Offensive Tackles
The 2020 OT class had a total of eighteen players drafted. Bear in mind that there is always some debate as to whether a guy is an interior or OT, mind you. What won't be debated is the total of six OTs coming off the board in Round 1.
The 2021 class has some very good talent of its own, and it wouldn't surprise me to see at least five OTs come off the board on Day 1. There is depth to this class, enough to where I could see an eventual starters falling to early Day 3.
1) Penei Sewell | 6'5 | 325 | OT | Oregon - (Opting Out)
Sewell boasts excellent size and functional strength to match. While his kick slide doesn't always appear to be on an elite level, you seldom see him get beat on arch rushes, even against quick DE/Edges. He plays with strong grip strength, evidenced by how well he controls defenders once latched on. He's a mauling blocker, one who exhibits good leg drive as he drives/steers his man off the ball. He plays threw the whistle with a nasty disposition, finishes his blocks. While his quickness could be improved, he has plenty of tape showing his ability to transition off of chips and work up to the second level.
2) Rashawn Slater | 6'4 | 305 | OT | Northwestern - (Opting Out)
3) Alijah Vera-Tucker | 6'4 | 310 | OT/OG | USC
11/7 - Arizona State - Lining up at LT, Vera-Tucker looked quite athletic. He was able to mirror in pass pro and drive his feet at times as a run blocker.
11/14 - Arizona - Vera-Tucker had a very good if not great game. He looked more natural at LT, was able to mirror and latch on quite well on a number of his snaps. He really stood out in the run game, as USC ran behind him several time for good yardage. He fired off the ball, into his man and ran his feet through blocks.
11/21 - Utah - Take away his one holding penalty, which looked bogus, and Vera-Tucker had a good if not great game. He displayed very quick feet coupled with commanding power in both pass pro and in the run game.
12/5 - Washington State - Vera-Tucker shined once again. He displayed very quick feet and a good punch in pass pro. His ability to quickly get out of his stance and into pass sets was impressive.
12/19 - Oregon - Vera-Tucker really played well in this one. He routinely rode every defender he faced wide of the pocket, also showed some good leg drive in the run game.
4) Teven Jenkins | 6'5 | 310 | OT | OK State
9/19 - Tulsa - Jenkins really impressed in this one. He started the game at LT, the switched over to RT for the second half. Regardless of the side, he displayed a fluid kick slide in pass pro and was able to post his man up with regularity. In the run game, he wasn't quite as strong, but still looked the part. He got a good push at the LOS and eliminated his man often. While he needed to hold blocks a bit longer at times, he was sound.
10/24 - Iowa State - This was a tale of two halves for Jenkins. In the first half, he looked stodgy in his technique, would lunge and get grabby onto defenders. He displayed strength but simply didn't look fluid or smooth, let blocks slip off at times and didn't finish. He then reverses course in the second half, addressing all of the aforementioned. He then played with balanced power and really looked the part of a future NFL RT.
10/31 - Texas - Jenkins had a very good game, highlighted by his mauling block on Ossai that sent him into his own sideline. Jenkins played with controlled power and was able to hem up his man pretty much all game. It was easy to see him as a Day 2 pick based on this game alone.
11/21 - Oklahoma - Saw limited action as he left the game early with a lower body injury.
5) Christian Darrisaw | 6'5 | 315 | OT | Virginia Tech
10/10 - North Carolina - Darrisaw stood out a number of times in this game. While not always technically sound, he showed a ton of ability as both a pass and run blocker. He showed the ability to mirror well in his kick slide, and played with power in the run game. He looks to have all the tools to develop into a fine LT.
10/24 - Wake Forest - Darrisaw had an up and down game. He gushes the ability to wash guys completely off the edge on outside runs, and can mirror the arc rush. However, he's lazy. He left himself open on inside counter when pass blocking, and too often just gave a shove vs. driving his man in the run game.
10/31 - Louisville - Darrisaw had a great game. When VA Tech ran to his side on stretch zone plays, he dominated whomever was across from him, completely washed him out. He mirrored well in pass pro, handle strength and quickness very well.
