There's a lot of time for guys to rise and fall and once the combine has come and gone we will get a clearer picture. But, I already know the guys I want and doubt that changes much between now and draft day. Judging by how they play, my list is pretty clear. I like the big, tall, long levered guys for the OT positions, and we have a lot of those prospects this year.
In the first round I would ideally want a LT guy who is strong in pass pro with long levers and size to move people in the run game. Jake Matthews would be OK, but he is no slam dunk to be able to handle LT so I'm not trading up for him. Greg Robinson has the most physical ability and will be an absolute monster in the run game, but he is too raw in pass pro to trade up for him. Both of those guys should be gone by pick 8. The guys I like in the 10-19 range are Taylor Lewan, Cyrus Kouandijo and Zack Martin. Both Lewan and Kouandijo project to be solid LT's and those are my ideal picks. I'm expecting Kouandijo's stock to rise at the combine and wouldn't be surprised to see both of those guys projecting in the 8-15 range just outside of our reach. I'd trade up into that range for either of those guys. If neither is available, I really like Zack Martin as a LG. He could play RT but I'd see him more dominant at LG where I think he would star.
There are a few other OL that I want outside of the first round. My biggest hope is that we can land James Hurst of UNC somewhere after the first round. He has 1st round talent and is a legitimate LT candidate. His size, length, and feet are already what you'd want for LT, but he is injured and we need to see if he has the power to hold up against bull rushes. I have a lot more belief in his power than I ever did from our last LT that lacked power. The injury may make it difficult to know how strong he is before the draft, dropping his stock from round 1 to somewhere in the round 3 or 4 range, but his talent is too good and his production too prolific to get out of round 4. I'd love to snag him in round 2 or 3.
Jack Mewhort is an intriguing prospect as well. Another of the big tall long OT candidates, Mewhort is more of a mauler than a dancing bear, and I don't see him having the footwork to play LT, but he could be a very good RT/RG. I look at him being one of those guys who develops into being able to play anywhere across the OL effortlessly, but finding a home at RT/RG. Prospects like him come along every year and very often become solid NFL players. After our revolving door of guys, I'd really like a guy like Mewhort to build a lasting OL that can eventually develop some chemistry.
Some people like Antonio Richardson ... but I'm not one of them. Similarly to how I didn't like our pick of Thomas last year, I'm not a fan of Richardson this year. UT has a lot of exceptional prospects, and most of you will remember my never-ending campaign to draft Cordarelle Patterson last year, but OL is not really their specialty at this point in time. Those guys run block as a team well, and have so many weapons it masks the fact that their OL isn't all that great individually. I don't think Richardson is worth being picked anywhere near where he will go. IMHO, he can't hold a candle to Kouandijo, Lewan or Martin, who are the guys projected to go in the same general range.
This year is an odd year for OL. IMHO, none of the top OL candidates are truly dominant pass pro guys. But, there are a ton of guys at the top who are solid pass pro guys and project to be very good players ... so in that regard we're lucky. Actually, there literally is a ton of OL who will go in round 1 when you consider at current NFL weights you can reach a short ton with only 6 OL.
I like the OT's in this draft far more than the OG's. Zack Martin is the only OG prospect that really stands out to me, and I'm kinda surprised so many people see him as an OT. But, in the round 3-4 range I wouldn't mind getting Anthony Steen from Alabama. He is smaller than I'd like, but fits our scheme very well and seems to be able to do everything you want at a high level. The trouble is that, like Martin, he looks like he may be drafted earlier than where he projects so he might not be realistic.
Ultimately our best draft would have at least 3 OL with at least 2 of them being OT's and hopefully 2 starters (LG and RT) in year 1 surrounded by veterans to help them learn. This offensive line needs to be re-invented to be both a pass and run blocking OL. Now is the chance to do it. Not with stopgap veterans, but with young guys who work well within the scheme but are flexible enough to work in a power scheme as well in case we change coaches next year. That's reality as I see it.