NFL Draft Prospects: Jeff Otah

Name: Jeff Otah
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Pittsburgh
Year: Senior
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 340
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 3-6 1st - 2nd round

Strengths: Despite his monstrous size, did not miss a game for Pittsburgh. Long arms and uncanny speed for his size make him likely the best physical athlete in the offensive tackle class this year. Works hard and continues until the end of the play.

Concerns: Unrefined talent. Coming from Nigeria and not playing football until his senior year of high school, Otah still needs to work on some of the finer points of his game.

Comments: Huge upside pick here. One can only hope that the right coaching staff continues to develop his guy as he has the physical attributes and instincts of a bonafide star in the NFL. Otah likely needs a couple training camps and preseasons of work before he is NFL ready though.

tag: NFL, Draft, Football, Prospect, Profile, Pittsburgh, Jeff Otah

NFL Draft Prospects: Gosder Cherilus

Name: Gosder Cherilus
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Boston College
Year: Senior
Ht: 6-7
Wt: 318
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 3-5 1st - 2nd round
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: Physical attributes are ideal for a tackle in the NFL. Possesses power and quick speed and is able to drive defenders back when engaged.

Concerns: Suffered a poor senior season in which many attribute to his shift from right to left tackle and a change to a zone blocking scheme. Cherilus was not able to transition cleanly through these changes and did not perform as well as his stellar junior year.

Comments: Cherilus is a solid right tackle and should be guaranteed a first day pick. However, his weakness in the mental aspect of the game (changing scheme, changing sides etc.) hurts his draft stock. Call me crazy but I see him as a possible bust candidate.

tag: NFL, Draft, Profile, Boston College, Football, Gosder Cherilus

NFL Draft Prospects: Ryan Clady

Name: Ryan Clady
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Boise State
Year: Junior
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 319
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 2-3 1st round

Strengths: Long arms and a body built to pass block, Clady never seems to panic or scramble with his game. He is able to easily defend against the pass rush without too much effort.

Concerns: Very few.

Comments: Clady is far and away the best junior tackle available, some even have him at the second best tackle in the draft with the possibility of being a top 5 choice. One thing is for sure, Clady was built to be an offensive lineman and plays the part well. A franchise tackle, Clady will serve his draft team well for years to come.

tag: NFL, Draft, Profile, Boise State, Football, Ryan Clady

NFL Draft Prospects: Sam Baker

Name: Sam Baker
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: USC
Year: Senior
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 305
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 2-4 Mid-late 1st round
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: Excellent pass blocker; always seems to be in the right position. Long arms and quick feet make him a premier pass blocker.

Concerns: Durability and size are a big concern. Many teams would like him to bulk up as he is not a big as they’d like at 305 lbs. Injury history (hamstring) may also scare teams from drafting Baker earlier in the first. Run blocking is not the best.

Comments: Not the consensus number two OT in draft he was a few months ago; Baker is still first round material. Injury history will play a factor in many teams decision to draft him but a good showing at the Combine/individual workouts will go a long way in removing that stigma. Assuming he can stave off the injury bug, Baker should prove to be good value for the team that drafts him in the late first round as he has the physical attributes to become a solid starter in the right situation.

tag: NFL, Draft, Football, Prospect, Profile, USC

NFL Draft Prospects: Jake Long

Name: Jake Long
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Michigan
Year: Senior
Ht: 6-7
Wt: 315
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 1 Top 5 1st round

Strengths: Rarely gets beat on pass blocking; is unmatched in that department in this year’s OL class. Despite being a huge physical specimen, Long also has the speed and nimble footwork to run block very well also. A great leader also, is the anchor for Michigan’s line. Has the ability to play both right and left tackle.

Concerns: Not many bad things to say about this guy physically. His mental toughness may be questioned as a poor game against Ohio State seemed to snowball on him a little bit but at this point, that seems to be an abberation.

Comments: The consensus top OL in the draft, Jake Long made himself alot of money by staying in school another year. A monster of a human being, he has all of the physical qualities that you want a tackle to have along with leadership skills and a mean streak that helps him run-block better than he is given credit for. The team that draft him can plug him in and forget about their blind-side OT for 10 years or so.