Fisher, who, admittedly, is about as athletic a tackle as you're going to see in the NFL. As a result, that means Richardson's recovery speed is butt-****ing terrible. If he doesn't get out of his stance fast enough, you can say goodbye to protecting the edge on that snap. I only saw one passrusher go really low on Richardson, like Dwight Freeney, and he blew right by him. Richardson will struggle against athletic 3-4 OLBs, but most tackles his size do.

However, there is no disputing a successful track record of mostly perfect pocket protection for a whole season against a slate of SEC passrushers. For that, he definitely deserves a look as soon as the 2nd round from some offense that fits his style. Since he is not a very versatile guy, and he's probably only a RT at the next level, he may fall a round or two farther.

Projection for Richardson: I'd grade his talent out at about a 2nd rounder, but his lack of versatility means you can probably get him in the 3rd. Apparently he's projected in some scouting circles as going in the 1st, but I have no idea how a GM could justify drafting somebody with the minimal athleticism of an Ent that soon in the draft.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Zip. I wouldn't think the Chiefs have any interest in this guy, period, especially in the 1st. Again, Dorsey really likes athletes. And while Richardson is a lot of things, he's nobody's idea of an athlete. Although, I suppose some Draft season slimming-down could change people's minds. The Chiefs very well may want a battle-tested tackle like Richardson as a swing tackle if they think they can get his run game on track, but it absolutely will not be in the 1st.

[Direckshun]

OT/G La'el Collins, LSU



Now we've got a player, folks. When Collins is on, he is an outstanding lineman in size, athleticism, toughness, technique, and versatility. When he's off, which does happen, he can lapse and give up some plays. With solid coaching, however, you can probably eliminate his negative tendencies and end up with a Pro Bowl caliber talent a few years down the road at either guard or right tackle. Right now, teams are potentially scouting him for left tackle, considering that was his position at LSU, and I have a really hard time believing he wouldn't be really good there, either.

His athleticism doesn't jump out at you, but he can get where he needs to get, and does plenty fine at the second level. He's somebody you can send out on screens without having much issue at all. Moreover, if Collins performs well at the Combine, these fears will be allayed almost entirely.

What really jumps out at you is Collins' runblocking. He's an extremely powerful runblocker who gets low and bulldozes through lineman of all shapes and sizes. Collins has the potential to play guard for 10 years at a very high level given his size (6'5", 321), his quickness off the ball, his technique in getting leverage, and his seemingly impressive strength.

But he's quick enough to handle the edge, as well. His kickslide is pretty decent, and he's very much one of those guys that finishes you when he gets his hands on you. He's just so strong, and does a great job of keeping his butt low to retain position.

If I was desperately hurting for a guard or a right tackle at #23, and had future aspirations to improve my LT position, Collins would be an outstanding candidate to move there. Strong, heady, pretty athletic, and just a great combination of technique in the passing game and brute strength in the run game.

From his time on LSU, you can pretty much plug him in right away and play. Collins has a really high floor -- but he's already pretty much where his ceiling is going to be. He's never going to become much better than he is now, and teams love upside prospects in the 1st round.

Projection for Collins: I'm higher on Collins than most, and I'd say he's definitely first round talent. He's everything NFL teams love in first-round tackles: he's really good in pass defense, has good technique, terrific push in the run game, can play multiple positions. The thing he's lacking is upside. There's some technique you could do with Collins, but the guy you get on Day One is the guy you got.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderate. I honestly think Dorsey would bring in another OL in the first round if the player warranted it, but I think he wants a guy with way more upside than Collins. Collins, again, is a really good player and will be one of the best OL in his draft class, but he's probably not going to give you that game-changing All Pro talent that you're probably hoping for when you draft an OL like this in the 1st.

[Direckshun]

OT/G Zack Martin, Notre Dame



Martin is why you have a draft season in the first place. The Combine, the Senior Bowl, East-West and all that exists for (a.) small school players to get more shoulder-to-shoulder comparisons against bigger school guys, and (b.) the Zack Martins of the world: players with plenty of potential but still face lingering questions about their skillset because of the system they play in.

What you see when you watch Martin play, is a lighter tackle (6'4", 304 lbs) who is a fantastic technician in pass protection and gets really good push in the run game.

His kickslide is fantastic, and he's downright boring to watch in pass protection, as he has his guy pretty much negated 95% of the time, and the remaining 5% of time, he has great recovery time to mitigate whatever pressure he's surrendering. His technique is really, really polished; I've already said that, but it bears repeating. It's almost Joeckel-esque, how polished he is, though he didn't face the slate of passrushers that the SEC tackles have.

