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2012 DRAFT OT PROFILES

*Note players not necessarily listed in order of grade

Matt Kalil
, Southern California, 6-6, 295, 5.05, JR … Former superstar recruit kept Tyron Smith, the 9th player selected at the 2011 draft, at RT last fall; has all the tools including long arms and the athletic feet of an elite NFL LT; not huge at under 300 pounds but is physical run defender with a real burst of the line of scrimmage and the strength to maul opponents; can als get to the second level and make a block in space; needs to bring it on every play, though, as he has been inconsistent in the past and will lose focus on occasion; has good football bloodlines as father player professionally, while brother Ryan is currently a starter with Carolina.

Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State, 6-5, 320, 5.25, SR …  Accomplished veteran offensive who was recruited out of the junior college ranks as an OG, plays RT, but can fill in at LT in a pinch and has also worked as an extra TE on occasion; intense player has prototype size and strength with some quickness and good bend; dominating road-grader who brings an attitude to every play; gets off the snap with authority and keeps pads low; gets a real push off the line of scrimmage, although not as effective blocking in space; technically solid pass blocker did not allow a sack in 2010; sets up well with a solid base and gets good arm extension; has a good slide step and some lateral agility, but likely lacks the really nimble feet to figure at LT at the next level; smart, mature player is an education major who wants to coach down the road.

Jonathan Martin, Stanford, 6-6, 305, 5.30, JR … Good-looking LT prospect has had Andrew Luck’s blind side covered the past couple of seasons; has a long frame and while he isn’t as bulky as other top OL prospects has the build to add another 15-25 pounds; more quick than fast with light feet as well as good balance, agility and body control; pops out of his stance and does a great job sealing off the edge; also has long arms and a solid punch; decent run blocker who keeps pads low and maintains leverage; still not necessarily a great athlete and doesn’t change direction all that well and may not have the elite foot speed to protect the edge against speed rushers at the next level.

Mike Adams, Ohio State, 6-8, 305, 5.25, SR … Tall, lean offensive tackle with all the tools to play at the next level, but who is still an unfinished product; has long arms, relatively quick feet and some natural athleticism for a tall tackle; also uses his hands well to control opposing defenders and plays with good leverage; has good range toward the edge and is tough to turn the corner on; can also dominate at the point of attack, but needs to do so on a more consistent basis; struggles to keep pads down at times and while he is natural knee-bender often plays too tall; footwork also tends to be ragged at times; also needs to add some more bulk and get stronger to be able to consistently anchor at the next level and get some push in the run game; one of several Buckeyes who will miss the first five games of the season due to suspension for accepting improper benefits; also has had some durability issues as he missed three games in 2009 with a knee injury and most of 2008 with a shoulder problem.

Andrew Datko, Florida State, 6-6, 315, 5.15, SR … Veteran LT with a great work ethic has started 36 games; has also held up very well facing some of the very good pass-rushing DEs in the ACC; rangy player with long arms; also a weight-room warrior with very good functional strength; gets good arm extension and can bend his knees, but has to work hard to keep defenders from getting under his pads; has the quick feet and agility to cut-off the edge; has a good slide step and can change direction; also an enthusiastic drive blocker who works to the whistle, but still more of a seal-off blocker who struggles at times to stay low and maintain leverage; amissed three games in 2010 with a shoulder injury; outstanding student who translates that intelligence on to the field.

Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin, 6-5, 325, 5.30, JR … The latest in what seems like a never-ending line of big, physical Badger LTs; originally recruited as a TE, but has grown into a hulking offensive lineman; has surprising agility for a big man with the ability to change direction and bend at the knees; also has a nice slide step and can cut off the corner; physical drive blocker with good strength can get to the second level; also uses hands well to control opposing defenders. 

Riley Reiff, Iowa, 6-5, 300, 4.95, JR … Converted TE who was recruited as a DE out of high school; not huge by current NFL standards at barely 300 pounds, but has good functional strength and has the long frame to add some bulk; also has long arms and light feet; not all that physical a run blocker, but has a quick first step, gets good arm extension and keeps pads low and is very effective sealing defenders off from the ball; can also get to the second level; as a former three-time state wrestling champion with a career record of 121-1 knows how to get and maintain leverage; has the athletic feet to cut off the edge in pass protection; also gets good knee bend and can change direction; technically sound, but can look a little mechanical at times.

