2020 Offensive Line

Really strong tackle class this year. Reminds me of the 2016 draft with Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, Jack Conklin and others. Not much on the interior but loaded with top end talent at both tackle spots.

Andrew Thomas-T-Georgia-6’5”-315-Top 15-97

Highly acclaimed three year starter in Athens. Kid was a starter at right tackle for a tremendous Georgia team in 2017 before taking over for Isiah Wynn at left tackle for the next two years. Thomas garnered All-SEC accolades as a sophomore and tacked on to that with 1st team All-American honors as a Junior. He’s got incredible length with longer than 36” arms so he’s able to play like a 6’8” tackle without being too stretched vertically. I’m really impressed with his punch and his foot shuffle. Thomas absolutely can play left tackle at the next level and I wouldn’t be surprised if we look back and he’s the best tackle in this group. My comparison is Tyron Smith, he’s not as intimidating and lean as Tyron, but I think with his length and pedigree this kid has the tools to be a monster.

Tristan Wirfs-T-Iowa-6’5”-320-Top 10-97

Special athlete along the line. All the size you could ask for, plus he ran in the 4.8’s in the 40. Two anecdotes make me think this guy’s special. First, he’s the only true freshman to ever start at tackle for Kirk Ferentz at Iowa. For the last two decades, Kirk Ferentz has done two things in Iowa: #1 be maddeningly above average, and produce superb offensive lineman. The second anecdote is the fact that in his senior year in high school, Wirfs was the state champion in wrestling. In Iowa. Yeah, home of Dan Gable. Those are going to override the tape I see on Tristan, which shows him getting out over his toes too much. And also a little grabby. He got some flex time on the left side of the line, which is where I see him in the pros. By the way, playing right tackle in college and flipping to the left side in the pros is not unusual or insurmountable, just ask Tyron Smith and Trent Williams.

Jedrick Wills-T-Alabama-6’4”-312-Top 10-95

Coming out after his junior year, Jedrick has two years starting experience at right tackle, which is where I see him at the next level. Not quite the athlete that Wirfs is, Wills is like a dump truck out there. I’m not a physicist, but for some reason there are guys that can bring the ruckus with them and it is not directly correlated to size. Look at Ronnie Lott, he came into the league as a cornerback, not as Kam Chancellor. And yet he’s a legendary hitter. How about London Fletcher, hell even Asante Samuel has a hitting highlight real I’d kill for. But I digress. The point is Wills falls in that group. Not a slouch in the size department, but for some reason he hits like he’s a bigger man. And that’s valuable in an offensive lineman. That combined with good to great foot quickness is going to make him a stud for years to come. I’m still one of those guys that doesn’t value right tackles, but here’s a great prospect and even though I think he’ll go higher, putting him in the middle of round one makes me feel generous.

Mekhi Becton-T-Louisville-6’7”-364-Top 20-94

Here is an interesting prospect. My comparison for Mekhi is Ereck Flowers. Which 4 years ago would’ve been a compliment, two years ago it would’ve been a slap in face, and now after Flowers got paid in free agency seems like a nice thing to say again. Funny how things change. Regardless, Becton is a mammoth of a man. It’s hard to believe how big Trent Brown is when you watch Becton play and imagine him being 2 inches and 20 pounds smaller than Trent. Becton absolutely throws people, and that includes against Notre Dame and Clemson. He’s got the power and he wields it. As you might expect given his size and the fact that he’s not my top tackle, his feet aren’t elite. Them’s the breaks. Mekhi’s development has everything to do with where he lands. He can’t do everything, he needs special consideration, but he has the ability to be a crushing force along your O-line. There are guy’s like Russell Okung and Anthony Castonzo who can basically play left tackle and do a good enough job in any offense. Mekhi is more like Trent Williams where he can be devastating up front. But he also has that Orlando Brown, Ereck Flowers athletic limitation. I hope he winds up in the right spot and he just ragdolls people every Sunday.

Austin Jackson-T-USC-6’5”-322-1st Round-87

A two year starter for the Trojans, Austin Jackson is a gifted left tackle prospect. He’s one of those rare prospects I don’t worry about being able to play on the left side. The trouble he’s going to run into is his ceiling primarily because he has no power or aggression to his game. USC barely ran the ball at all which is probably why he played so well. Jackson is young, coming out as a true junior, but he needs to get stronger in a hurry. An NFL bull rush is going to blow him out of the water. As a pass protector he looks great. Smooth feet to go with his frame and he seems really heady in pick up. Has the potential to be Terron Armstead, but if he can’t get the strength to stay grounded he won’t be a starter.