11/14 - Miami - Darrisaw's shut down Quincy Roche in impressive fashion. That said, his technique wasn't always the best in doing so. He was often quick to turn his shoulders vs. staying square, and at times would use more of an upper body shove then running his feet through the block. All said, he looked like a great piece of clay to mold.
12/5 - Clemson - Prior to getting rolled up on and leaving the game in the 4th quarter, Darrisaw controlled his man in both pass pro and the run game. While he did play a bit upright at times and didn't always drive his legs as a run blocker, he hemmed guys up.
6) Alex Leatherwood | 6'5 | 310 | OT/OG | Alabama -
Leatherwood is a versatile O-Lineman who's lined up at OG and OT, looking really good at both. He's a natural mover, one who gets into his defender quickly and neutralizes him . He's typically a wall in pass pro, while providing a good push as a run blocker. At times, he will let blocks slip off or simply not completely finish the play. While this isn't an issue overall, you do want to see more spunk from him at times. He has all the tools to be a very good blind side for years to come.
9/26 - Missouri - Leatherwood had a solid game overall, showing solid mirroring ability in pass pro coupled with the ability to be a body-move in the run game. That said, he let a few blocks slip, didn't always finish. While he did stick with his man on arc rushes, he didn't always look real fluid in his kick slide. He also didn't show a consistently timed punch in pass sets. He was good, but has some things to clean up.
10/3 - Texas A&M- Leatherwood was very reliable overall, impressed in flashes. He showed good power in the run game, controlled the edge. In pass pro, he kept edge pressure at bay. He wasn't dominant, but simply gave up little.
10/17 - Georgia - Aside for a couple hiccups early on, Leatherwood was fantastic, looked like a franchise LT. He mirrored his man quite well in pass pro, sealed well in the run game.
10/24 - Tennessee - Leatherwood didn't have a bad game, but he didn't look nearly as sharp as he has in games prior. He was a bit suspect against wide arc rushes a couple of times, also stalemated on more than a couple runs to his side.
11/21 - Kentucky - Leatherwood looked the part today. He was fluid in his kick slide and had no issues mirroring defenders. He played with controlled power, carries out his blocking assignments well.
11/28 - Auburn - Leatherwood had a bit of a down game compared to his normal play. He was beat in pass pro a couple times and took some bad approaches on a few run plays. The athletic ability shown through, but he wasn't real smooth on a consistent basis.
7) Liam Eichenberg | 6'5 | 305 | OT | Notre Dame
9/12 - Duke - Eichenberg had a few slip ups from his LT spot in both the pass and run game. He got beat by a couple counter-moves as a pass blocker, and didn't get a good push or left himself open as a run blocker. That said, he graded out well overall. His errors weren't huge or costly.
10/10 - Florida State - Eichenberg had a very solid game. He did leave the game in the 2nd quarter to deal with an eye injury, but played all other quarters. When in, he was fluid enough in pass pro to mirror defenders. In the run game, he sealed his man off well and helped create nice run lanes.
10/17 - Louisville - Eichenberg played well, held down his blocking assignments nicely. Whether it was in the pass or run game, he hemmed his man up and allowed nothing.
10/24 - Pittsburgh - Eichenberg's limited athletic ability stood out a few times, but as a whole he executed his assignments very well. Jones and Weaver were each held without a sack, and while Ian Book took on pressure, it was largely because he didn't step up in the pocket or was being blitzed. This kid looked like he could be a starting NFL blindside blocker.
11/7 - Clemson - Eichenberg played very well. While he was a reliable wall in pass pro, he partnered with LG Aaron Banks to create some very good run lanes all night. Eichenberg is building a case to be a 1st-Rounder.
11/27 - North Carolina - Eichenberg put up another Round-1 worthy performance. In pass pro, he displayed a fluid kick slide with nice pocket depth. He consistently sat back in his stance and used good arm extension to keep defenders off his frame. His technique was great, also used enough forward lean to never get bent backward, allowing him to be settle into his groove without being bullied, compromised. In the run game, he played with power and hemmed his man up well. He played through the whistled, always finished with some bully mentality.
8) Brady Christensen | 6'5 | 300 | OT | BYU -
10/17 - Houston - Christensen really had a good game. He mirrored well in pass pro, was able to handle strength and/or quickness. He was technically proficient as a run blocker, got good angles on defenders and sealed them off nicely.
