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http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...t-top-offensive-line-prospects-2015-nfl-draft
Scouting how top offensive linemen, tight ends performed at the NFL combine
The athletic testing and drills portion of the 2015 NFL combine kicked off Friday, with the offensive linemen and tight ends taking the field. Neither position group is among the strongest in this year's class, but there was still much to be learned as several players who competed will be major factors on draft day.
Here are my impressions from Friday's workouts, beginning with workout analysis and possible team fits for the top O-linemen in the 2015 draft.
Where will the top offensive linemen land?
We aren't likely to have any offensive linemen go off the board as early as they have the past two seasons (Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel 1-2 in 2013, Greg Robinson No. 2 in 2014), but there is still some good talent near the top of the O-line class, and many of these prospects (listed based on who had the best performances Friday) have the potential to land in the first round.
Some things to keep in mind: With offensive linemen, especially the tackles, you like to see arm length of at least 34 inches. There are always exceptions -- Joe Thomas comes to mind -- but anything under 33 is a big red flag, and really anything under 33.5 isn't good. Some other key indicators:
• 40-yard dash (5.28 seconds is average, under 5.1 is really good)
• Broad jump (8-foot-6 is average, anything over 9 is really good, anything 8-1 or lower is a red flag)
• Short shuttle (4.78 seconds is average, anything under 4.6 is great, anything over 4.85 is a concern)
T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh: He's a raw, inexperienced right tackle prospect whose game is built on power in the run game, and who needs work in pass protection. But he put up some very promising results Friday. He ran a very good 5.14-second 40 for someone his size, his 9-3 broad jump was the best of the offensive tackles, and his short shuttle (4.54 seconds) was the best of the top guys listed here. He also has really long arms (35.1 inches), best among the top tackle prospects.
Team fits: Any team looking for a right tackle drafting in the 10-25 range. The Rams at No. 10 is probably a little early, but they could be in the mix. The Browns, Saints, Texans, Lions and Panthers also make sense in the first round.
Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford: He's kind of got a unique body type, as he's very thick in the lower body, but his numbers were very good. He's a young prospect at just 21 years old, so there's a lot of potential for him to get better, and he's the most talented left tackle prospect in this class. He had his ups and downs if you watch the tape, but his best performances were excellent (particularly versus Washington). He tested out well, with an above-average 40 time (5.18) and broad jump (8-9) and really good short shuttle (4.62) for his size (6-7, 313 pounds).
Team fits: The Saints, Texans and Lions would all make sense for him, and a team looking for a left tackle could potentially snag him earlier.
Brandon Scherff, G/T, Iowa: He has good size at 6-5, 319 pounds, with huge hands (11 inches), and he ran the fastest 40 time of the top tackle prospects (5.05). He pulled up during the drills so he didn't get to do the jumps or shuttle runs -- we'll have to see those at his pro day -- but the big disappointment was his arm length of 33⅜ inches. That's a red flag. He's a very effective, tough player who reminds me of Zack Martin in that he has a chance to stick at right tackle but is more likely to be a (very good) guard at the next level.
Team fits: Giants, Rams, Vikings, 49ers.
D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida: He's been getting a lot of buzz recently, and we've really liked his movement skills. He has the potential to develop into a starting left tackle in the NFL, but he doesn't fit for a power running team because he isn't a drive blocker. There's also some durability concerns with him. But his workout was very good, with a great 40 (5.12) and short shuttle (4.64) and above-average scores in the bench press (26 reps) and broad jumps (8-8). One measurement concern: His 33⅝-inch arms are problematic for a left tackle prospect.
Team fits: He'd make sense for the Eagles on Day 2, as they're looking for athleticism at the tackle position over size. The Panthers are another possibility.
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL): He's a massive right tackle prospect at 6-6, 329 pounds, with long arms (34.5 inches) and excellent strength -- his 37 bench press reps were the most in his class, which is pretty remarkable given how long his arms are. His times weren't great, with a 5.31 40, but not bad when you consider his size. He didn't do the jumps or shuttles, so he'll need to do those at his pro day.
