New York Giants 2018 NFL Draft Preview: Offensive Tackles

Mike McGlinchey – © USA TODAY Sports

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New York Giants 2018 NFL Draft Preview: Offensive Tackles

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor Sy’56

1 – Mike McGlinchey – Notre Dame – 6’8/309

Grade: 81

Strong Points:

-Blue collar approach on and off the field, 24/7, a true professional
-Can get a lot of movement as a run blocker when everything is lined up
-NFL ready body and technique

Weak Points:

-Height becomes an issue at times, lack of leverage and consistent pad level
-Reaction speed is average at best
-Feet get stuck at times, putting too much attention on hands and arms

Summary:

Fifth year senior ad 4 year starter, 2 at RT and 2 at LT. All American in 2017. I think McGlinchey is better suited for the right side, he simply looked more comfortable there when it cam to footwork and angles, and that was over 2 years ago. He could be a rock solid presence on that side in the NFL week 1. There isn’t a lot of sexy to his game, but I think he is one of the safer picks in the draft. Very high floor because of his matured approach, attention to detail, and developed power.

NFL Comparison: Demar Dotson / TB

2 – Connor Williams – Texas – 6’5/296

Grade: 81

Strong Points:

-Very comfortable athlete in space and in a phone booth, balance always there
-Violent initial punch that consistently makes an impact
-Keeps his hands inside with plenty of knee bend

Weak Points:

-Knee injury limited him to only 5 games in 2017
-Doesn’t play fast up the edge, needs more depth on his kick slide
-Gets too grabby

Summary:

Junior entry. 3 year starter that missed a good chunk of 2017 with a knee injury that did not require surgery. Williams is projected at both guard and tackle in the NFL because he doesn’t have ideal length. The 2016 All American knows what he is doing though, inside or outside. He is really powerful and athletic, consistently making an impact on contact and has the ability to mirror. He was a little inconsistent from what I saw in 2017 technique wise, but everything is there. I feel safe with him if the knee checks out.

NFL Comparison: Jake Matthews / ATL

3 – Tyrell Crosby – Oregon – 6’5/309

Grade: 77

Strong Points:

-Elite power presence, can hold his ground against anyone
-A difference maker with his hands and reach
-Very smart and aware, understands stunts and blitzes

Weak Points:

-Feet get heavy and stuck in pass protection
-Reaction times are lacking
-Pad level is too high

Summary:

Four year starter with experience on both sides. Crosby has been the enforcer in the Pac 12 since the moment he stepped on the field, always at or near the top of the pancake leaderboard. He missed most of 2016 with a foot injury that required surgery and some say he hasn’t been the same since athletically. He played well in 2017, but wasn’t dominant. Crosby brings a professional approach and maturity to the table and I think he is a safe pick. Some project him inside because he is a dominant run blocker and average pass blocker. If that foot checks out, he is one of a few OTs I would consider in round 2.

NFL Comparison: La’el Collins / DAL

4 – Geron Christian – Louisville – 6’5/298

Grade: 76

Strong Points:

-Elite frame that will easily add bulk
-Light and balanced footwork, easy moving athlete
-Consistently puts himself in position post-snap with hands inside

Weak Points:

-Gets top heavy, loses track of knee bend and leverage
-Needs more lower body strength
-Struggles to reach the edge in his kick slide, needs technique work

Summary:

Junior entry. In a very weak OT class, Christian is the #3 guy but I only view him as a 3rd or 4th rounder. He is going to take some time to develop but I think there is as much upside here as any OT in the class. His frame and foot speed aren’t common and there is plenty of pop and violence in his game. He struggled against Bradley Chubb but I liked the way he competed. Sometimes an OL is at a disadvantage with a scrambling QB like Lamar Jackson and I think that was the case here.

NFL Comparison: Alex Lewis / BAL

5 – Orlando Brown – Oklahoma – 6’8/345

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Rare size/flexibility combination, can win with that combination alone at times
-Can send defenders flying when he properly squares them up
-Has ultra-productive pass rush numbers

Weak Points:

-Heavy footed, gets stuck in the mud too often and easily
-Loses balance, needs to keep feet wider
-Doesn’t bend at the knees, leans too much

Summary:

Fourth year junior entry with 3 years of starting experience and 2 time All American. Son of the late Zeus Brown, an 11 year veteran. Orlando Brown was projected by most as a 1st rounder throughout the fall, but I never saw it. The frame is impressive, and he knows how to use it. But he is a poor athlete that is overly reliant on that length and it won’t be good enough in the NFL. He has a lot of cleaning up to do.

