2015 Draft Offensive Line Rankings
Outside of a franchise QB the one position every team desires on their offense is an elite left tackle to protect their franchise QB’s blindside, unfortunately this draft doesn’t provide a surefire franchise left tackle prospect. There are a number of very good prospects that could become elite blindside protectors but there is not an Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden at the top of the draft. Given the nature of this year’s offensive line group I’m going to give you the top 12 offensive line prospects regardless of position because many of these players could project to multiple positions and that matters in these rankings. Even with the unsure nature of the top prospects in this draft it is still conceivable that a number of them will be drafted higher than they are projected because of need. You can make a pretty compelling argument that every team in the top 11 has a big need on the offensive line and while it is highly unlikely an offensive lineman goes in the top 4 once Washington is on the clock at #5 all bets are off.
- Brandon Scherff Sr. Iowa OT
The Outland trophy winner from this last season is well known for his impressive strength and he is one of the most devastating run blockers in the game. Scherff doesn’t have the classic LT build at 6’5 320 lbs. and he will struggle against the best speed rushers if he plays LT but if he gets his hands on a defender he won’t be beat. Scherff is a mauler with a nasty attitude and many teams project him at either RT or inside at guard. He could be a road grader at RT for someone and worst case scenario is he becomes an elite guard for the next ten years. The reason I’m ranking Scherff first is because he has the least downside of any of the prospects and he has a decent chance at being a starting LT in the NFL on day one. There are plenty of teams that are starting far inferior players at one of their OT spots. I have a feeling Scherff will have a pretty good combine overall and something tells me he might put on a show on the bench press.
- La’el Collins Sr. LSU OT/OG
Collins is the next closest thing to a sure thing but he is almost guaranteed to end up inside at guard I only list him at tackle too because he could be a RT for a team in need. His body style is better suited to the inside of the line and he will likely excel at OG. Collins has played LT at LSU so in a pinch he could be used there or at RT but his value is as an immediate starter for a team looking to solidify the interior of their offensive line much the way the Zack Martin did as a rookie for the Cowboys this year.
- Andrus Peat Jr. Stanford OT
Peat is the first true tackle on the board because at 6’7 312 lbs. he would be an anomaly at guard. Peat’s junior season at Stanford wasn’t as good as many expected and most teams project him as a RT because he struggled at times in college. Peat might mature into a starting LT and there are plenty of teams that would use him at that position immediately but he would be best served being eased into it. He has the prototypical build for an elite LT but Peat has some growing to do and teams can see that.
- TJ Clemmings Sr. Pittsburgh OT
Even though Clemmings is a fifth year senior out of Pitt he is still a very raw project because he spent most of his college career on the defensive line only moving to the offensive side two years ago. Teams see a player with a good build, solid athleticism and an aggressive demeanor and they think he can be an elite tackle. Clemmings doesn’t have the usual length of a LT so he is still best projected at RT and yes he could also move inside to guard. He has high upside given his limited time at the position but it is hard to rank him above guys that have less of a learning curve.
- Ereck Flowers Jr. Miami OT
Flowers is one of the more intriguing OT prospects in this draft because he is still a young guy that needs to be molded by a good offensive line coach. Miami hasn’t been a great team for a few years now but they still put out plenty of NFL talent and Flowers has a lot of raw ability. He could be a day one starter for someone or he could be like Taylor Lewan last year and go to a team that doesn’t need him right away but he eventually earns a starting nod. He’s a good athlete that can handle the LT position but he could also be a very good RT early on.
- AJ Cann Sr. South Carolina OG
The OT position is the big money position and it is the one that gets the most attention but teams are learning that a strong interior line is extremely valuable and AJ Cann is the top pure guard in this draft and he’s well worth a high pick. It’s fairly rare to see a pure guard go in the first round but it is becoming more commonplace and Cann could be the exception this year. At 6’3 311 lbs. he has the right combination of size, strength and mobility to be top guard in the NFL.
