Ranking the 1st round OTs so far.

[Direckshun]

Profootballfocus.com is king of a weird site, but it provides conversation at least.

It picks random games to analyze every single player throughout the season. At this point, they've analyzed the play of every team about four or five games.

Here's how they have all the OTs ranked on their weird numerical system, and here's how the sseveral rookie OTs selected this year fare:

18. Ryan Clady, Denver (LT)
23. Gosder Cherilus, Detroit (RT)
37. Jake Long, Miami (LT)
47. Sam Baker, Atlanta (LT)
51. Jeff Otah, Carolina (RT)
57. Duane Brown, Houston (LT)
65. Brandon Albert, Kansas City (LT)
N/A. Chris Williams, Chicago (LT)

Explanation to follow.

[Direckshun]

http://www.profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=4

2008 - Year of the Tackle
Just as the 1983 draft became known as the "Quarterback Class of 1983" because of the 6 quarterbacks taken in the 1st round, perhaps this years draft will become the "Tackle Class of 2008". Since 1980 the draft has averaged 3 Tackles a year in the first round and never has there been more than 5 Tackles taken (1992 and 1995). However, including Branden Albert, who had played most of his career to that point as a Guard, the 2008 1st round contained 8 Tackles. That's startling enough on it's own but given the way rookie Offensive Tackles often struggle, the way the majority of these guys are performing is equally impressive.


Jake Long - 1st selection to Miami (games analyzed W1 vs. NYJ, W2 @ Arz, W7 vs. Bal, W9 @ Den and W12 vs. NE)
We spoke about how well Jake was playing in our AFC – Key Performances article a couple of weeks ago so we won't dwell too long on the ex-Wolverine. Since then we've looked at another game (the Patriots in W12) which ironically turned out to be the worst of his outings we've graded to date. His pass blocking was less assured and whilst not giving up a sack he did surrender 2 hits and a pressure in the 35 pass plays he was in (Jake missed 10 drop-backs and 2 running plays due to injury). This may not seem a lot but that's more of an indication of the excellence of his previous displays. His run blocking was once again average but sharing the points in a confrontation with the rejuvenated Richard Seymour is also hard to fault.

The bottom line for Long is that he's made a great start to his NFL career, starting every game, with an emphasis on superb pass protection and solid if relatively unremarkable run blocking.

Ryan Clady – 12th selection to Denver (Games analyzed: W1 @ Oak, W2 vs. SD, W9 vs. Mia, W10 @ Cle and W13 @ NYJ)
Before I get into a debate about "Sack Statistics" I'd like to make it clear that I think Ryan Clady is an excellent player already and may well turn out to be the best of a superb group of tackles. That said, if I get sack statistics quoted at me in isolation any more regarding Ryan, I think I'll lose the will to live. So far he's listed by Stats inc. as giving up 0.5 of a sack and when writing about him, unfortunately this is the average hacks best shot at quantifying his ability. The relevance of half as a measure within sacks notwithstanding (I have no idea why anyone should lose half the credit - or debit - for a sack because of the coincidence that someone else happened to do something similar at the same time) it takes no account of the hits or pressures given up.

Last year Tony Ugoh giving up 1.5 sacks was used by many to "show" how well he'd performed in pass protection when in fact this was far more a function of Peyton Manning's uncanny ability to sense pressure and get rid of the ball at the last moment. In the 6 games we viewed Ugoh's protection statistics of 1 sack, 8 hits and 13 pressures given up, is a far more accurate measure of his performance.

On a similar basis, in the 5 games listed above for Clady we've noted 0 sacks, 3 hits and 11 pressures and given that's from an average of 44 pass plays per game it represents a very solid, though not exceptional body of work. It's really only when you combine that with a generally positive display of run blocking and a low penalty count and the fact that he too has started since week 1, that the true picture begins to emerge. Ryan Clady is a superb athlete who, injury aside, should man the LT position for the Broncos for 5-10 years. However, in pass protection, he's been just above average for an NFL starter and the 0.5 sack statistic is at best misleading.

