PACKERDRAFT 2010 OFFENSIVE TACKLES

Jerry Gilbert
Adding a young player to play behind, and at some point replace, Green Bay left tackle Chad Clifton has been a an unfulfilled priority for several years. This year General Manager Ted Thompson has little choice in the matter. Clifton has sustained many injuries and is declining in his skills. Rookie T.J. Lang filled in late last year after Daryn Colledge proved inadequate. Lang was better, but he does not appear to be the answer. Even if he could improve to the point of being an adequate starter, that would not the best option for the Packers. Lang is a talented young man who is better fit for, and could be a long-term starter at, right tackle or guard. T.J. Lang will be needed elsewhere.

Happily the offensive tackle class in the 2010 Draft is strong and deep. There will be good opportunities beginning in the first round and throughout the remaining rounds. Unfortunately, at least seven other teams may be looking at an offensive tackle before Green Bay selects at 23. Seattle, who lost the great Walter Jones, has 2 picks in the top 15. The Lions, Redskins, Chiefs, Raiders, Bills and 49ers may also consider a first round offensive tackle. Most of those teams will pick ahead of Green Bay in later rounds as well. There will be competition for the quality tackle prospects.

Two of the top prospects are seniors from the state of Oklahoma. Russell Okung 6-5 302 Oklahoma State is number one on most boards. He will be gone in the top five. Trent Williams 6-5 318 is not rated as high by most observers, but he also is likely to be gone in the top 20 selections. Williams is probably best suited to play right tackle, which makes him an unlikely first round pick for Green Bay in any case.

The other potential first round offensive tackles are juniors, and one or more could drop to the Packers at number 23. A player liked by many is Brian Bulaga 6-6 312 Iowa. Bulaga was a fixture at left tackle for the Hawkeyes for three seasons. The only time the offense struggled is when Bulaga missed time due to sickness or injury. He was all Big Ten twice and the most valuable offensive lineman in the conference in 2009. He followed that up with an outstanding performance in the Orange Bowl victory over Georgia Tech. In college he was effective with both the running game and pass protection. The main concerns about Bulaga are his strength and his history of a thyroid condition. He will be selected by somebody in the first round.

A second junior blue chip prospect is Anthony Davis 6-6 325 Rutgers. Davis was all conference and second team all American last season. He was also a starter from the time he arrived on campus, although he began at guard before moving to left tackle for the last two seasons. A high school all American, Davis has been a dominating run blocker and adequate pass protector in high school and college. His major negative has been a tendency to gain too much weight. There is also a concern whether he has the quickness to consistently handle twists and stunts. Nevertheless, he is a left tackle prospect who could also become a dominating guard or right tackle.

A third junior first round prospect is Bruce Campbell 6-7 310 Maryland. Right now Campbell is a notch below the others, but his size and athleticism suggest that he could be the top left tackle prospect in the draft. The negatives are limited game experience with only 17 starts, partly due to the second problem, which is a history of a knee injury and a turf toe, which caused him to miss games. Campbell will get his chance at the combine to show NFL scouts where he belongs in the Draft. If his technique and willingness to take coaching impresses the scouts, Bruce Campbell could be a first round pick in 2010.

One other player who could be available at pick 23 is Idaho's Mike Iupati 6-5 330 the consensus top rated offensive guard prospect in this draft. Iupati had never played left tackle until he was tried there in a practice session at the Senior Bowl. What is intriguing about this player is that he is potential pro bowl left guard who has the physical skills also to fill in at either tackle. Iupati stood up very well against the outside pass rushers and talented defensive tackles at the Senior Bowl.

A couple of seniors who did play left tackle had earlier been mentioned as first round possibilities, but they have now slid, and are likely to be available in the second round or even later. The best of that group may be Charles Brown 6-5 295 USC. Being successful as a left tackle for Pete Carroll says something about the player. Brown regularly competed against premier defensive ends and usually prevailed. Scouts are all over the place about this player. Some say he cannot put on weight, others say he can do so with ease. Some say he cannot run block, and others rave about his talents in that area. Brown should be drafted in round two or three. If the scouts who rave about Brown are right, he could be a steal at that point.

Ciron Black 6-5 328 LSU began the year as the number one left tackle on many draft boards. He did not have an outstanding senior season, but he was playing with a weaker offensive line group than had been the case before. He is one of the better road grading run blockers in the draft. The issue with Black is whether he has the skills to play left tackle. He can play somewhere on the line and will be drafted by round 2. The Packers may take him if they believe he can develop the skills to play left tackle in the NFL.

Roger Saffold 6-5 318 Indiana could be the selection in round 3. Saffold was a three-year starter for Indiana at left tackle and was chosen second team All Big Ten. However, he was generally considered to be one of the many college left tackles who lack the skills to play the position on Sunday. All that changed at the practices before the East West Shrine game. Saffold dominated top rated pass rushers in individual drills and continued his stellar play in scrimmages and in the game itself. One thing to note about Roger Saffold is his junior season at Indiana. Battling both a knee injury and a bad back, Saffold missed only two games and played at a high level all season.

Chris Scott 6-5 346 Tennessee is another prospect who impressed scouts at post-season all-star games. Scott, similar to Roger Saffold, showed well at the Shrine Game, and he was a late addition to the Senior Bowl. There the coaches were prepared to move him to guard, until he began to defeat well-known pass rushers in the drills. Chris Scott is a big man who very likely could play right tackle or guard. He could be a mid round value as a combination player.

Another prospect who has been rated at the same level is definitely a left tackle prospect, but he has issues. Jason Fox 6-6 310 Miami anchored the left side of the line for the resurgent Miami squad. There is concern about his strength against strong professional defensive ends; however, the biggest issue is an issue with his heartbeat which emerged at the end of the season. He missed the final game of the regular season and the post-season bowl game. If the medical report is positive, he could be a steal in a later round. He also might have a very short NFL career.

In later rounds, NFL teams generally look for offensive tackle prospects who show some versatility. To meet the needs of the Green Bay Packers, the player they choose this year must have left tackle skills, but his primary contribution may be as a right tackle or offensive guard.

A player who has gotten some notice is Zane Beadles 6-4 307 Utah who is generally believed to have the skills to play nearly anywhere on the offensive line. Because he was a four year starter and two year all conference performer at left tackle, some viewed him as fitting the needs of Green Bay. However, at the Senior Bowl, Beadles could not compete with the top outside pass rushers. Unless scouts can see ways to improve his technique enough to play left tackle, Beadles seems destined to move to guard in the NFL

. Left tackles from smaller schools will be available in later rounds. Derek Hardeman 6-6 295 Eastern Kentucky was a small school all American who came up big after they moved him to guard in the Texas vs. the Nation all-star game. If workouts show the athleticism to fill in at left tackle, he could be a good selection in about round 6.

Unless Ted Thompson accomplishes the highly unexpected feat of landing a starting left tackle by a trade or free agency, it is imperative that at least a competent reserve is uncovered in the 2010 draft. Because other positions are not manned by all pros, the selection of a second offensive lineman would not be a surprise.