NFL Comparison: David Sharpe / OAK

6 – Jamarco Jones – Ohio State – 6’4/299

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Has plenty of pop of the snap, he can be violent
-Has the foot speed and technique to be a good pass blocker
-Very good control and balance, very body-aware

Weak Points:

-Needs more power presence against the bull rush
-Inaccurate hands, gets wide which will force him to grab
-Inconsistent pad level and lower body usage

Summary:

Fifth year senior, 2 year starter. 2nd Team All Big 10 in 2016, 1st Team in 2017. Jones had me all in on him after his Penn State performance. He was dominant on all levels. However he might be one of the more inconsistent players in the class as a whole. Not sure why, exactly, but he had some awful tape towards the end of the year. Some say he has a conditioning/work ethic issue in-season. So that needs to be looked in to. Also, some teams say he is a guard-only. I have seen enough to grade him as an OT. Potential starter that can be had day 2/early day 3.

NFL Comparison: Chris Hubbard / CLE

7 – Kolton Miller – UCLA – 6’9/309

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Rare bend of size and athleticism that shows up on tape
-Plays an aggressive, violent game with his hands
-Can play a balanced game, wide feet and easy knee bend

Weak Points:

-Doesn’t always play under control, loses awareness of where he is
-Too reliant on the initial punch, all or nothing
-Doesn’t adjust well to quickness and low-leverage players

Summary:

Fourth year junior. Has dealt with a couple of lower body injuries, but put together a healthy 2017. Miller is going to get drafted higher than he should based on the weak OT class and his upside. Miller is an impressive physical package that has stretches of tape where you can see a case for him being a 1st rounder. He needs to develop his core strength because defenders will attack his leverage issues every week and if he cant anchor himself in to the ground, the QB will be in major trouble. He is a 2 year project before I would put him out there, but I won’t deny the upside.

NFL Comparison – Nate Solder / NYG

8 – Joseph Noteboom – TCU – 6’5/309

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Excellent height and length with some of the best knee bend in the class
-Consistent and repeated technique off the snap
-Mirrors against speed and quickness with ease, always under control

Weak Points:

-Needs a lot of strength work, upper and lower body
-Doesn’t play with enough edge, plays soft at times
-Lacks power as a run blocker, gets almost no movement off ball

Summary:

Fifth year senior, three year starter. Noteboom is another one of these OTs that has as much bad tape as good tape. His good tape looks like a kid that has elite body control, plus foot speed, and really natural knee bend. The bad tape looks like a high school senior matched against college players, as he just looks out of place when it comes to power presence. He is pretty polarizing. If his strength increases and he plays with more attitude, he has starter potential. But it’s going to take time.

NFL Comparison: DJ Humphries / ARI

9 – Brian O’Neill – Pittsburgh – 6’7/297

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Elite athleticism grades, on his own level in this class
-Carries a lot of power and presence on the move, excellent lead blocker
-Smart and aware, can forecast complex defensive schemes

Weak Points:

-Weak presence against the bull rush, has a hard time holding ground
-Plays with a high pad level
-Has a hard time sustaining blocks

Summary:

Fourth year junior entry. Stepped on to the Pittsburgh campus as a 235 pound tight end. After redshirting, he was forced in to the lineup because of injuries and ended up performing well despite being undersized and lacking experience. The former high school basketball star played RT for 2 years and LT for 1. 1st Team All ACC in 2017. O’Neill will excite some because of how well he can move, but he was manhandled against his bigger, more physical opponents in college and at the Senior Bowl. He is a 1-2 year project at least, but one that offers left tackle upside.

NFL Comparison: Joe Staley / SF

10 – Chukwuma Okorafor – Western Michigan – 6’6/320

Grade: 72

Strong Points:

-Heavy hands, more than enough girth throughout his whole body promote power
-Anchors against the bull rush with ease, hard guy to move
-Gets a lot of movement in the run game

Weak Points:

-Balance and coordination aren’t always there
-Slow out of his stance
-Struggles to see the stunts and blitzes, lacks awareness

Summary:

-Four year starter, 1st Team All MWC 2 years in a row. Has experience at RT and LT. I think he projects to the right side in the NFL. Okorafor was one of my favorite OT prospects coming in to the year, he caught my eye last year a few times and I assumed he would take a step up in progression. It didn’t happen. He actually looked worse in 2017 and he just ever quite got back to the level I was hoping for. He really lumbers out of his stance and appears to be a step behind mentally. There is rawness to his game, as he started playing the game in 2011. The upside door is still cracked open, but I would have to wait until day 3 for him.

NFL Comparison: Jermon Bushrod / NO

11 – Brandon Parker – North Carolina A& T – 6’8/305

Grade: 72

Strong Points:

-Elite level frame that will easily hold another 15+ pounds
-Excellent out of his stance, accurate and quick, repeated technique
-Violent initial contact

Weak Points:

-Plays way too high
-Needs to adjust and react to the defense with more balance and quickness
-Base isn’t wide enough or strong enough

Summary:

Three time Offensive Lineman of the Year in the MEAC. Really impressive kid with the size and foot speed that will make you think starting tackle. Parker has more skills than you think, too. He displayed really good technique and violence at the Senior Bowl, but simply struggles with leverage because of his height and a lack of confidence in his lower body strength. He needs time, but the upside is there.

