2022 NFL DRAFT- Interior Offensive Linemen

[cblaz11]

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/top- ... ter-stage/

I think there is some real quality that’s going to be there in the 2nd and 3rd. For me, I want us to go WR/OG with those first two picks based on need but also potential value.

Good names on this list…Ingram from LSU has been a name too watch for 2 years now.

Thoughts?

[Atkins&Rebel]

Definitely depends on what we do in FA. If we bring Daniels back, I don't see the need for G. Might have to go C in R2,
WR is still a need even if we do grad a couple FA's. Gotta surround Fields with talent.
ILB might be a significant target depending on FA and potential trades.
(Roquan is going to cost a ton of cash soon, and I've been of the mindset that he's more valuable to this team as trade equity (Especially if we can get 2-3 picks), to free up some cap space. The Dolphins have a ton of cap space and a mid 2nd and 2 4th's for instance...even if have to swap or give up some later round picks to make it work.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

TTNL had an interview with OG prospect Cole Strange earlier in the week, looking at some examples of his play on tape, discussing the senior bowl, the combine, his experience playing center etc.



Strange is older (he'll turn 24 before the season starts) but sounds like he'd be a fit for Getsy's zone blocking scheme, is intelligent, plays with some fire and would likely be available in R3.

He reportedly had a good combine:

Cole Strange, Chattanooga

There’s an abnormally large amount of quality non-FBS offensive tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft. We all know about Trevor Penning, but Matt Waletzko and Braxton Jones are two other future starters with plus athletic traits. There are also players like Nick Zakelj and Ja’Tyre Carter, who both put up strong numbers on Friday. But the biggest riser out of all of them might be Chattanooga OL Cole Strange.

Strange came into the offseason as an intriguing Day 3 sleeper. He left the Senior Bowl as a potential Day 2 pick. Now, he’s rising higher in the top 100 range.

Strange put up incredible numbers all around. He logged a 5.03 40-yard dash with a 1.73 10-yard split and also registered a 7.44 three-cone, a 4.5 shuttle, a 28-inch vertical, a 120-inch broad jump, and 31 bench reps. All of those numbers — save for the vertical — are above the 90th percentile.

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl- ... aft-stock/

Here's the Bleacher Report's analysis on him: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/100 ... anooga-iol

[Moriarty]

Top 100 G just hasn't been on my radar, really.

Sean Rhyan & Bernhard Raimann are good and should/will probably get moved inside. Kenyon Greene had a weak Combine and will probably slide into reach.

[thunderspirit]

Sean Rhyan & Bernhard Raimann are good and should/will probably get moved inside. Kenyon Greene had a weak Combine and will probably slide into reach.

Less certain about Raimann, but definitely agree on Rhyan. As for Greene, he still has really good SEC tape but I'm betting a lot of teams go back to it now to see if the numbers seem to be an anomaly. I've been focused on offensive tackle so I've not dug too deep on guards besides what I saw from the all-star games.

Zion Johnson was a borderline first rounder before the Combine, and almost certainly is one now. He's probably going to be the first G off the board. He's shown to be an amazing athlete at his size.

Like Mori, though, I have a hard time seeing the Bears spend one of their Day 2 picks on a guard. Maybe on a center who can swing to guard, but even that's questionable.

Zach Tom showed out as very athletic. I frankly haven't seen much Wake Forest tape but I know he looked good at the Shrine game.

Need to look at the Nebraska offense to see Cam Jurgens. All my focus on the Huskers has been on defense, LOL

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Like Mori, though, I have a hard time seeing the Bears spend one of their Day 2 picks on a guard. Maybe on a center who can swing to guard, but even that's questionable.

What makes Strange an interesting prospect is that despite being almost exclusively a left guard in college they had him playing center at the Senior Bowl and he impressed.

There's a collection of comments and twitter clips here: https://gomocs.com/news/2022/2/4/footba ... urday.aspx

With the Bears needing an upgrade for Mustipher coupled with the possibility that Whitehair might move back to center and the question of whether Daniels will be resigned, an interior lineman may be more of a need then people think. Drafting another with position flexibility in R3 might not be a bad move.

[cblaz11]

As far as center, I like what I see from Alec Lindstrom from BC.

There are some really good OG candidates that I think could be there in the 3rd. If Strange is there in the 3rd, I’m running to the podium.

