Washington Position Group Breakdown 2024: Offensive Tackles

May 8, 2024

by David Earl

The Tackle Group Doesn’t Inspire

Entering the 2024 draft, many expected Adam Peters to address the offensive line, primarily the left tackle position, but walked away with a tackle many scouts project as a guard in Brandon Coleman. While anything is possible, and perhaps Peters sees something in Coleman that will remain to be seen, but it is fair to see that decision a reach. The concerning aspect of this was just how terrible this unit was last season. According to Team Rankings, Washington ended up ranking near to last (or last) in most statistical categories:

• Ranked 26th in rushing yards per game (93.6), but did rank 7th in yards per attempt (4.4). Terrible playcalling played away from this unit’s only strength.
• Ranked 31st in sacks allowed per game (3.8).
• Ranked 28th in total sack percentage (9.27%).
• Ranked 26th in passer rating (81.6). While this is mainly a quarterback stat, the pressure rate allowed by this offensive line certainly contributed to a poor rating.

This unit was not completely addressed through the draft and the players signed/retained do not present the most reassuring of situations heading into the 2024 season.  There are still a few options available in free agency, such as Donovan Smith and David Bakhtiari; in addition, the option exists to bring back Charles Leno Jr. The only issues with these options are age and injuries, which presents a huge wild card. With Washington drafting Jayden Daniels as their future, one has to be concerned about another Sam Howell situation from the tackle situation. The interior of the line, which we will cover later, seems to have been improved but the bookend tackles are trusted to face some of the league’s most athletic pass rushers. Andrew Wylie was a turnstile at right tackle at best last season and Cornelius Lucas being entrusted as the new starting left tackle gives immediate concerns on the surface. Lucas has spent the majority of his career as a swing tackle. Can he be reliable enough to protect Daniels’ blindside? Luckily for Daniels, his mobility and overall dynamic running style will serve him much better behind a unit in which Sam Howell did not fair well. So what does Washington’s tackle group look like heading into the 2024 season?

Projected Starters

LT Cornelius Lucas: Age 33, 327lbs, 6’8″

• Experience: 10-year career most as swing tackle with 47 total career starts.
• Run Down: Lucas filled in for Charles Leno at left tackle, a position he last started on a relatively consistent basis in 2020 starting 8 games in 14 game appearances. Primarily a swing tackle, Lucas has proven to be a solid right tackle and a quality left tackle spot starter at times.  His best start of 2023 week 6 against Atlanta playing 51 offensive snaps allowing no quarterback pressures or sacks.

RT Andrew Wylie: Age 30, 309lbs, 6’6″

• Experience: 6-year career with time split between guard and tackle. In 74 total career starts, 35 starts were at guard and 39 as a tackle.
• Wylie allowed nine sacks during the 2023 season and was on one of Washington’s most horrifying offensive lines (in recent memory), allowing a total of 65 sacks on Sam Howell. He only committed 4 total penalties in 15 starts but poor footwork and a slow first step off the line led to many struggles all year to athletic edge rushers.

Projected Depth

Brandon Coleman: Age 23, 320lbs, 6’6″

• Experience: A year-one rookie drafted in the third round. Before that had 34 career starts in three seasons with TCU. Of those 34 starts, 12 were at guard and 22 at tackle.
• Scouting Report: Very athletic lineman with an excellent reach and well-coordinated footwork. Holds blocks very well and gets to the second level quickly. Can be inconsistent with hand placement and struggles against rushers’ redirection. Projected to be a guard while being a viable emergency tackle when needed. Washington initially drafted Coleman as a tackle.

Trenton Scott: Age 30, 320lbs, 6’5″

• Experience: 6-year career primarily as a tackle with 22 total career starts and 16 of those as a tackle.
• Run Down: Has played both tackle and guard but is not a great athlete with very poor feet. Struggles against speed rushers and doesn’t hold his blocks very well once engaged.

Braeden Daniels: Age 23, 297lbs, 6’4″

• Experience: Draft last year in the 4th round of the draft seeing no playing time as a rookie. Before then had 43 career starts for Utah in four seasons with 18 starts at guard and 25 last at tackle (14 at left and 11 on the right side).
• Scouting Report: Very similar to Brandon Coleman. Daniels is an athletic lineman with good lateral movement. Uses leverage very well and recovers quickly when beaten. Does lack consistency in footwork and will tend to lean too far forward on run blocking losing balance at times.

Alex Akingbulu: Age 27, 300lbs, 6’5″

• Experience: Last season first year with zero starts for Washington. Before then had 17 career starts for Fresno State in three seasons.
• Scouting Report: Quick with his footwork and finishes blocks fair well when engaged. A solid athletic lineman with good coordinated hand movements. Does drop his head too often and is not very explosive after the snap. Lacks overall body control and will struggle in most complex blocking schemes.

David Nwaogwugwu: Age ??, 301lbs, 6’5

• Undrafted free agent signing whose college career spanned over Toledo, Rutgers, and Temple logging in 16 starts in 32 game appearances.
• Run Down: After transferring to his 3rd and final school in Toledo, Nwaogwugwu settled in at right tackle anchoring one of the best offensive units in college football. His Pro Day resulted in him doing 20 repetitions of 225lbs, 9’02” broad jump, 4.90-second 20-yard shuttle, and running the 40-yard dash in 5.23 seconds.