NFL Comparison: Bobby Massie / CHI

12 – Will Richardson – North Carolina State – 6’6/306

Grade: 74

Strong Points:

-Developed, NFL-ready frame and power presence
-Very consistent out of his stance in pass protection, very good balance
-Attacks defenders with his hands and will follow through with his legs

Weak Points:

-Loses track of his footwork when engaged, gets stagnant
-Off field issues have followed him his entire career
-Hand placement gets wide

Summary:

Fourth year junior. Has missed time all three of his playing-seasons due to injuries or suspensions. Has a few separate off-field problems dealing with alcohol and drugs. On the field, Richardson has the look of a pro. He is big and wide with strength and functional quickness. His power in a phone booth makes it easy for him to get movement and also hold ground against the bull rush. He struggles the further out in space he gets though and he may be better suited for OG. If his off field issues can be cleaned up, there is starter potential here.

NFL Comparison: Ricky Wagner / DET

13 – Timon Parris – Stony Brook – 6’6/320

Grade: 71

Strong Points:

-Ideal frame, will have an easy time getting his body to NFL caliber
-Excellent foot speed out of his stance in to his kick slide, easy
-Plays hard and violent, makes an impact initially

Weak Points:

-Plays high, needs more knee bend
-Inaccurate hands
-Balance and control aren’t always there, gets top heavy

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Four year starter that has experience on both sides. Will be the first Stony Brook player drafted in program history. Parris has the frame and movement skills that can get you excited. There is some snap to his game, short area power, which also promotes some upside. He has a ways to go technique wise and he is coming off a leg injury that is still giving him issues. Day 3 guy that might be closer to action than some of the guys ahead of him.

NFL Comparison: TJ Clemmings / WAS

14 – Alex Cappa – Humboldt State – 6’6/305

Grade: 69

Strong Points:

-Strong player head to toe, knows how to fully engage on contact
-Plays hard through the whistle always
-Good hand placement

Weak Points:

-Slow out of his stance, lumbers and looks difficult
-Major jump in competition
-Late to react to quick change of direction

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Still Offensive Lineman of the Year and 1st Team All Conference every one of his 4 years at Division II Humboldt State. All of that despite being relatively new to the offensive line. Cappa may get moved inside at the next level, as he just didn’t look good in pass protection at the Senior Bowl but he can handle the power game. His snap and quick twitch strength are solid. I see him as a potential 6th or 7th OL in the future.

NFL Comparison: Marshall Newhouse / OAK

15 – Zachary Crabtree – Oklahoma State – 6’6/317

Grade: 67

Strong Points:

-NFL caliber body right now
-Gets a lot of movement on down blocks, carries force when moving downhill
-Heavy hands and a strong base

Weak Points:

-Lumbers up the edge as a pass rusher
-Played in a very simple offense, will have a lot to learn
-Plays too high, needs more knee bend

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Four year starter that has predominantly played on the right side. Has progressively added mass to his frame every year and carries a good amount of force on contact. He probably won’t ever have enough speed and quickness to protect the edge, but his ability backup-caliber.

NFL Comparison: Chaz Green / DAL

16 – Desmond Harrison – 6’6/288 – West Georgia – GRADE: 66
17 – Greg Senat – Wagner – 6’6/305 – GRADE: 66
18 – Matt Pryor – TCU – 6’7/337 – GRADE: 66
19 – Brett Toth – Army – 6’6/305 – GRADE: 66
20 – Elijah Nkansah – Toledo – 6’6/316 – GRADE: 66
21 – Christian Dilauro – Illinois – 6’5/300 – GRADE: 65
22 – Jamar McGloster – Syracuse – 6’6/330 – GRADE: 63
23 – Ike Boettger – Iowa – 6’6/307 – GRADE: 63
24 – Brett Kendrick – Tennessee – 6’6/305 – GRADE: 63
25 – Elijah Nkansah – Toledo – 6’6/316 – GRADE: 63

NYG APPROACH

For the second straight year, the OT class is pretty weak at the top. This is partially why I was saying it was essential they brought in Solder via FA no matter the price, and that they did. With Flowers moving over to the right side to compete against Wheeler and Bisnowaty for the starting job, there is a sense of competition over there that makes you think someone is going to rise up and provide quality play. RT has been a gaping hole for 2+ years now. With that said, there is a solid group of 3rd/4th round options in this class that can be thrown in to the mix. This class has some interesting upside in that part of the draft. Using a mid-round pick on OT would be wise, as there is no long term security on this roster as of now. Adding another young and able body to compete simply increases the odds that someone will rise up.