NCAA Football
2008 NFL Draft Analysis: Offensive line - It all starts up front.
When the NFL draft comes along, most of us have our eyes on the hotshot quarterbacks, the ever popular speed defensive ends, or the flashy running backs. It is hard to think that your team is going to pass on a game-changer like Matt Ryan or Glenn Dorsey for an offensive lineman. It is sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but there is no point in drafting Matt Ryan if you can’t keep him off of his back.
With popularity increasing each year for defensive ends and getting pressure off of the edge becoming an essential part of a game plan, so are the men who protect the blindsides of the quarterbacks.
The offensive tackles have a very deep class, and there should be at least four to go in the first round, and maybe more. Leading the way are Michigan’s Jake Long and Boise St.’s Ryan Clady, both of whom should go early in the first round.
The guards have a very interesting class this year, but none will be taken higher than the second round. This is not different than most years, and unlike like tackles it is hard to pick a top guy. The top two guys in our initial rankings are both big bodies that chose to bypass their senior seasons, in Virginia’s Branden Albert and USC’s Chilo Rachal.
As for the guys responsible for safely getting the ball in the quarterback’s hands, this year’s class is not very deep or overly impressive, and it looks like all of the top centers will be taken during the second day of the draft. There is good size and experience but none of the NFL hopefuls jump off the page. There have been better classes in the previous years, but there are some who could have a bright future on the next level, led by Arizona State’s Mike Pollak and Wake Forest’s Steve Justice.
So when your team selects a offensive lineman over the wide receiver you were begging for, don’t get too upset. These are all solid picks that will keep your quarterback on their feet, block for your running back, and lead the path to glory.
To keep up with the updated position rankings as they change after the combine and leading up to the draft, click the ‘NFL Draft’ tab at the top of the page.
Related posts on The Red Zone Report
Find all of our 2008 NFL and College Football Previews in our Preview Section!
Go to the Front Page
Discussion
One comment for “2008 NFL Draft Analysis: Offensive line - It all starts up front.”
Post a comment
Categories
Recent Posts
OL is so important but so boring on Draft Day.