Top 10 Offensive Tackles in the 2018 NFL Draft

At first glance, this doesn’t appear to be a very deep group and, when all is said and done, that seems to be a fair assessment. I think there is potential here and a lot of ‘upside’ but there’s also a lot of technical deficiencies and a fair few that might actually be better moving to the guard position.

I’m looking for good size, strength, power and balance as well as the ability to pass protect and run block. I’m also, especially for the blindside tackles, looking for a certain level of athleticism and foot quickness.

For purposes of this list, I am not considering guard prospects such as Isaiah Wynn.

Here, I’ll outline my top 10 (pre-combine) regardless of team fit/scheme.

Mike McGlinchey – Notre Dame – Senior – 6ft-8 – 312lb

McGlinchey tops my list because he seems to have all of the prerequisite skills to be a tackle in the NFL. Firstly, McGlinchey is a leader and formed part of an impressive Notre Dame O-line in 2017 (along with Quentin Nelson who is the top guard prospect this year). McGlinchey has active feet and is fairly athletic for a man of his size. McGlinchey has great strength but could add a little more weight/muscle to max out in that area. McGlinchey counters power rushers well and can counter speed rushers on the edge by getting quickly off the snap and developing a strong base. McGlinchey provides scheme versatility and could easily line up at either left or right tackle, he may be more suited to the latter as, generally, left tackles are a little more athletic. McGlinchey demonstrates great technique in most areas and has good instincts and awareness. McGlinchey has long arms and uses his hands well. McGlinchey could do with being a little more consistent at the pro level but he should be drafted in the top 20 picks this year.

Connor Williams – Texas – Junior – 6ft-6 – 320lb

Williams is a great technician and he has most of the skills required to be a starting tackle in the pros. Williams lacks ideal length but he makes up for it with great hand usage/placement. Apart from length, Williams has good size and generally sets up in pass protection with a good anchor/base. Williams is a leader with great character and has consistently been one of the top tackles in college for the last 2 years. Williams displays decent athleticism and smooth footwork and is a good mover in space. Williams is an above average run blocker and move to the second level well to engage linebackers. Williams isn’t the strongest but he could add muscle/bulk with a bit of weight-room work. Due to the lack of strength, Williams can sometimes be pushed in to the pocket by power rushers. Williams has good body control and balance but can sometime lose leverage. Williams definitely projects as a top 25 pick in this years draft.

Orlando Brown – Oklahoma – Junior – 6ft-8 – 360lb

I’m not sure about Brown. I’ve tried not to be swayed too much by his huge size but it is pretty impressive and he has enough tools to suggest he could be an extremely good player in the NFL. Let’s start with the massive frame and outstanding arm length, rushers are not getting by Brown easily even if he just stands there. Brown is nasty and plays to the whistle with an edge unlike some others on this list. He can be intimidating and overwhelming for defenders but he can also be penalised and a bit grabby at times. Brown has good feet for his size and he moves reasonably well on most plays although occasionally he can look a bit lumbering. Brown has undoubted power but is limited as a run blocker and he doesn’t work to the 2nd level with any ease. Technically, Brown is deficient in gaining leverage, knee bend and hand use. Brown doesn’t give much scheme or position versatility, he’s pretty definitely a left tackle as far as I’m concerned which is where he has played all through college. Brown’s father was a right tackle in the league for many years so the pedigree is definitely there. Brown should be chosen in the first round of this year’s draft as at least one team will fall in love with his potential.

Martinas Rankin – Mississippi State – Senior – 6ft-5 – 305lb

I was going to have Rankin as my #3 prospect over Orlando Brown but he has too many technical deficiencies at this stage and Brown has that undeniable potential that can’t be matched by any other on this list. Rankin is an athletic left tackle prospect although some might suggest he could move to guard in the NFL. Rankin combines solid footwork with strong hands to win as a pass protector. Rankin doesn’t offer much as a run blocker which could curtail any potential move to guard. Rankin gets off the snap well and sets with a decent anchor before delivering a nice punch to his opponent. Rankin has good size and length but he needs to add more upper body strength. Rankin performed well against most of the elite rushers in the SEC this year which will be a good marker for any team looking his way in the draft. Rankin is a consistent performer and with slight improvements in some technical areas, and some added muscle, he could develop in to an above average starter in the league. Rankin could climb in to the first round in April but, more likely, he’ll be a second round pick.

Kolton Miller – UCLA – Junior – 6ft-8 – 310lb

Josh Rosen’s blindside protector, Miller is a big guy with good athleticism and great size/length. As an athlete, Miller has decent agility and good foot quickness although he’s not the most fluid of movers in open space. Miller plays with consistency and high effort, he’s got a good motor and shows great determination. Miller has good hand usage and delivers a worthy punch at the point of attack. Miller seems to be an aware player with above average instincts and good play recognition. Miller needs to add more power to his game and work on the technical issues he has with high pad levels, knee bend and stiff hips. Miller appears to have some issues with body control and balance at times. Miller is a versatile player but he seems to have found his position at left tackle. Miller is an ascending prospect who could easily be drafted in the first round. I would expect Miller to be taken in the second round or, at worst, very early in the third where someone would be getting a bargain given his undoubted potential.

