2018 Draft Preview, Part 9: Offensive Line

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April 10, 2018

by Adam Taraschke

This week, I am going to combine my offensive tackle (OT) and offensive guard (OG) previews.  With draft day quickly approaching I thought it would make more sense to cover both position groups in one big preview.  OL is a big need for Washington and bigger need than most fans realize.  Obviously, the hole at LG needs to be filled, but the line lacks solid depth overall. Ty Nsekhe is a damn good backup, but he’s not getting any younger. It would be in the team’s best interest to draft at least 2 solid OL this year.  Trent Williams has showed no signs of slowing down, but with his recent surgery it may be time to start looking into developmental tackles who can take his place a few years down the road.  Regardless of the teams plans there are some very talented players in this year’s class.

Offensive Tackles

  1. Connor Williams (Texas) 6’5″, 320
  2. Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame) 6’8″, 312
  3. Kolton Miller (UCLA) 6’9″, 310
  4. Jamarco Jones (Ohio State) 6’5″, 310
  5. Martinas Rankin (Mississippi State) 6’5″, 305
  6. Brian O’Neill (Pittsburgh) 6’7″, 305
  7. Orlando Brown (Oklahoma) 6’8″, 360
  8. Desmond Harrison (West Georgia) 6’6″, 288
  9. Tyrell Crosby (Oregon) 6’5″, 325
  10. Chukwuma Okorafor (Western Michigan) 6’6″, 330

Day 1 prospect: Connor Williams (Texas) 6’5″, 320

Strengths: He plays with constant elite technique. He is a good athlete for the position. Great footwork, gets on track and makes a hole for the runner  Explosive hips on contact.  Quick hands and feet in his pass set. He is a good lateral athlete in the pass game.  Great effort while working to secure his blocks and a nasty streak to finish those blocks.  Good athlete in space who can be utilized in the screen game.  He can mirror well as a pass blocker.  He is a fast processor on the field and that allows him to pick up twists and stunts with ease.  Hand placement is excellent.

Weaknesses: He lacks the high-end length that some teams covet.  Has shown tendency to lean against power rushers. He needs to work to keep his hips square in his pass pro. His tape is vastly different after his injury this year.  He did not play with the same drive or quickness as the years prior.  He lacked the same power and strength he had in the season before.

Overall: Williams is a tough prospect to project because of his up and down career.  When healthy I believe he is the best OT in this class, but when he is not healthy he may slip out of round 1.  I believe he can regain that confidence once he is healthy and play at a high level in the NFL.  He has the versatility to play all 5 positions on the line.  He is quick and stout in the pass game and has great athleticism and toughness to dominate the run game.  He could slide in and start day 1 at LG and slowly develop into Trent’s replacement in a few years.  He Is a technician with great athleticism.  His length worries me more than anything; however, his hand placement and work ethic lead me to believe he will succeed at the next level.  If he can get healthy and back to player I watched a year a go he is a top 15 pick easy.

Day 2 prospect: Martinas Rankin (Mississippi State) 6’5″, 305

Strengths: Versatile guy who will be better on the inside than the outside.  He has quick, deliberate feet and powerful hands to back them up.  Patient in his pass sets.  He is a good lateral athlete who can mirror defenders off the edge.  He is a smart player who can diagnose defenses quickly.  He gets consistent movement on down blocks.  He’s shown good quickness and awareness to get to the 2nd level on a consistent basis.  Explodes into defenders to create a sudden pop of movement.  High IQ guy who may be best suited for center.

Weaknesses: He has average foot quickness for an OT.  He is inconsistent with his hand placement.  He needs to work on his pad level.  He needs to work on his leg drive to finish blocks.  He must work on resetting his hands in the pass game against the bull rush. Struggles with speed off the edge.

Overall: Rankins is another guy who can play multiple positions and could slide into LG day 1.  He could literally be a backup to all 5 starters and eventually become a staring OT in the league.  He is such a mentally savvy player that you can see him getting better at the next level despite his lack of elite athleticism. The Redskins are not hurting for players on the outside which is why I am highlighting players like Rankins and Williams. They offer you early impact at OG and future impact at OT. His versatility, football IQ and power make him one of the better overall OL prospects in this class.

Day 3 prospect: Desmond Harrison (West Georgia) 6’6″, 288

Strengths: He possesses the rare combination of elite athleticism and length that the NFL loves.  Has an NFL frame ready for another 35 lbs.  Excels on reach blocks and cutoffs using his elite quickness to his benefit.  He is a violent finisher who looks to punish his opponent. Dominated his lower level of competition.  He has the feet to be a top-level LT in the NFL.  Outstanding blocker in space.

Weaknesses: He is a boom-or-bust type prospect with little starting experience at the position.  He has some off the field issues that will need to be checked out.  He is very raw technically and will need some serious coaching at the next level.  He played against low level competition for much of his career.  He is far too light to play in the NFL at this point.  His lack of reps makes him a step slow to react to twists and stunts.  Despite his quick feet he needs to work on the technical aspects of his kick step.

Overall: Harrison is as freaky of an athlete that’s in this draft.  He has all the ability in the world you are looking for in a starting LT.  His checkered background and lack of snaps against high-level competition make his projection a tough one.  I think if you are going to take a chance on a raw OL prospect in the 4th round, Harrison makes a ton of sense.  Callahan would give him the best chance to grow into a starting caliber OL.  He could work as a backup swing tackle until he develops into a starting tackle and slide in to replace Williams in a few years.