- Cameron Erving Sr. Florida St. C
After playing so well a season ago for the National Champion Seminoles and blocking for Heisman winner Jameis Winston Erving was on his way to a spot atop the OT rankings but it never happened. He started the year playing less than stellar football at LT and teams started to doubt his ability. Then a funny thing happened, the Seminoles had some injury issues on their line and Erving moved inside to center. This is not a typical transition to say the least but Erving excelled at his new spot and stabilized the Florida St. line. With only a half of a season at center Erving became the top prospect at the position and at 6’5 308 lbs. he brings unusually good size to the position. He may sneak into the end of the first round as there are a few teams (Detroit, Baltimore and Indianapolis) that might be looking for an upgrade on the interior of their offensive line if other position needs are unable to be filled.
- Ty Sambrailo Sr. Colorado St. OT
Sambrailo has a lot of experience and it has come all over the line at Colorado St. over the past four years and he could project to any position on the line except center. The problem is that he will be making a major step up in competition as he didn’t regularly face elite speed rushers while playing for the Rams. I do like his size at 6’6 308 lbs. and he has good feet but he needs some strength to hold up against NFL defenses.
- Cedric Ogbuehi Sr. Texas A&M OT
Ogbuehi went into this season as the odds on favorite to be the top OT in this draft but he season did not go to plan. He was hoping to follow in the footsteps of the two previous LTs for the Aggies Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews who went #3 and #6 overall in the two previous drafts. Ogbuehi move to LT from RT as they both had but during the season his play was not up to par and he was moved back to RT for a time. He has steadily fallen down the draft board as others have moved ahead of him. He is still a solid prospect and he is a starting RT in the NFL for sure but his ceiling doesn’t look as high right now. He needs to impress at the combine and in workouts to stop his fall and get some good momentum. He isn’t in the class of Joeckel or Matthews right now but he can still help a team out and someone will likely get a nice prospect in the second or third round.
- Laken Tomlinson Sr. Duke OG
Yep a draft with a Duke prospect and it’s not the NBA. Tomlinson didn’t have as dominating of a season as many thought he might but he was still good. He is the second pure guard after AJ Cann and he should go in the second round or early third and he will start immediately. At 6’3 323 lbs. he’s bigger and more powerful than Cann but he doesn’t have quite the mobility. He’s experienced and he won’t have a problem adjusting to the NFL.
- Daryl Williams Sr. Oklahoma OT
At 6’5 334 lbs. Williams is a fully developed power RT and he can step in immediately. Williams may never be a Pro Bowl level player but he’s a long term starter and he will not disappoint.
- Tre Jackson Sr. Florida St. OG
Jackson is a beast at 6’4 323 lbs. and he’s been starting on the Seminoles line for a while. He wasn’t as dominate as expected as Florida St.’s entire line struggled early in the year but Jackson is a guy that is going to get drafted in the third or maybe the fourth round and start for his team for the next decade. He’s a mauler with an attitude and teams love that in their guards.
2015 Draft Defensive Tackle Rankings
Defensive tackles come in two sizes big and bigger. The big ones play defensive tackle and the bigger ones play nose tackle. Okay that’s an oversimplification but it’s true. There are quite a few top prospects at the position this year and guys that can step in right away and make a difference. It isn’t as deep as the edge pass rusher position but there could be some good quality in round 2.
- Leonard Williams Sr. USC
There is about a 99% chance that the #1 pick in the draft is going to be a QB whether it’s Winston or Mariota. If any player can knock those two off the top spot it is Williams. He is the best prospect in the draft and he’s earned that title. Williams will fit in any scheme and at multiple positions due to his skillset. At 6’5 300 lbs. he is a very powerful force inside or setting the edge on the outside. He plays with great leverage and while his initial step isn’t always quick off the line he makes up for that by packing a punch. Williams is an immovable force with true brute strength that makes him impossible to block one-on-one. He isn’t a great pass rusher generally but on twists and stunts he can make plays.