Team fits: Same as Clemmings: Rams, Browns, Saints, Texans, Lions, Panthers.
Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State: He's a talented player with up-and-down tape, and teams are going to need to sort through some issues related to his football character. But he did well on Friday, posting good athletic numbers (5.27 40, 9-1 broad jump) for a guy his size (6-6, 338 pounds).
Team fits: He'll likely go in the third- or fourth-round range to a team in need of a tackle.
Cameron Erving, C, Florida State: If you don't count Scherff as a guard, Erving is the top interior lineman in this class. He's showed well on tape, particularly after he moved to center, and his workout matched it Friday. His 9-4 broad jump was better than all the top OT prospects, and his 5.15 40 is really good for his size. He's a really quick and athletic interior lineman in the Matt Birk mold, and he has long arms (34⅛ inches).
Team fits: He'll likely go in the late first or early second round, and the Colts and Broncos would both make sense.
Two OTs on the rise: Hobart's Ali Marpet and Oregon's Jake Fisher could both potentially move up draft boards after their performances Friday, posting the fastest and second-fastest 40 times among linemen, respectively, at 4.98 and 5.01.
Notes on the tight ends
• Overall, this is an underwhelming class of tight ends. The top two on our board, Minnesota'sMaxx Williams and Miami's Clive Walford, had solid but not great performances. Both had below-average 40 times (4.78 for Williams and 4.79 for Walford), which is concerning for guys whose strength on tape has been their pass-catching ability.
• One guy who was able to take advantage of the down group was Southern Illinois' MyCole Pruitt. He lacks ideal height at 6-2 but makes up for it with long arms (33½) and big hands (10¼) for his size, and really stood out during the testing drills. His 4.58 40 and 38-inch vertical led the group, and he posted the fourth-best broad jump at 9-10. We have yet to do a full evaluation on Pruitt, but he certainly helped gain some attention Friday by putting up the best numbers among tight ends.
Scouting how top offensive linemen, tight ends performed at the NFL combine
The athletic testing and drills portion of the 2015 NFL combine kicked off Friday, with the offensive linemen and tight ends taking the field. Neither position group is among the strongest in this year's class, but there was still much to be learned as several players who competed will be major factors on draft day.
Here are my impressions from Friday's workouts, beginning with workout analysis and possible team fits for the top O-linemen in the 2015 draft.
Where will the top offensive linemen land?
We aren't likely to have any offensive linemen go off the board as early as they have the past two seasons (Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel 1-2 in 2013, Greg Robinson No. 2 in 2014), but there is still some good talent near the top of the O-line class, and many of these prospects (listed based on who had the best performances Friday) have the potential to land in the first round.
Some things to keep in mind: With offensive linemen, especially the tackles, you like to see arm length of at least 34 inches. There are always exceptions -- Joe Thomas comes to mind -- but anything under 33 is a big red flag, and really anything under 33.5 isn't good. Some other key indicators:
• 40-yard dash (5.28 seconds is average, under 5.1 is really good)
• Broad jump (8-foot-6 is average, anything over 9 is really good, anything 8-1 or lower is a red flag)
• Short shuttle (4.78 seconds is average, anything under 4.6 is great, anything over 4.85 is a concern)
T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh: He's a raw, inexperienced right tackle prospect whose game is built on power in the run game, and who needs work in pass protection. But he put up some very promising results Friday. He ran a very good 5.14-second 40 for someone his size, his 9-3 broad jump was the best of the offensive tackles, and his short shuttle (4.54 seconds) was the best of the top guys listed here. He also has really long arms (35.1 inches), best among the top tackle prospects.
Team fits: Any team looking for a right tackle drafting in the 10-25 range. The Rams at No. 10 is probably a little early, but they could be in the mix. The Browns, Saints, Texans, Lions and Panthers also make sense in the first round.
Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford: He's kind of got a unique body type, as he's very thick in the lower body, but his numbers were very good. He's a young prospect at just 21 years old, so there's a lot of potential for him to get better, and he's the most talented left tackle prospect in this class. He had his ups and downs if you watch the tape, but his best performances were excellent (particularly versus Washington). He tested out well, with an above-average 40 time (5.18) and broad jump (8-9) and really good short shuttle (4.62) for his size (6-7, 313 pounds).
Team fits: The Saints, Texans and Lions would all make sense for him, and a team looking for a left tackle could potentially snag him earlier.
Brandon Scherff, G/T, Iowa: He has good size at 6-5, 319 pounds, with huge hands (11 inches), and he ran the fastest 40 time of the top tackle prospects (5.05). He pulled up during the drills so he didn't get to do the jumps or shuttle runs -- we'll have to see those at his pro day -- but the big disappointment was his arm length of 33⅜ inches. That's a red flag. He's a very effective, tough player who reminds me of Zack Martin in that he has a chance to stick at right tackle but is more likely to be a (very good) guard at the next level.
Team fits: Giants, Rams, Vikings, 49ers.
D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida: He's been getting a lot of buzz recently, and we've really liked his movement skills. He has the potential to develop into a starting left tackle in the NFL, but he doesn't fit for a power running team because he isn't a drive blocker. There's also some durability concerns with him. But his workout was very good, with a great 40 (5.12) and short shuttle (4.64) and above-average scores in the bench press (26 reps) and broad jumps (8-8). One measurement concern: His 33⅝-inch arms are problematic for a left tackle prospect.
Team fits: He'd make sense for the Eagles on Day 2, as they're looking for athleticism at the tackle position over size. The Panthers are another possibility.
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL): He's a massive right tackle prospect at 6-6, 329 pounds, with long arms (34.5 inches) and excellent strength -- his 37 bench press reps were the most in his class, which is pretty remarkable given how long his arms are. His times weren't great, with a 5.31 40, but not bad when you consider his size. He didn't do the jumps or shuttles, so he'll need to do those at his pro day.
Team fits: Same as Clemmings: Rams, Browns, Saints, Texans, Lions, Panthers.
Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State: He's a talented player with up-and-down tape, and teams are going to need to sort through some issues related to his football character. But he did well on Friday, posting good athletic numbers (5.27 40, 9-1 broad jump) for a guy his size (6-6, 338 pounds).
Team fits: He'll likely go in the third- or fourth-round range to a team in need of a tackle.
Cameron Erving, C, Florida State: If you don't count Scherff as a guard, Erving is the top interior lineman in this class. He's showed well on tape, particularly after he moved to center, and his workout matched it Friday. His 9-4 broad jump was better than all the top OT prospects, and his 5.15 40 is really good for his size. He's a really quick and athletic interior lineman in the Matt Birk mold, and he has long arms (34⅛ inches).
Team fits: He'll likely go in the late first or early second round, and the Colts and Broncos would both make sense.
Two OTs on the rise: Hobart's Ali Marpet and Oregon's Jake Fisher could both potentially move up draft boards after their performances Friday, posting the fastest and second-fastest 40 times among linemen, respectively, at 4.98 and 5.01.
Notes on the tight ends
• Overall, this is an underwhelming class of tight ends. The top two on our board, Minnesota'sMaxx Williams and Miami's Clive Walford, had solid but not great performances. Both had below-average 40 times (4.78 for Williams and 4.79 for Walford), which is concerning for guys whose strength on tape has been their pass-catching ability.
• One guy who was able to take advantage of the down group was Southern Illinois' MyCole Pruitt. He lacks ideal height at 6-2 but makes up for it with long arms (33½) and big hands (10¼) for his size, and really stood out during the testing drills. His 4.58 40 and 38-inch vertical led the group, and he posted the fourth-best broad jump at 9-10. We have yet to do a full evaluation on Pruitt, but he certainly helped gain some attention Friday by putting up the best numbers among tight ends.