10/31 - Western Kentucky - Christensen performed quite well. The match up here was him vs. DeAngelo Malone, a craft EDGE player who'll most likely get drafted himself. Christensen shit him down all game, had no issues handling anything the defender brought his way.
11/6 - Boise State - Christensen shined again. He played with commanding strength, never looked outmatched nor showing any credible chinks in his armor. Based on his body of work thus far, he looks like he could work into a starting NFL LT spot.
12/5 - Coastal Carolina - Christensen had a quality game, played near flawless ball until their last drive of the game. He got beat by Gunter on an inside move, drew a holding call. Overall, he mirrored quite week and showed power on down blocks. He hemmed Gunter up often, a defender who looked good tonight.
9) Jalen Mayfield | 6'5 | 326 | OT | Michigan -
10/24 - Minnesota - Mayfield had a very solid game. He was a wall in pass pro, mirrored quite well and used good arm extension. In the run game, he often washed his man off the edge, or at a minimum hemmed him up. While he wasn't as strong on inside runs, he was adequate.
10/31 - Michigan State - Mayfield had a great game. While he missed hitting his LB targets a couple times on his releases, he was outstanding on his 1:1 blocks. His kick slide was fluid, he being able to mirror very well in pass pro. In the un game, he exhibited controlled power, able to seal his man off the ball to create a nice bead to the open field.
Mayfield has excellent size and plays with good fluidity. While he may be able to kick over and play LT, he looks natural at RT. He has a decent kick slide coupled with good mirroring abilities. He handles power and distributes his weight accordingly to manage power players. If not driving his man in the outside run game, he'll at least set the edge and give his back enough time to clear the LOS. There are technical flaws to his game, however. In his pass sets, he'll sometimes catch the defender vs. landing a well-timed punch. This could make him suspect to elite bull rushers at the next level. Additionally, his stance and set up is vastly different when it's a pass vs. run. This is a dead give away to defenders who could capitalize accordingly at times if well-coached. He impressed vs. Alabama in the Citrus Bowl.
10) Samuel Cosmi | 6'5 | 295 | OT | Texas -
Cosmi is a very sound, technical blocker who carries out his assignments well. In pass protection, he displays a good kick slide and is able to ride defenders wide when facing an arch rush. He isn't real heavy which nor does he play with great anchor strength. He can too often get jacked back against bull rushes, not always able to reset. As a run blocker, he's accustomed to landing back side down blocks well. When going head up, he'll at minimum hem his man up long enough for plays to develop. If he can get bigger and stronger, he should be just fine.
9/12 - UTEP - Cosmi manned his LT spot well, showed some leveled toughness as a run blocker. He was a wall in pass pro.
9/26 - Texas Tech - Cosmi had a steady game, but his play was never good or bad. He was adequate in both the run and pass game, but he never looked dominant in either regard. His lack of power was exposed at times, and he was too tight in his kick slide in other instances as well. Again, he hemmed up his man and did his job.
10/3- TCU - Cosmi looked ho-hum to me in the contest. His pass blocking was adequate to good, but his run blocking was hit or miss. There were too many run plays where he did little to move his guy, not helping his RB.
10/24 - Baylor - Cosmi had just one series where he looked a bit off. Otherwise, he handle strength and quickness well in pass pro, and landed some crushing blocks in the run game. He looked like a franchise LT most of this game.
10/31 - OK State - Cosmi had a very complete game, did well in pass pro and as a run blocker. He displayed controlled power in both respects, looked like a good blindside NFL prospect, able to mirror guys and handle quickness and power.
11/27 - Iowa State - Cosmi didn't look bad by any stretch, but I didn't see nearly as much pop or power in his play today. He often gets tabbed as more of a finesse player, and he was deserving of as much today.
11) Dillon Radunz | 6'6 | 300 | OT | North Dakota State
12) Spencer Brown | 6'8 | 321 | OT | Northern Iowa
13) Walker Little | 6'6 | 312 | OT | Stanford - (Opting Out)
Walker is a long, fluid blindside protector who looks the part when healthy. He's a natural knee-bender who mirrors well in pass protection. While fluid, he handles strength well and exhibits some of his own in handling bull rushes. In the run game, he routinely keeps his hands tight and inside and controls his man. At times, you will see Walker plays with some real dominance and bullying. This big knock on Walker is his knee health, as he's missed plenty of time dealing with injuries. A lot will hinge on his medical evaluation.