Chris Williams – 14th selection to Chicago
I'll be honest with you, I haven't seen Chris Williams' final 5 play appearance at LT in garbage time in the Bears drubbing by the Packers. I've got the game tape but the relevance of those plays in that particular circumstance is limited at best. That said, when he initially underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc before the season started, IR appeared more likely to me than considering digging out a handful of inconsequential plays.

With the Bears still heavily in playoff contention, it's unlikely we'll get to review Williams properly before next year and that's a real shame given incumbent John St. Clair has been extremely poor and a clear weakness whenever we've looked at the Bears offensive line.

Branden Albert – 15th selection to Kansas City (Games analyzed: W1 @ NE, W2 vs. Oak, W7 vs. Ten, W11 vs. NO and W13 @ Oak)
No team has struggled more at Tackle than the Chiefs over the past few years so to get a rookie to start immediately and perform anything over and above a tackle dummy would be an upgrade. Whilst on current showings Albert isn't likely to make anyone forget Willie Roaf, he should make the names of Jordan Black, Will Svitek etc. fade quickly from the memory of the KC faithful.

As with Long, Albert is currently more skilled and consistent in his pass protection than his run blocking and again that's counter intuitive given he's played the vast majority of his career at Guard. In the games we've watched his pass blocking is consistently average for an NFL tackle giving away just over 2.5 sacks, hits or pressures combined per game. However his discipline has been excellent and at the time of writing he's yet to give up any form of penalty which if maintained, may well be a record for a rookie.

His run blocking, while not at that level of his pass pro, is far from disastrous and if he can avoid games like the W13 encounter with Oakland, where he struggled to contain Jay Richardson he will make what many felt was a boom or bust pick very much the former.

Gosder Cherilus – 17th selection to Detroit (Games analyzed W2 vs. GB, W5 vs. Chi and W9 @ Chi)
For a week and a half the Lions had me worried as I thought that they had potentially chosen a worse RT than George Foster with the 17th selection in the draft; something that many (myself included) would have deemed impossible. The Lions started Foster in the first two games but luckily for both the Lions and Gosder, Foster never flattered to deceive and performed as we knew he probably would; giving up 2 sacks, 1 hit and 4 pressures in 64 pass plays before being yanked at the start of the 3rd quarter of week 2.

Whilst Gosder has had poor days (he looked well out of his depth in the Thanksgiving Day massacre by the Titans and was benched in W6 at the Vikings) he's been acceptable in the games we've graded and make no mistake, acceptable play at RT for the Lions is a vast improvement. Similarly to the others mentioned above, his pass blocking is ahead of his run blocking at this stage but for a tackle that's not the worst place to be.

So, if the Lions can shore up something that was shipping water at the rate of their starting Right Tackle berth, it leaves them hope for the dozen or so others that they need to resolve.

Jeff Otah – 19th Selection to Carolina (Games analyzed W1 @ SD, W2 vs. Chi and W10 vs. Oak)
Jeff Otah was in the line-up at RT in week 1 and but for a high ankle sprain, that kept him out for all 4 games in October, would have been another of the 2008 Tackles to start every game to date. For Otah though, unlike the others, the Panthers did have real options and could easily have left Travelle Wharton at LT and Jordan Gross at RT if he'd been less than proficient. However, by the time Jeff went down, the Panthers were settled enough to simply replace him with Jeremy Bridges and wait for his recovery.

In the 3 games we've seen, whilst his run blocking is fine (as expected) his pass protection isn't that far behind. Although the fact he's only given up 2 sacks and 3 pressures in those games is partially indicative, it should be noted that this is offset slightly by the fact there was just over 30 drop-backs per game and the Panthers keeping their TE in to block on his side more than most teams.

Sam Baker – 21st selection to Atlanta (Games analyzed W1 @ Det, W2 @ SF and W6 vs. Chi)
With the cries of "reach" coming from many draft analysts, Sam Baker had done everything in his power to make those who wait for the real action to start, think otherwise. He'd made the starting LT job his own from the 1st preseason game and had successfully negotiated his first 5 quarters of NFL regular season action when during the 2nd quarter of the week 2 loss to the Buccaneers he got a knee to the head during a cut block and was held out for the rest of the day. He returned the following week against the Chiefs but didn't return after half-time with flu-like symptoms including nausea and dizziness. This then kept him out against the Panthers in week 4 before he returned in the week 5 victory at Lambeau Field.