His run game is really solid -- he can seal the edge, or plow through a defensive tackle for push. Notre Dame had lots of success running behind him.

Here's why draft season will be very important for him, however. Of the Notre Dame games I watched this year, they don't ask for their linemen to pull or hit the second level very often (almost never, actually), so Martin's athleticism is rarely on display. It seems like Martin is a really good athlete, but it's really hard to say definitively. Also, one of the reasons Martin consistently plowed defensive tackles was because he was almost always double-teaming them with a guard.

You're not going to draft a tackle in the first, or hopefully in the second, unless you fully expect to give them as little help as possible.

So the question then becomes: is it the chicken, or the egg? Does Notre Dame refrain from pulling its tackles because Martin isn't up to it? Or is it a scheme thing? Does Notre Dame demand its tackles double-team with guards when it blocks downhill, or is it a scheme thing?

I'm willing to give Martin the benefit of the doubt right now, because his tape is so outstanding, but the next five months will be a big, big deal for him.

Projection for Martin: My best guess is that Martin is not an exceptional athlete, but is still a very good one for the tackle position. No clue on the run blocking, but he's such a technician that he's got to be fine in that department. Martin does come with some versatility, as he can play guard as well. To me, he looks like an outstanding candidate for a zone-blocking offense. Maybe first round quality, but most likely second round quality. As for power schemes like Reid's that utilize pulls and screens, well... I simply don't know how good of a candidate he'd be for the job.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Marginal at best. Martin has two strikes against him in this regard: he's not quite the body type the Chiefs prefer in their lineman under Reid, and he hasn't really displayed himself as being a second-level blocker due to the team he plays on. As draft season goes on, and Martin proves himself, that could very well change.

[Direckshun]

OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama



In 2013, the Chiefs spent the first overall pick on an unbelievably athletic left tackle prospect that would need to be groomed for a year or two in order to reach his ridiculous upside. Eric Fisher of Central Michigan was the perfect example of a boom-or-bust prospect at the tackle position, and so far it's been a bust.

This year, the first round of the NFL Draft does feature a tackle who brings with him a similar boom-or-bustability. Alabama LT Cyrus Kouandjio (pronounced "kwan-joe") looks like a more athletic Jared Gaither. He is massive (6'6", 310 lbs) tackle with great athleticism, and very long, powerful arms that are capable of stoning any passrusher he can get his hands on.

The problem, however, is that his play for the Tide has been inconsistent. He struggled mightily in the bowl game against OU, and he dominated like a Top 5 pick against LSU. Perhaps no game better underscores the "sometimes dominant, sometimes dormant" talent of Kouandjio than the above game against Ole Miss. There are plays that make your eyes bug out, and there are plays where he literally just falls over.

Kouandjio has all the tools; Saban's staff isn't exactly known for developing its talent up to its potential. It may just take reliable coaching and technique work for him to retain some consistency. If he does, he's got everything you need to be a Pro Bowl tackle. Like Gaither before him, he's got a clean kickslide, he recovers well, he can protect the edge and he decimates the bullrush. He can get downfield and block, he can plow through tackles and wall off ends from run plays. He's got a great punch, and plays with a mean streak. When he's on, there's maybe no tackle in this draft that's better.

He handles his assignments very well, and is almost never fooled. The one thing he struggles with, other than just general consistency, is his footwork, and that will take time. Speed rushers have given him fits but, again, there's nothing in his skillset that says he can't be coached up to shut that down.

Projection for Kouandjio: It all comes down to how much you want to invest in coaching up a tackle. If Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson going #1 and #4 overall last year wasn't indication enough that teams will take that investment, than it's pretty clear to me that Kouandjio is a first round pick -- probably a Top 15 pick if he shows well at the Combine.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Dial it up to 11, and rip off the knob. The Chiefs love huge OL, and they love to draft and coach up athletic projects -- at least that's been Dorsey's track record so far. Assuming both he and Fisher would pan out, Kouandjio couldn't make a more perfect compliment: his aggressive road-grader style to Fisher's finesse athleticism. Plus, he'd more than likely have a year to learn the ropes while Stephenson and Fisher take snaps at tackle. The Chiefs would love to get their hands on this guy.

[OnTheWarpath15]

No need for a new thread, but this fits here nicely.

Just read Mel Kiper's 2008 redraft. Take a wild guess who he has us taking?

Jake Long.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

No need for a new thread, but this fits here nicely.

Just read Mel Kiper's 2008 redraft. Take a wild guess who he has us taking?

Jake Long.

Did we pass on Matt Ryan or did he go to the Dolphins?

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Did we pass on Matt Ryan or did he go to the Dolphins?