Nate Potter, Boise State, 6-6, 300, 5.10, SR … Smart, technically polished LT prospect; has good body length, but doesn’t have prototype long arms; also not all that bulky at barely 300 pounds; has a thin lower body and isn’t particularly strong; has some short-area quickness, good balance and body control and can bend his knees; consistently gains leverage off the snap and plays to the whistle; understands the game and doesn’t make many mistakes; has an adequate slide step and mirrors well both drive blocking and in pass protection; also takes good angles and can seal off defenders; not very physical, though, and doesn’t get much push; also can be bull-rushed protecting the pocket; and while he has a reasonably quick first step, he lacks elite feet and struggles to cut off the edge against fast outside pass rushers; has been banged up at times in his career, but has battled through the issues; versatile player could also play inside at OG in a zone blocking scheme; bottom line is that there is a lot to like in a hard-working player that knows the game and has some athletic ability, but may be overrated because of somewhat limited upside resulting from a lack of real strength and elite feet.

Bobbie Massie, Mississippi, 6-6, 315, 5.15, JR … Plays RT for Ole Miss but has the size and athleticism to figure as a LT at the next level; actually originally signed with Virginia Tech and was heavily recruited by Alabama but opted to go to Ole Miss where he started from day one; has excellent size with long arms and quick feet; gets decent knee bend with good balance, but needs to concentrate on keeping pads low; can also change direction and can cut off the edge, solid drive blocker who finishes off block.

Matt Reynolds, BYU, 65, 325, 5.40, SR … Arguably the most heralded recruit in BYU history has not disappointed; three-year starter working on a 39-game consecutive starting streak; played through a painful shoulder injury last fall, though, and underwent post-season surgery which forced him to miss spring practice; physically dominating drive blocker who engulfs defenders at the point of attack; has long arms and decent short-area quickness; also plays with a bit of mean streak; also gets good arm extension protecting the pocket and  is a long way around, but lacks the athletic feet to figure as a LT in the NFL so will have to switch to the right side or OG;  son of a coach, is a rock-solid citizen who is married with a daughter; also a good student, but will be 25 when he finally gets to a pro camp after doing a church mission.

Blake DeChristopher, Virginia Tech, 6-5, 315, 5.10, SR … Experienced four-year starter; smart, tough and aggressive; mauling drive blocker with long arms, good functional weight-room strength and a great motor; also has decent straight-line speed, but overall is not very athletic; does have some short-area quickness, but is stiff and not very agile and struggles to cut the edge off against fast outside rushers; in fact, could be best suited to playing a power OG at the next level; missed two games in 2008 with and a bruised kidney and one in 2009 with an ankle injury, but otherwise is a durable, well-conditioned athlete who more often than not plays every snap with the Hokies.

Matt McCants, Alabama-Birmingham, 6-6, 295, 5.25, SR ... Athletic LT prospect with 31 career starts; still somewhat of a raw prospect, though, as he played the tuba in the school band and didn’t play football until his final year in high school; has long arms and light feet and is an excellent pass blocker who can cut off the edge; also has a natural bend and can change direction; quick off the snap in the run game and does a nice job sealing off defender, but doesn’t get much push as he will struggle to keep his pads low; also needs to get bigger and stronger; did not play in 2008 because of academics  and missed spring practice this year after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.

Mitchell Schwartz, California, 6-5, 325, 5.45, SR … Physically-imposing veteran with 38 career starts including 22 at LT; smart player; mauling drive blocker with excellent upper body strength and good leg drive; has long arms and a strong punch, but technique could stand some refinement; also needs to develop a nasty streak; has some short-area quickness, but is not very fast or agile and struggles to cut off the edge in pass protection; in fact, could even end up at OG at the next level; missed the spring with a back problem, but is expected to be fine this fall; brother of Carolina OT Geoff Schwartz, a 7th round pick in 2008.

Brandon Mosley, Auburn, 6-5, 310, 5.25, SR … Interesting prospect who played DE and TE at the prep and junior college levels, but came off the bench to star at OT the Tigers during their championship run last fall when he started the final 11 games of the year mostly at RT; athletic player with long arms and light feet; also has very good functional strength; physical run blocker, but isn’t all that technically polished; same as a pass blocker as he has upside tools, but is very raw.

Mike Ryan, UConn, 6-5, 335, 5.35, SR … Big, lumbering RT prospect is a prototype road grader drive blocking while he’s a long way around to the QB; will play LT this fall, but lacks the quickness and athletic feet for the position in the NFL; rangy tackle with long arms and excellent upper body strength; fundamentally sound gets good arm extension and keeps feet moving but just isn’t very quick or agile; weight control and conditioning could also be issues down the road.