- Danny Shelton Sr. Washington NT
Shelton was seen as a pretty good prospect after the season and then he went to the Senior Bowl and absolutely blew up. He is a perfect nose tackle prospect at 6’2 343 lbs. and he can be dominating from that position. It is hard to find a true NT and teams that need one will be falling all over themselves to grab Shelton. Unlike a lot of NTs Shelton can actually get to the QB with a number of different moves but he won’t make a living doing that.
- Malcolm Brown Sr. Texas
Brown is a playmaker at DT and he would excel in any 4-3 defense but he also has versatility. At 6’4 320 lbs. he has the size to line up at NT but he also possesses the athletic ability to play the five-technique. He would be best suited at DT but every team is going to take a close look. Brown has great feet and is probably the best pass rusher from the inside position because of his balance and athleticism. Needs to use his hands better to disengage blockers but that’s a coachable skill.
- Eddie Goldman Sr. Florida St. NT
Goldman isn’t the NT prospect that Shelton is but he is strictly a NT prospect and that’s the problem. He anchors very well at the point of attack and he has violent hands which makes him difficult to handle in close quarters. He doesn’t have the skillset of a pass rusher which limits which teams will look at him but he’s a very good NT prospect and those guys don’t grow on trees.
- Carl Davis Sr. Iowa
At 6’4 320 lbs. Davis is a large man with great power especially in his lower body and when he anchors down he’s impossible to move. He shows a number of good pass rushing moves but rarely finishes off the pass rush which is why his sack numbers were low. Davis is disruptive and he can plan next to anyone on the interior and play off of them. He fits best in a 4-3 defense but he could be a five-technique in the right circumstance.
- Jordan Phillips Redshirt Soph. Oklahoma NT
Phillips is a mountain of a man at 6’6 334 lbs. and his potential is outrageous. Unfortunately at this point it is all potential as he really hasn’t had consistent production. He was only a redshirt sophomore so he doesn’t have the experience of the older players but he has some issues. Phillips is a NT type of player due to his sheer size but his height could be a detriment because he plays high and loses leverage. Someone is going to draft him quite high simply because you can’t teach a guy to be that big but you can teach him better technique and better leverage.
- Michael Bennett Sr. Ohio St.
Bennett is the smallest of the top DT prospects at 6’2 and just 288 lbs. but he is technically proficient and uses his balance, agility and athleticism to make up for his lack of size. Not the strongest player at the point of attack but he knows how to slip blocks and disrupt an offense. Bennett plays well for his size inside and he can move outside too giving him some versatility in a 4-3 scheme. He doesn’t wow you with his skills but he always seems to be around the ball making plays.
- Xavier Cooper Jr. Washington St.
Cooper is a big guy that could line up inside at DT or as a 3-4 end and use his skills well from either spot. He’s well-built and very thick with good power and good movement skills. He’s not a great tackler even though he sheds blocks fairly well. He still needs some coaching to reach his potential.
- Gabe Wright Sr. Auburn
Wright is built to be an interior defensive lineman but he’s actually a better pass rusher than he is a run stuffer and that is why he’s lower in the rankings. Teams draft defensive tackles to stuff up the middle first and rush the passer second. Wright has his place as a passing down DT but he has a lot of work to do to be an every down type of player.
- Ellis McCarthy Jr. UCLA NT
McCarthy may not be in everyone’s top 10 DT rankings but he possess such raw potential I think he’s better than a lot of guys. He’s huge at 6’4 330 lbs. and he has a prototypical NT build but he wasn’t strictly a NT at UCLA. The Bruins play multiple fronts and McCarthy can play different ways. He isn’t a pass rusher but he is the definition of an anchor at the point of attack. Love his potential and he’s only true downside is that he has struggled in the past with his weight, if he keeps that under control he will be very good.
The Hott Read 