Ryan and Flacco went 1-2. Clady and Rice went 3-4.

We passed on Mayo, CJ2k, DeSean Jackson, Chris Long, Matt Forte, Charles, Jordy Nelson.

According to Kiper, KC picked four first rounders in that draft:

Charles, Flowers, Albert and Carr.

Sadly, 5 years later - the guy we actually took plus probably two more off the above list will be gone.

[Direckshun]

OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State



Gabe Jackson plays like a man, but suffers from the same scheme limitations at the hands of Mississippi State's offense as Martin does from Notre Dame. He is a really impressive player, but there's still a lot we need to know before we understand how well he'd click into any particular NFL offense.

Here's what's indisputable: Jackson is, uh, kinda big (6'3", 340) and carries is phenomenally well. It's almost certain that an NFL team's going to ask him to lose 15-20 of it anyway, but that should only help his already-pretty impressive athleticism for a player that projects to be a power guard in the NFL.

His pass protection, so long as he locks in on his assignment, is extremely strong. He's a master at sinking his hips and swallowing bullrushes, or shoving a defender who's slamming the gaps wide of his mark. What he's not great at is communication with his fellow lineman -- stunts regularly throw him and his fellow lineman off, and there's far too many blitzes where Jackson ends up a bit confused and blocks nobody.

Jackson gets really good push in the run game, but it's hard to tell how great he'd be in space, since Mississippi State virtually never put him in space. The scheme is very direct and downhill, but on the odd occasion where Jackson was asked to pull, he was effective.

Gabe Jackson has a very high ceiling if he responds to coaching. I don't think zone blocking offenses will have a ton of interest in him, and offenses that like to run a bunch of screens or put their OL in space... There's still a lot to learn about him, even as he's a senior.

Probably the best thing about Jackson is that you don't have to give him help. He can handle defensive tackles extremely well one-on-one, and will pancake them in the run game from time to time. If we find out he can play well at the second level, can get out in front and block on a screen, or can even play a little tackle if an emergency calls for it, then he's going to get a shit ton of interest as a potential All Pro talent.

Projection for Jackson: I'd really like to see him at the Combine and see how athletic he is. A non-athletic Jackson could be an extremely good value pick in the 2nd round. But if he's a surprising athletic wonder, at 340 pounds, he won't last past the "teens" in the first round.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderate. At 23, he'd be a decent value pick, other than the fact that you're selecting a guard in the first round -- which Dorsey is more than capable of, for all we know. Gabe doesn't quite have the versatility of any of the other tackles the Chiefs could entertain here, but the Chiefs are really hurting for a reliable push down the middle of the DL.

[Direckshun]

OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor



Be wary with offensive lineman out of Baylor -- they have the same hit rate as defensive backs out of Alabama. That's for similar reasons, as well -- Alabama defensive backs have much of their food chewed for them, as the Alabama front seven puts tremendous pressure on teams and cramps their passing games typically before the ball ever reaches downfield.

And so it goes with Baylor, a team that plays a thrilling-to-watch, quick-strike, wide-open offense that spreads out defenses and keeps them honest more often than not. As such, the job of an offensive lineman at Baylor is far easier than it is at other schools, and you keep seeing these under-talented guys go in the first round (tackle Jason Smith, guard Danny Watkins) far before they should be.

And so it goes with big Bear Cyril Richardson. Richardson is massive, even without his hideous dreds (6'5", 335 lbs). He looks like a pretty decent athlete, and the Bears asked him to pull and get to the second level very frequently, which he usually did with aplomb.

Without a doubt, what Richardson can hang his hat on is his runblocking. He gets fantastic push in the run game, and can blow open holes and sustain his block. He's fantastic when he pulls, and looks really good at the second level. I love how quick he is off the snap. I don't see much of a dirty side but I do see a dogged determination to finish his blocks when he engages.

His ability in pass protection is what I question. He seems to be pretty capable, and I find it promising that he's able to handle stunts and read blitzes from his stance pretty effectively. But again, in Baylor's offense, I don't think he's facing as much heat as, say, Gabe Jackson or Xavier Su'a-Filo.

Projection for Richardson: He's a really, really good run blocker with some questions about his pass protection. Like Smith and Watkins before him, he has the look of a first-round pick on the field, and perhaps even the best guard this draft has to offer. The question then becomes: how much do you ignore Baylor's track record in recent years. Given that teams are still selecting Alabama cornerbacks in the first round, I bet somebody takes him late.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderately high. Richardson is a pretty good athlete who could stand to actually lose about 10 pounds, and blasts holes in the run game. There's no guarantee he'll make your pass blocking any better than it was with Schwartz, but he has lots of tape of him pulling and getting out in space very well, which the Chiefs love to do more than anything. I would just advise laying off Baylor offensive lineman in the first round, but keep in mind the last one was drafted by Andy Reid... so, yeah.