Brian O’Neill – Pittsburgh – Junior – 6ft-6 – 305lb

O’Neill is a classic athletic left tackle prospect with good agility and arm length. At a squeak over 300lb, O’Neill doesn’t have ideal size for the position and does appear to lack core strength/power. O’Neill has good lateral quickness and he is able to get out quickly to pull block or to block on the outside for screen plays etc. O’Neill generally uses his hands well to engage & maintain blocks but he can sometimes lose his technique and be ‘grabby’. O’Neill gets a good burst off the snap but he can sometimes overset and then panic in an attempt to recover against better rushers. O’Neill is a former tight end so is still developing at the tackle position. Teams will like O’Neill’s athletic ability and his overall potential and they will see the technical flaws as correctable. The big question is whether O’Neill can add bulk and power to see him become a multi-year starter in the NFL. O’Neill’s draft range is large but I could see him being taken in the late second round by a team that will spend time developing him in to a future starting left tackle.

Tyrell Crosby – Oregon – Senior – 6ft-5 – 320lb

Crosby is almost always written up as a tackle prospect but I actually think he’d make a better guard. Saying that, Crosby does possess a lot of traits you’d look for as a tackle such as his size & length. Crosby isn’t an athletic guy but he’s physical and nasty and he plays with a mean streak. His long arms and strong anchor allow him to survive against pass rushers but his strength is as a bulldozing run blocker. If Crosby is to stay as a tackle it would be on the right side where his run blocking skills will be better utilised and he won’t encounter too many elite NFL pass rushers. Crosby appears to need to improve his technique in a number of areas but he’s not far away. Playing in Oregon’s offense means that Crosby may well not be ‘NFL Ready’ and you can certainly see him taking a year to climatize before he makes the leap to being a starter. Crosby has a great off-field character which belies his mean streak on it, he appears to be a guy that will find a way to succeed in the NFL. Crosby’s talent and versatility should get him selected in or before the third round in this year’s draft.

Chukwuma Okorafor – Western Michigan – Senior – 6ft-6 – 330lb

I’ve watched a lot of tape on Okorafor and I see a very inconsistent player who has great potential. Okorafor will need a lot of technical corrections before he’s anywhere near ready to be a starter in the NFL. Okorafor has impressive athleticism for his size and decent agility. Okorafor is undoubtedly powerful and he generally plays with strong hands. Okorafor does struggle to engage blocks and his had placement is poor. When Okorafor engages well and demonstrates his quick feet, he looks all the world like a top prospect but this doesn’t manifest often enough. Okorafor has good size and a meaty frame but he does look top heavy at times and his body control and balance are questionable. Okorafor has played both tackle spots as a 3 year starter and looks like he could transition well to guard. Versatility, potential and athleticism should see Okorafor drafted as high as the second round in April but teams will want to know that his technical flaws are correctable and that his consistency can improve.

Jamarco Jones – Ohio State – Senior – 6ft-5 – 310lb

Jones is a well rounded prospect who offers a little of everything. Jones has steadily improved through his college years which suggests he’s very coachable and not yet reached his full potential. Jones has good athleticism and agility and he can move to the 2nd level efficiently. Jones demonstrates good hand usage and he has a good punch at the point of attack. Jones pass protection has improved but he doesn’t have the ideal length to be a top tackle prospect. Jones has decent balance but struggles with leverage and bend and often plays too high. You would like to see Jones play a bit nastier and finish his blocks off better. Jones is versatile but unlikely to be a left tackle at the next level, he may well be better suited to playing right tackle in a zone blocking scheme. Jones is a perfectly serviceable tackle prospect who is intelligent enough to succeed in the NFL, I would predict that he could be drafted in the late third-early fourth in the forthcoming draft.

Brett Toth – Army – Senior – 6ft-6 – 305lb

I could have thrown in about 10 different prospects here (Parker, Cappa, Harrison, Noteboom etc, etc.) but I’m going to take a punt on Brett Toth from Army. Despite playing in a poor division and the prospect that he could have other commitments going forward, Toth has undoubted potential and physical skills. Toth is quick off the snap at tough at the point of attack. Toth is athletic and shows good lateral movement. Toth is a good mover in space and works to the 2nd level well. Toth has good length/range and sets with a natural anchor. Toth will need to add muscle/bulk and find a way to improve his strength to be able to succeed in the NFL. Toth needs a lot of technical work as you might expect but he’s a smart guy and appears very coachable. The main thing to point out here is that Toth may not be available to the team that drafts him until he has completed 2 year’s service. With that in mind, he is unlikely to be selected any higher than the fifth or sixth round but, if we’re going purely by potential, I couldn’t leave him off the list.

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