14) Jackson Carman | 6'5 | 345 | OT/OG | Clemson -
Carman is a huge kid who plays with commanding power. He has enough size and strength to where he can sit back in his stance and take on bull rushes quite well. His feet aren't real quick, but he's fluid enough in his kick slide to routinely ride defenders wide. He will waist-bend at times and doesn't always keep his hands tight and inside. So he does have some work to do. As a run blocker, he can wash defenders out, having great success when he's locked on. With refinement he could develop into a very adequate if not good blindside protector.
10/3 - Virginia - Carmen was adequate today, but his play showed holes in his game. While he was effective in pass pro, his hands got wide at times and he grasped defenders vs. using a punch. In the run game, he fell off some blocks and didn't finish. For a guy of his size and ability, he should've been a lot more dominant in getting a push.
10/31 - Boston College - Carman generally hemmed his man up, but he didn't flash the feet of an NFL LT. Despite his size, he lost the power battle at times in pass pro.
11/7 - Notre Dame - Carman had a very good night. He played with sheer strength and command on the left side, gobbled up defenders in both the run game and in pass pro. This speak volume considering the edge talent the Irish has.
11/28 - Pittsburgh - Carman did get exposed by Patrick Jones on an inside counter move, but the huge OT won the war and looked like he very well could end up being a Day 1 selection.
12/5 - VA Tech - Carman played with commanding strength, as he routinely washed guys out in pass pro and in the run game. While he didn't always finish guys off as a run blocker, he did his part creating lanes.
15) Stone Forsythe | 6'6 | 330 | OT | Florida
9/26 - Ole Miss - Forsythe carried out his blocking duties in both the pass and run game, but didn't flash doing so. He wasn't smooth in either regard, looked like a player who got by because of his size and strength. That said, he was effective and never looked bad per se.
10/3 - South Carolina - Forsythe was merely average in this one. He whiffed a few times, was solid on other snaps. His lack of overall athleticism was noticeable.
10/31 - Missouri - Solid game, as he held up in both pass pro and in the run game. He didn't wow, but was reliable in all regards.
11/7 - Georgia - Forsythe was far from perfect, but he held quite well against a fierce front with good edges.
11/21 - Vanderbilt - Forsythe had a down game, as he was beat on a few occasions. He lacked anchor strength and mobility.
16) D'Ante Smith | 6'4 | 292 | OT | East Carolina
9/26 - UCF - On the plus side, Smith looked very athletic, showed very quick feet and the ability to move well in all directions. He generally tied hsi man up and was able to stay between he and the ball. On the down side, Smith looked light, almost like a TE. He got grabby at times and his lack of brute strength shown through.
17) James Hudson III | 6'4 | 302 | OT | Cincinnati
18) Josh Ball | 6'8 | 310 | OT | Marshall
9/12 - Eastern Kentucky - Ball looked good off the hoof, showing good size and the feet to block the arc rush. While he asserted himself with decent power as a run blocker, he was a bit top-heavy at times and lost his latch on his opponent. He routinely controlled his man however and was offered little in the way of a challenge. I need to watch him more, but certainly looked like a draft-worthy player based on this game.
9/19 - Appalachian State - Ball had a very good game, played with very good feet and balance. He mirrored well in pass pro, while showing power and good technique in the run game.
10/10 - Western Kentucky - Ball continued to impress. He mirrored very well in pass pro and showed commanding strength as a run blocker. While he did get a tad high a few times, he routinely landed his block and took his man out of contention. DeAngelo Malone is a solid edge prospect, and Ball owned him a number of times.
11/14 - Middle Tennessee State - Ball had a nice game. He did get a bit top-heavy at times and lunge, would also turn his shoulders vs. staying square to the LOS in pass sets. But, he was very effective and feisty. He played through the whistle each snap, showed a lot of ability.
12/19 - UAB - Ball had himself a nice game. He often drew Jordan Smith, a solid NFL a prospect himself. However, Ball routinely hemmed him up, didn't allow a sack.