Tony Bergstrom, Utah, 6-5, 315, 5.30, SR … Third-year starter with 27 career starts; big, physical RT prospect with some athleticism; has a long frame and good lower body thickness and strength; mauling run blocker who gets off the snap quickly and will stay with block, but will lunge at times and lose balance and leverage; also not very agile in space and isn’t going to make many blocks on the move; gets a good punch when protecting the pocket, understands angles and leverage, and works hard to keep the outside of the pocket clean; indeed, did not give up a sack in 2010, but still likely lacks the quickness, flexibility and agility to handle fast outside pass rushers at the next level; older player who took two years off doing mission will be 26 when he heads to first NFL training camp next summer; mature player who is married and is a good student majoring in chemical engineering.

Bradley Sowell, Mississippi, 6-7, 315, 5.35, SR … Has started 24 games at LT for Ole Miss after replacing Michael Oher of “The Blind Side” fame; actually played some TE in a pinch early in his career, but lacks the athleticism to man the left side at the next level; has a long frame with a huge wingspan and is a long way around, but is stiff and not very nimble afoot; also does not have a heavy punch; has good upper body strength, though, and is a solid drive blocker with a bit of a nasty streak; also a hard worker who has gotten in much better shape than earlier in his career when he struggled with conditioning. 

Jordan Gibbs, Pittsburgh, 6-6, 305, 5.10, SR … Athletic emerging LT prospect who takes over the position from Jason Pinkston; converted TE who didn’t play OT until arriving at Pitt; also a very good basketball player in high school; long player with a huge wingspan; very light on his feet; can change direction as well as cut-off the edge; not all that bulky, but a very aggressive run blocker who can get to the second level.

Marcel Jones, Nebraska, 6-6, 320, 5.30, SR … Big RT prospect has battled injuries much of his career; missed the first 10 games of the 2010 season because of back problems and also sat out three games in 2009 with an ankle, while he also missed his junior year in high school; if healthy is a long OT with a huge wingspan who is hard to get around; also has good strength and an effective punch, but actually isn’t all that physical in the run game and isn’t that nimble defending the pocket; smart, hard-working player who gives it his all.

Zebrie Sanders, Florida State, 6-5, 310, 5.30, SR … Combines with LT Andrew Datko to give FSU one of the better sets of bookend OTs in the country, although he’s neither the athlete nor the prospect; four-year starter with 37 career starts mostly at RT; has decent size and long arms; also has good strength and is an effective drive blocker who keeps his pads low and can get to the second level; also has some short-area quickness, but has limited foot speed, doesn’t change direction all that well and struggles to cut off the edge; former Eagle Scout is a character player who is an outstanding student and a one-time violist in a chamber orchestra.

Trevor Olson, Northern Illinois, 6-6, 305, 5.30, SR … Starter from day one at NIU where he has started 40 straight games at LT; solid all-around blocker with a long frame and long arms; also has some knee bend, but is not necessarily a great athlete and may have to shift to RT at the next level as he lacks the real light feet to cut off the edge; willing drive blocker with some short-area quickness can get to the second level; could add some bulk and get stronger; technically sound pass-blocker who gets good arm extension and keeps feet alive, but needs to keep pads down and can be bull-rushed at times.

Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 305, 5.15, SR … One-time heralded recruit has developed into a solid RT who could also get a look at OG at the next level; not huge, but a very physical drive blocker who comes to work with a chip on his shoulder; has good short-area quickness, but is somewhat stiff and isn’t all that athletic; still has long arms and is a long way around to the pocket and won’t give up on a play.

Dan Hoch, Missouri, 6-7, 315, 5.25, SR … Big RT prospect with a great frame and plenty of experience; not overly athletic or flexible, but has long arms and decent short-area quickness; strong run blocker who can engulf smaller DEs; smart athlete who plays hard; had a torn meniscus in his right knee cleaned up after the 2009 season.

John Cullen, Utah, 6-5, 305, 5.15, SR … One of the top junior college recruits in the country in 2010 settled in nicely at LT for the Utes and could be something of a late riser at the position this year; not all that big or long, but has the frame to add some wait; decent athlete for a tackle has good balance and natural flexibility; also moves feet well in pass protection; sets up quickly and can cut off the edge; needs a better punch, though, to control opponents and can be bull-rushed; improving run blocker who gets off the snaps quickly, can slides his feet and generally sustains blocks to the whistle; can also get to the second level and make a block in space, but is still more a finesse drive-blocker and doesn’t get much push in the run game.

