The 2011 offensive tackle class is considered average by some, but scouts and coaches in Indianapolis expressed hope Thursday about finding long-time starters among the players available.
Minnesota Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman characterized the offensive tackle class as "deep." He said intelligence and versatility are major hallmarks of the group.
Speilman was impressed with Boston College lineman Anthony Castonzo's ability to move along the line when saying, "I just watched Castonzo working at left guard, right guard, and right tackle during the Senior Bowl. You don't see that very often."
For Castonzo's part, he felt he "did better I than I thought I would" when shuffled from position to position in Mobile. His ability to move around the line would have also been appreciated by Steelers president of football operations Kevin Colbert, who noted how versatility might help juggle "the [45-man] game-day roster, as sometimes teams can only suit up seven offensive linemen. Guys need to play multiple positions."
The fact Castonzo did not work at left tackle during Senior Bowl week did not concern Spielman, who said teams have plenty of tape on him at that position from his three years starting there (as well as his freshman year at right tackle) at BC.
Castonzo, nominated as a Rhodes Scholar, did not earn the award to match the accomplishment of former Florida State safety Myron Rolle. Yet that sort of intelligence should help the two-time All-ACC honoree crack the top 20 picks.
Hall of Fame offensive lineman Mike Munchak, just weeks into his new gig as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, said offensive linemen must be "very smart" to adjust to complex NFL defenses. But he also identified two other, often less considered, attributes: even-keel demeanor and consistency.
Those words describe Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi. As Munchak said, "no matter who you are in this league, you're going to have some bad plays. Your guy may get to the quarterback. How are you going to respond to that?"
Carimi has been beaten during his career, but always came back strong because of his intensity and ability to focus under pressure.
Carimi was assignment-sure whether in pass protection or run blocking and consistency is one of his strengths.
Scouts aren't sure that Castonzo and Carimi will prove to be above-average athletically during workouts Saturday. The other two members of the "Fab Four" tackles, Colorado's Nate Solder and Southern Cal's Tyron Smith, own the size-speed combination teams love on the outside.
In fact, when asked what separated him from the other tackles in this class, Solder said he was more of an athlete. The former tight end is still learning the position, noting that he had a "breakdown in technique" against Cal early in the year. Solder took a bad lateral angle to attack in pass protection and didn't bend his knees. The lesson: "That I couldn't take anyone for granted."
Solder's 319 pounds do not look so impressive because of his legit 6-8 measurement. His height and somewhat slim frame make scouts wonder if he can win the leverage battle at the next level.
Even the relatively svelte Solder looked more stout than Tyron Smith this season. The 6-5 former Trojan played at a measly 285 pounds in 2010, but started off the combine well by weighing in at 307 pounds. His hands (11 inches) and arms (36 3/8 inches) are among the biggest and longest measured at the combine over the last decade.
His length makes him a fit at left tackle, but he's never played the position. The former Trojan is quite young -- he just turned 20 in December -- and played at a lean 285 pounds through the season. The youth is a plus, and he should continue to fill out his frame over the years.
Beyond those four tackles, Derek Sherrod from Mississippi State is also in the mix for a first- or second-round slot. Marcus Cannon (TCU), Orlando Franklin (Miami, Fla.), Ben Ijalana (Villanova) and Jason Pinkston (Pittsburgh) are potential second-round picks who could be surprise starters as rookies.
There might not be a Tony Boselli or Robert Gallery in this draft class -- a "sure thing" left tackle slated for the Hall of Fame. But Solder and Smith could be top 10 picks if their athletic testing results are as good as expected at the combine. Carimi and Castonzo are likely to be middle-to-late first-round choices.
Those are some solid options for several teams already in or near the playoff hunts looking to improve their offensive line. The Cowboys (ninth overall pick), Vikings (12), Lions (13), Patriots (17 and 28), Giants (19), Colts (21), Eagles (23), Falcons (27), and Bears (29) could all take advantage of this talented group come April.
Chad Reuter is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange. Follow him on Twitter at @ChadReuter.
Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=5cfcc84939f1464f69037b722f1480a0
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