[Direckshun]

OG David Yankey, Stanford



Ladies and gentlemen, the best guard of this draft class. Absolutely no doubt in my mind.

There's a reason OL from Stanford are highly sought out. They are expertly coached, and come into the NFL readymade to be plugged into a lineup and play. The program has made miracle talent out of people like Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro in recent years, and David Yankey is better than both of them.

He does play, however, a devalued position at guard. But positional value aside, Yankey is entering Draft season as a Top 5 player in sheer talent. That'll probably change as the ebbs and flows of the year progress, but for now, there's Clowney, then there's Yankey and three or four other guys, and then there's everybody else.

There are absolutely zero holes in his game. His pass protection along the interior is smooth and efficient. His run game blasts holes open. His technique, great. His athleticism, nearly Fisher-esque -- at the guard position.

It's hard to even tell what offensive gameplan Yankey couldn't effortlessly execute. I'm tempted to say he's more of a zone-blocker than he is a power-blocker, but who the hell drafts a guy like Yankey just to waste his talents forcing him to block downhill? Yankey's true talent is his Swiss army knife utility: you can pull him, you can throw him out on screens, you can send him to the second level, you can him sprinting out to the edge on bubble screens!

If there is a single hole in Yankey's game, and I do mean a single hole, it's that he is developed to capacity. He's already at his ceiling. But that ceiling is already Pro Bowl material for ages. He is one of the players I am most excited to see in the NFL.

Projection for Yankey: I think Yankey is Top 15 material unless he tanks at the Combine. There is no offensive system he cannot fit into. There is seemingly no pass protection responsibility he cannot handle. I think Yankey is going to blow up at the Combine, however, and he's a prime candidate to go in the Top 10 if there's a team stupid enough to draft a guard that early.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Maximum. The Chiefs would adore a talent like Yankey's to supplant the struggling Jeff Allen at LG, Yankey's position at Stanford. If Yankey somehow lasts to the 23rd pick, he's absolutely gotta be on KC's shortlist, and I'd argue he'd be the heavy favorite to end up a Chief.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

OG David Yankey, Stanford



Ladies and gentlemen, the best guard of this draft class. Absolutely no doubt in my mind.

There's a reason OL from Stanford are highly sought out. They are expertly coached, and come into the NFL readymade to be plugged into a lineup and play. The program has made miracle talent out of people like Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro in recent years, and David Yankey is better than both of them.

He does play, however, a devalued position at guard. But positional value aside, Yankey is entering Draft season as a Top 5 player in sheer talent. That'll probably change as the ebbs and flows of the year progress, but for now, there's Clowney, then there's Yankey and three or four other guys, and then there's everybody else.

There are absolutely zero holes in his game. His pass protection along the interior is smooth and efficient. His run game blasts holes open. His technique, great. His athleticism, nearly Fisher-esque -- at the guard position.

It's hard to even tell what offensive gameplan Yankey couldn't effortlessly execute. I'm tempted to say he's more of a zone-blocker than he is a power-blocker, but who the hell drafts a guy like Yankey just to waste his talents forcing him to block downhill? Yankey's true talent is his Swiss army knife utility: you can pull him, you can throw him out on screens, you can send him to the second level, you can him sprinting out to the edge on bubble screens!

If there is a single hole in Yankey's game, and I do mean a single hole, it's that he is developed to capacity. He's already at his ceiling. But that ceiling is already Pro Bowl material for ages. He is one of the players I am most excited to see in the NFL.

Projection for Yankey: I think Yankey is Top 15 material unless he tanks at the Combine. There is no offensive system he cannot fit into. There is seemingly no pass protection responsibility he cannot handle. I think Yankey is going to blow up at the Combine, however, and he's a prime candidate to go in the Top 10 if there's a team stupid enough to draft a guard that early.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Maximum. The Chiefs would adore a talent like Yankey's to supplant the struggling Jeff Allen at LG, Yankey's position at Stanford. If Yankey somehow lasts to the 23rd pick, he's absolutely gotta be on KC's shortlist, and I'd argue he'd be the heavy favorite to end up a Chief.

I still can't help but think the Chiefs are going to pick up Yankey.

Yankey's athleticism is definitely suspect after watching him tank the Combine.

However, his game athleticism is more than adequate. I'm projecting right now, about one-and-a-half months out, that the Chiefs are going to draft David Yankey.

[Saccopoo]

I thought Yankey looked overmatched against Michigan State in the Rose Bowl.