Alex Hoffman, Cincinnati, 6-6, 300, 5.30, SR … Physical RT who will also get some looks at OG; aggressive drive blocker with long arms and solid work ethic; also a technically solid enough pass blocker, but not very nimble afoot and struggles to close down the edge; outstanding student with a 3.4+ GPA in biological sciences.

Don Barclay, West Virginia, 6-4, 305, 5.23, SR … Physical third-year starter with 27 career starts; built more like an OG and will likely have to slide inside at the next level, but plays LT; aggressive drive blocker with good short-area quickness off the snap; keeps pads low and has good leg drive; can get to the second level and plays to the whistle; has good balance and is light on his feet protecting the pocket, but can be bull-rushed; had offseason shoulder surgery, but is expected back for fall camp.

David Pickard, Southern Illinois, 6-5, 300, 5.15, SR … Late bloomer didn’t play football until high school, but has worked hard to make himself into a legitimate draft prospect; technically solid player is light on his feet and gets good arm extension when protecting the pocket; has bulked up to 300 pounds, but is still more of a finesse blocker.

Jeff Allen, Illinois, 6-5, 315, 5.25, SR … Experienced Big 10 RT with 34 career starts; big, physical drive blocker with good strength and reach; has some short-area quickness off the snap and a solid work ethic; has long arms and is technically solid protecting the pocket, but will struggle with quick, outside pass rushers; could also figure at OG at the next level.

Mark Asper, Oregon, 6-6, 325, 5.30, SR … Burly RT with 24 career starts who could also play OG at the next level; has a powerful base and long arms; physical run-blocker who goes hard to the whistle; stiff and not very athletic, though, and struggles to move his feet; older player who spent two years away from the game on a mission will turn 27 in his first NFL season; married with two children.

Jarvis Jones, Oklahoma, 6-5, 310, 5.20, SR … Emerging RT prospect with good size, quickness and strength tore the patella tendon in his right knee in spring practice that required surgery and be out at least until September or October and could miss the entire year; also had season-ending heel injury in 2009; if healthy is a physical run-blocker with enough reach and agility to close down the right-side in pass protection.

Al Netter, Northwestern, 6-5, 310, 5.25, SR … Polished LT has started 39 straight games; has good size and is technically solid, especially in pass protection; gets good arm extension and moves feet well and can cut off the edge; tends to lose focus, though, and can be inconsistent at times; also not all that physical drive blocking.

Trinton Sturdivant, Georgia, 6-5, 310, 5.10, SR … Hard-luck kid had all the look of a future elite LT prospect when he started all 13 games at the position as a true freshman, but has suffered three devastating ACL tears since including one this past spring which will likely sideline him for the entire 2011 season, although he would appear to be a likely candidate to get a 6th year of eligibility; had previously missed all but one game in 2008 and 2009 with earlier knee injuries, but had bounced back to play every game last year; if healthy isn’t all that big or physical, but has long arms and very quick feet.

Josh Oglesby, Wisconsin, 6-6, 335, 5.40, SR … One of the nation’s top recruits several years ago with can’t-miss tools, but has never been able to stay healthy; originally hurt a knee in high school and has continued to have recurring problems since including 2010 when he missed the final 6 games of the year; if healthy is a big, strong RT prospect who can be a dominating run blocker; also one of those $10 cab fares to get around when protecting the pocket, but overall isn’t all that athletic or flexible; tends to lunge at times and lacks the foot speed to stay with quick edge rushers turning the corner; also has had issues with conditioning.

Steve Caputo, Temple, 6-5, 320, 5.30, SR … Versatile offensive lineman will play LT this fall, but can play RT as well as OG; physical run blocker with enough athleticism to hold up protecting the pocket, but lacks elite feet and will struggle against quicker edge rushers; will have to be checked out medically as he has suffered a couple of knee injuries.

Elvis Fisher, Missouri, 6-5, 295, 5.25, SR … Experienced offensive lineman has started 40 straight games at LT, but will miss the season with a knee injury; when healthy has long arms and moves feet well in pass protection; can change direction as well as get to the corner and cut off the edge; still more of a finesse blocker who is not going to bury anybody in the run game, although he can get to the second level; has decent functional strength; durability will be an issue whenever he enters the draft as he also missed spring practice this year after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.

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