The Big Boys - Part 1

by trigrdan | 4 years ago | 0 Comments

Lombard, IL – Well here we are – halfway through the season and the holes that you will need to fill are becoming pretty evident. Today we have Part 1 of 2 in finishing up our look at the offensive line, the tackles. There will surely be some studs here right? Well…

First things first, the worst of the bunch. The following tackles come in as undraftable talent, but I may disagree with one of them. LT Dorian Porter, LT Dennis Tatum, RT Devin Bennett, and RT Devonte Johnston all come in with an OVR at 62 or less. Porter is the most disappointing of the bunch as the power LT from Illinois was highly touted and projected to be a second-round talent. With good IBL (82-85) and decent LDB (75-77) it sure was disappointing to see his pass block sitting in the 66-68 range. Unless you have a death wish for your QB, Porter is not the guy you want protecting his blindside. Tatum and Bennett have similar skill sets and will not be much help to your team. Johnston is the guy that has me scratching my head. A beast of a man, 6’8” and 335 lbs., Johnston has decent skill ratings. IBL 78-81 and LDB 75-77. Throw in a run block power of 72-74 and you have a decent talent to match his massive frame. Are his other ratings that low or do we have a guy that just needs an opportunity? That is a decision only you can make.

These next four guys will not set the world on fire, but they could provide some needed depth for some of the MOF coaches out there. All of them are LT’s and have OVR’s of 63-66. John Ball (IBL 82-85), Cedrick Milstead (IBL 78-81), Dewayne Alexander (IBL 78-81), Kasen Jennings (LDB 78-81) each have their own positives and can contribute as a decent backup at a cheap price. I expect each one to make it on a roster come next season.

That brings us to the final three guys for today, all right tackles. Each one of these guys has the talent to land in the second round. Carl Staley was originally projected to be a first-round pick, however, when you grade nothing higher than a B+, that dream flies out the window. Staley could be a force in the run game with a LDB of 80-81 and IBL 78-79. The agile tackle from UCF also has a run block finesse of 75-77. His pass blocking skills may not be the best, but if it’s a run blocking tackle you are looking for, Staley may be your guy. Another stud in the run game is RT Neil Kopp. Kopp has the highest skill rating so far of all of the tackles mentioned, receiving an A (86-89) for IBL. Matched up with LDB and run block power both in the 75-77 range and we have ourselves an immediate starter in the MOF next season. At this point, Kopp is you best bet at an immediate impact in improving your line play in the run game. RT Will Bailey is the best balanced tackle out of this bunch. IBL of 82-85, pass block power in the 78-81 range, and LDB of 75-77 sets Bailey apart from the rest. At 6’4” and 333 lbs. Bailey has the size and talent to be successful at either tackle position. Is Bailey, a second-round talent, the best tackle available to you out there in next year’s draft. Check out our wrap up on the tackles in our next edition to find out. Until then, keep him at the top of your board.