[thunderspirit]

Dawson Deaton did really well at the Combine, which suggests that his quickness on game tape might translate to the NFL and isn't just due to the Texas Tech Air Raid offense.

Dawson had a start at LG and a start at LT as a redshirt freshman (as well as stepping in at both G spots at the Shrine Bowl) so he has some position versatility, but has had 33 consecutive starts at C.

[RichH55]

Top 100 G just hasn't been on my radar, really.

Sean Rhyan & Bernhard Raimann are good and should/will probably get moved inside. Kenyon Greene had a weak Combine and will probably slide into reach.

Disagree on Raimann.

He is a developmental prospect IMHO - but its pretty clear he COULD be a good tackle - Just not now.

Normally I am a BIG proponent of the Tackle who cant play Tackle (*) moving to Guard

(*) Usually those reasons are "Feet" (arm length to an extent - but if you got the Feet and everything else ALA Joe Thomas - then it matters less)

This is One of the Exceptions - Raimann issues right now are technique and not knowing whats hes doing - He is a project. He will still have technique and not knowing what hes doing issues inside.

Put his comp somewhere between Brian ONeill and Jordan Mailata (Better athlete than ONeill - no one near the Freak Mailata is)

Maybe best case comp is Lane Johnson - but you wont get that player until Year 3?


(Please note: I'd be passing on Raimann - I dont look for developmental guys I have to pick in the Top 50 usually)

[thunderspirit]

Update: Zach Tom looked better off inside at the Shrine Game than he did outside at tackle for Wake Forest. I expect he played LT there in 2020 and 2021 out of necessity (he did start 13 games at C in 2019). Was much more aggressive at the Shrine Game than at Wake.

Cam Jurgens' athleticism shows on Nebraska tape, but man, the dude has no idea what he's doing. Inconsistent technique, frequent loss of balance, running around like his hair is on fire. He does always look for someone to hit, which is good. Only been playing O-line for like 3 years (moved from TE, I believe), has 30 starts at C. But he's definitely not ready to come in and start. He's a project.

Went back to check out Dawson too. Definitely needs to get stronger, gets pushed back a fair bit. You can see the athletic movement, though. Less of a project than Jurgens, not as ready to play now as Tom.

[karhu]

Agreed on Jurgens...with a qualification. We have no idea whether he's getting the coaching he needs (which is a weird thing for a 50something guy to say about a Nebraska O-lineman). I tend to think that a stricter set of assignments will help him. Might not be a starter now, but I see a lot to build on. He's a bit like Tyler Smith, whose style of play would have him flirting with ejection before halftime of any NFL game he plays. If a line coach yells "Hey, dipshit! That's not your job!", and they listen, they could be terrific. And there's no guarantee that anyone's ever laid it out for them like that. Garrett Bolles came around, after all.

All of this from a guy whose nine-year-old had to take some time out from tae kwon do classes because he sparred too hard, so take it fer what it's worth.

[thunderspirit]

Funny you mention that, @karhu - I actually did some digging to find out who his OL coach was to see if there was a record of good/bad coaching, due to how lousy his fundamentals looked. (FWIW, it was Greg Austin, who coached under Chip Kelly as a GA at Oregon and then followed him to Philiadelphia with the Eagles, then joined Scott Frost's staff at Central Florida and followed him to Nebraska, and who's now the O-line coach/run game coordinator for FIU. None of which helped my evaluation very much, LOL.)

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Here’s another name - Kellen Diesch

Not sure if he’s a tackle or a guard.
Could be a 5th rounder?

[thunderspirit]

Diesch is very, very athletic. He's also not strong enough to play right now, and considering he turns 25 in August I'm not especially convinced he can get there. (I've got similar concerns with Luke Wattenburg, who is also very athletic, also lacks the muscle to step in and contribute, and also turns 25 during his rookie year.)

[Moriarty]

Here’s another name - Kellen Diesch

Not sure if he’s a tackle or a guard.
Could be a 5th rounder?

He's one of many whose eventual position is unclear.


Very athletic
Very tall
Very stumpy T-Rex arms
Has only played LT, I think
Graded out terrific
Needs to be heavier, stronger

[Grizzled]

Numerous OTs writeup include a speculative move to IOL also. Widens the pool considerably.