After playing every snap during the week 6 epic with the Bears, Baker then went down with a "hip injury" and was held out of the game against Philadelphia before specialists examined him and diagnosed a herniated disc which was subsequently removed. Sam could be back anytime soon but to date he's only played in three full games of which we've analyzed two.

The Falcons emphasis on the run somewhat distorts the fact he's given up only 1 hit and 3 pressures but for the number of pass plays he's been in, that's bang on average. To say that he was instrumental in the resurgence of running game in week one (as I've seen in some reports) is pushing things as he did an acceptable job but no more; the real push coming from the middle of the line and tight ends, Justin Peelle and Ben Hartsock. However, unless the run of injuries turn out to be a trend rather than a coincidence, Baker looks to be a worthy member of the Tackle Class of 2008.

Duane Brown – 26th selection to Houston (Games analyzed: W1 @ Pit, W4 @ Jax, W8 vs. Cin, W11 @ Ind and W13 vs. Jac)
Of all the 2008 tackles that've played, Duane Brown is one whose struggles have been most obvious. He's started all 13 games to date but is still sharing time with Ephraim Salaam (something akin to being benched for George Foster) and they've also given him help on occasions from TEs and backs. It's against this background his pass protection statistics need to be considered; Stats inc. has him giving up 10.5 sacks to date of which we've noted 4 in the five games we've analyzed together with seven pressures. What are poor numbers are exacerbated by the reduced number of plays he's faced and the help he's been given.

So he's the odd man out in the "Tackle Class of 2008"? The Todd Blackledge in among Dan Marino, John Elway and Jim Kelly (not that anyone is suggesting that Ryan Clady and Jake Long are Hall of Fame bound just yet)? I, for one, wouldn't go that far for three reasons:

He's a decent enough run blocker; not great, not dominating just yet but certainly good enough to get by in the NFL.
He's improving. Over the games I've analyzed I've seen a significant improvement in his pass protection and I think it's no coincidence that the Texans are much better now than at the start of the year. It was Salaam who had problems against Jacksonville on MNF, not Brown.
Of the other NFL linemen you can compare him too he's really not that bad. Given what I've seen to date I'd probably take him over both Levi Brown (who's shown no real sign of improvement over a poor rookie year) and Joe Staley (who, if anything, looks more lost now than he did in 2007)
I feel under the wing of Alex Gibbs, if he can continue to progress, he may make the grade and not end up as the bust many Texan fans believed he‘d be when he was drafted.

In Summary
Of the eight tackles taken in the 1st round, six started in week 1 and four have played in every game. Two already look like future Pro Bowlers with another three already being as good as most NFL tackles. Of the remaining three, one has been injured and the other two are showing signs of improvement after less than auspicious starts. That's a great showing in position that's notoriously difficult for rookies to handle. "The Tackle Class of 2008"? We'll see.

[Direckshun]

For my money:

Clady

Baker
Albert
Long






Otah
Cherilus






Brown
















Williams

[Ebolapox]

that list is bullshit. I'm trying not to be a homer, but albert has been nails this year.

[Buehler445]

I saw this in King's MMQB deal and made a note to look at it, thanks for posting it.

[petegz28]

Albert misses all of camp, and plays solid all year at a new position and that is average they say?

[Buehler445]

For my money:

Clady

Baker
Albert
Long






Otah
Cherilus






Brown
















Williams


You'd put Baker above Albert?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Chris Williams, who misses time because of back surgery, is planted at the bottom.

Come on, 'Shun, that's ridiculous.

[Direckshun]

Chris Williams, who misses time because of back surgery, is planted at the bottom.

Come on, 'Shun, that's ridiculous.

I don't want that misinterpreted -- I'm not knocking the guy. But I'd prefer a player who plays over one who doesn't, so as of now he resides in the cellar 'til we see him in action.