Interior Offensive Lineman

  1. Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame) 6’5″, 330
  2. Isaiah Wynn (Georgia) 6’3″, 313
  3. Will Hernandez (UTEP) 6’2″, 348
  4. James Daniels (Iowa) 6’3″, 295
  5. Frank Ragnow (Arkansas) 6’5″, 309
  6. Billy Price (Ohio State) 6’4″, 312
  7. Braden Smith (Auburn) 6’6″, 303
  8. Austin Corbett (Nevada) 6’4″, 305
  9. Wyatt Teller (Virginia Tech) 6’4″, 301
  10. Colby Gossett (Appalachian St) 6’5″, 315

Day 1 prospect: Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame) 6’5″, 330

Strengths: Powerful, athletic prospect who can move defenders where he wants, when he wants.  Elite technician with power and quickness to match.  Hard to overpower him.  Once he gets his hands on you it is all over.  Super aggressive when looking to finish blocks.  Makes life easy on his tackle when double-teaming a DL.  Drives defenders out of the hole creating huge running lanes.  He is a fluid athlete in space.  He consistently wins in the pass game by latching onto defenders and holding his ground. He has great awareness of what the defense is trying to do. He has a quick and deliberate pass set that is followed by a powerful strike.

Weaknesses: He tends to drop his head into contact when trying to destroy his opponents.  Struggles with speed rushers more than anything.  Minor injuries over the years.  He needs to look to climb to the 2nd level sooner rather than punishing the DL and missing the LB.

Overall: Nelson is the best OL prospect I’ve ever graded. He excels in every facet of OL play and has almost no weaknesses.  He is a powerful, bully in the run game who creates massive running lanes.  He is stout and quick in the pass game maintaining a clean, deep pocket for his QB.  He will step into the league as one of the best guards in the game.  He is one of the cleanest prospects I’ve ever seen.  He does everything you ask of a guard at an elite level.  He will make the entire offense better with his presence.  I highly doubt he makes It anywhere near the 13th pic, but If he does Dan Snyder himself should sprint the draft card to the table.

Day 2 prospect: Frank Ragnow (Arkansas) 6’5″, 309

Strengths: Showed good strength and toughness throughout his time at Arkansas.  He is a technician with excellent hands he uses to control his opponents.  Looks to drive defenders as far away from the ball as he can.  He is excellent at sorting through traffic and getting to the 2nd level. He is very aware in pass pro and rarely makes a mental mistake in the pass game. He anchors well in the pass game.  He is a very capable combo blocker in the run game.

Weaknesses: He needs to work to keep a consistent base through contact.  He loses some technique when trying to bury defenders.  Struggles against quick interior defenders.  His injury history is his biggest flaw.  He will need to be cleared by team docs before he is ranked properly.

Overall: Ragnow is one of my favorite prospects in this class.  He is a top 2-3 C/OG despite his injury and maybe higher without it.  There just isn’t much to hate on with this prospect.  He is a tough, aggressive player in the run game.  He is smart enough to maximize his athleticism and get the most out of himself in the pass game.  He would compete for the starting LG job as soon as he stepped on the field and would give the team a viable backup center.  He is a good leader and a better teammate.  I see a prospect who can play the interior three positions and play either at a high level.  He is comfortable in a zone or gap scheme which makes him a good fit in this offense. I think a smart, physical player like Ragnow could learn a lot playing next to Trent Williams. He would make a great fit for the team in the 2nd round.  He would fill a huge need, provide depth, and add another strong leader to the locker room.

Day 3 prospects: Braden Smith (Auburn) 6’6″, 303

Strengths: Braden looks the part when he walks into a room. He has an NFL ready frame right now and loads of power to go with it. Strength is the name of the game with Smith, he is a road grader in the run game.  He has powerful hands that allow him to negate power rushers at the line.  Solid core strength and body control for his size.  Always fighting for better hand position.  Excellent at getting movement in the run game.  Decent athlete who can make some plays in space.

Weaknesses: He is not an elite athlete.  Opens his chest to defenders too frequently.  He needs faster hands and feet to be in the right position to make plays.  He struggles getting to the 2nd level.  Slow out of his stance.  His pass set needs work.  He has slow feet and struggles against lateral movement on the line.

Overall: Smith brings you a ton of power and aggression to the position, but he lacks the balance and athleticism that the upper tier OG prospects have.  He has the frame and ability to be coached into a starting NFL OG, but he needs to be coached hard.  Callahan would love to get his hands onto a big, talented OL like Smith.  He isn’t my favorite prospect, but if he falls to the 4th round I like his value as a potential starter.

Highest Ceiling: Desmond Harrison

Highest Floor: Quenton Nelson

Most Pro Ready: Quenton Nelson

Best Run Blocker: Quenton Nelson

Best Pass Blocker: Connor Williams

Most Athletic: Desmond Harrison

Most Versatile: Connor Williams

Biggest Riser: Frank Ragnow

Biggest Sleeper: Martinas Rankin

Best Left Tackle: Connor Williams

Best Left Guard: Quenton Nelson

Best Center: James Daniels

Best Right Guard: Isaiah Wynn

Best Right Tackle: Mike McGlinchey

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