19) Adrian Ealey | 6'5 | 328 | OT | Oklahoma
9/26 - Kansas State - Ealey had a sold game. While he did get beat pretty badly by Hubert on one snap, giving up a sack, he won several other battles against him. His technique and play wasn't always real smooth, but he got the job done.
10/3 - Iowa State - Ealey had a few slip ups, but was otherwise dependable. Speed to the outside gave him some issues, and he didn't always play with good hand technique. But, he showed strength and was able to hem his guy up.
10/24 - TCU - Ealey looked limited athletically, especially when having to run block on sweeps, perimeter runs. Otherwise, he was reliable. He wasn't fluid in his kick slide and seemed to lumber a bit, but he almost always hemmed his man up and got the job done.
11/21 - Oklahoma State - Ealey carried out his assignments in usual fashion, never standing out in the good or bad. Again, reliable.
20) Dan Moore | 6'4 | 315 | OT | Texas A&M -
11/28 - LSU - Moore had a very good game. Despite looking like he has a rather squat frame, he mirrored well, consistently kept his shoulders square on the defender. No matter who he went against, including Gaye, Moore won the battle.
12/5 - Auburn - Moore had a real solid game. He had some nice 1:1 vs. Big Kat Bryant, w/ Moore winning more than he lost. The one thing I noticed was that Moore will struggle somewhat on wide arc rushes, simply lacking the length and fluidity to stay with good edge guys around the bend.
21) Drew Himmelman | 6'9 | 315 | OT | Illinois State
22) Landon Young | 6'6 | 320 | OT | Kentucky
9/26 - Auburn - Young really looked the part in this one. In pass pro, he showed a good kick slide and mirrored well. He engulfed edge rushers and kept the pocket clean. In the run game, he played with good power and was able to hem guys up and move them off the point.
10/17 - Tennessee - Young had a solid game. While he didn't flash as a run blocker, he routinely tied his man up long enough for run lanes to be had. He was very reliable in pass pro, showed a fluid kick slide and mirrored well.
10/24 - Missouri - Young looked limited athletically, especially on his skip pulls. he did much better on head up run blocking where his assignment was to seal the DE outside. While not real fluid, he held up well in pass pro.
11/21 - Alabama - Young held his ground pretty well, going against NFL-caliber players all day. While he never stood out as dominant, he didn't get abused.
23) Kayode Awosika | 6'5 | 310 | OT | Buffalo
11/4 - Northern Illinois - Awosika looked somewhat raw and unpolished, but he moved well and finished blocks. He mirrored well in pass pro and kept defenders at arm's length. He asserted himself well in the run game, showed some requisite power. With time and development I could see him making a name for himself.
24) Cole Van Lanen | 6'5 | 311 | OT | Wisconsin
10/24 - Illinois - Van Lanen played with strength and was effective when latched onto his man. In pass pro, he generally rode his man wide of the pocket. While he was decent with his down blocks in the run game, his athletic limitations showed when he released to the 2nd level.
25) Brenden Jaimes | 6'5 | 330 | OT | Nebraska
10/24 - Ohio State - Jaimes played with plus power and was able to land controlling blocks a number of times. He clearly lacked great fluidity and mobility, but was certainly adequate when latched on.
11/14 - Penn State - Jaimes had a very solid game. He often went against Shaka Toney and was able to neutralize his on several snaps.
26) Foster Sarell | 6'7 | 311 | OT | Stanford
11/7 - Oregon - Sarell didn't impress. He looked stodgy out of his stance and lacked fluidity in his kick slide when blocking the arc rush. Little success come from running behind his blocks in the run game either.
27) Calvin Ashley | 6'6 | 314 | OT | Florida A&M
999) Abraham Lucas | 6'6 | 320 | OT | Washington State
999) Daniel Faalele | 6'8 | 400 | OT | Minnesota
999) Rasheed Walker | 6'5 | 324 | OT | Penn State -
999) Austin Deculus | 6'6 | 320 | OT | LSU
999) Thayer Munford | 6'5 | 310 | OT | Ohio State
999) Tyler Vrabel | 6'5 | 310 | OT | Boston College