Superlatives
Best Overall: Penei Sewell
Best Run Blocker: Penei Sewell
Best Pass Blocker: Christian Darrisaw
Best Interior Lineman: Alijah Vera-Tucker
Best Mover: Rashawn Slater
Strongest: Christian Darrisaw
Most Versatile: Rashawn Slater
Most Slept On: Landon Dickerson
Penei Sewell | Oregon, OT
Penei Sewell is a special type of prospect that only comes around every so often. At 6’5″ 330 lbs he has every GMs dream frame for a Left Tackle, but what is even more impressive is how he moves. Sewell has never appeared to have a task that he cannot handle or seemed to be mismatched with size or speed. Sewell opted out of the 2020 season, but set records and became the highest rated offensive tackle in the history of PFF rankings with a 95.8 in 2019. Sewell was a bit untested in the PAC12 and didn’t have the opportunity to face top tier pass rushers as he would have in the SEC or Big10, but rarely ever showed a weakness in any aspect of his game. He is young (just 20 years old), so there is a belief that his ceiling could be even higher than imaginable, but his true value that jumps out is how high his floor is…something that doesn’t come often at the position. Sewell is a surefire top 5 pick in the 2021 draft.
Rashawn Slater | Northwestern, OT
Slater was a two year started at Northwestern, playing both Right Tackle (2018) and Left Tackle (2019). Slater opted out of the 2020 season and elected to focus on training for the draft and working on his technique with renowned OL coach Duke Manyweather. Slater’s biggest weaknesses are those he cannot control: size and length. At 6’4″ 305, he is a bit under the prototypical size of a tackle and his 33 inch arms don’t help the argument (35 inch arms are generally the gold standard), but it is hard to spot a flaw in any of his tape. He mirrors as well as anyone and it is clear on tape that he is a high IQ player who processes the game with ease. He frequently picks up on stunts and blitzes before they happen, something that is extremely rare for a player that is so early in his career. If you truly want to measure Slater among NFL standards, check out his tape against Chase Young in 2019, which was better than any other offensive lineman Young faced. There is a chance that Slater may move inside to guard early in his career, but that alone shouldn’t bump him outside of the top 15 picks.
Alijah Vera-Tucker | USC, OL
Alijah Vera-Tucker is the most versatile lineman of this class and bounced around the Trojans line for his career. In 2018 he played in the RG spot in a reserve role, but took over in 2019 as the starting LG. He then took over the LT spot in 2020 and had his most efficient season of his career, although the Trojans played just 6 games and 466 snaps on offense. In his career he allowed just 5 sacks and 8 hurries through his 975 pass blocking snaps, but likely is going to be drafted to play the guard position. He measured in at 6’4″ 308 lbs with 32 1/8 inch arms, which clearly will pigeonhole him to an inside position. Regardless of where he plays, Vera-Tucker has phenomenal tape and production over the prior two years and can be viewed as a high floor prospect who can step in and play guard right away. Don’t discount Vera-Tucker being taken 11th overall by the Giants, who are in desperate need of a starting RG, but his range lies within the mid to late 1st round.
Christian Darrisaw | Virginia Tech, OT
Darrisaw is a 3 year starter from Virginia Tech who saw his production improve each season. He exploded onto the draft scene in 2020 and had as dominant of a season as anyone in college football and capped his career off with a 95.6 PFF rating (just 0.2 behind Sewells record breaking season). He played all 2,320 snaps of his career at the Left Tackle position and finished his junior season without allowing a single sack or hit all year. He plays with tremendous physicality and power and is as NFL ready as anyone at the position. There will no doubt be an adjustment period at the next level, but it is clear that Darrisaw has the physical gifts and instinctual awareness to thrive at the next level.
Teven Jenkins | Oklahoma State, OT
Jenkins is a powerful and precise run blocking specialist who has split his career playing between the two tackle positions. There is room to improve when it comes to being a technical pass blocker, but it will be hard to find a better mauler in the run game this year. Jenkins showed gradual improvement in each of his three years as a starter and allowed just 2 sacks in his career with over 1,000 pass blocking snaps. Jenkins was a key impact in teammate Chuba Hubbards dominance in the 2019 season. We have Jenkins as a 1st round pick and could see him landing in a run heavy scheme such as Indianapolis.
Dillon Radunz | North Dakota State, OT
Radunz was a three year starter at Left Tackle for the dominant FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. He is quick and lanky like a converted tight end and just tips the scale at 300 lbs, but plays with a rare explosiveness for a FCS talent. Don’t let the lower tier division fool you, Radunz did have an SEC offer from Missouri, but elected to go to North Dakota State for a better shot at playing time. There are some concerns surrounding injury history, as he did have a bad ACL tear in 2017, but he bounced back and allowed just 4 sacks over the next three years. North Dakota State played in just one game in 2020, so we really don’t have a good read on Radunz lately, but he had an extremely impressive week at the Senior Bowl against several top rated edge rushers. He is a bit too lean to be a no brainer first round pick, but we have him graded as potentially going in the 20s.
Liam Eichenberg | Notre Dame, OT
Liam Eichenberg may not be the flashiest prospect in the world, but he is by far one of the most stout and complete prospects across the board. As a 3 year starter for a contending team, he logged over 2,600 snaps and gave up just 3 sacks in his career. He is light on his feet for a 300+ lb tackle and has desirable length to play on the outside as a tackle. He struggled to contain several of the top edge rushers throughout his career, but has some of the best experience in the country by playing in the Notre Dame offense against some of the toughest defenses in the country. He isn’t going to be the most intriguing or athletic prospect, but he certainly is solid enough to garner a second round pick.
Samuel Cosmi | Texas, OT
Samuel Cosmi is solid and has some of the best tape in the country, but he seriously could’ve benefitted from returning to Texas for another season. He is a tremendous athlete who is extremely fast off of the line, so the potential is clearly there, but with such a strong tackle class emerging this season he could have gone back for one more year of tape to really emerge as a early first rounder. He has the athleticism and power to be a first round pick, but inefficiencies in his technique will probably push him into the early second.
Wyatt Davis | Ohio State, G
Davis was amongst the top overall prospects in the draft when the season began, but had a disappointing year that exposed several of his blocking tendencies. Granted, the Buckeyes played a limited schedule that ended up being rather vigorous and challenging, but from one of the top prospects in the country you would expect a bit more consistency. Davis seems to check off every box in terms of physical skillset and tools necessary to become an elite interior lineman in the NFL, but it is too often on tape where we see miscommunications and confusion…an area that scouts are deeply invested into. These flaws can obviously be coached and overcome, but to invest any higher than a early 2nd would be a bit of a reach for an unpolished guard.
Landon Dickerson | Alabama, C/G
At 6’6″ 325 lbs, Dickerson was one of the biggest centers in the country, but finished the year by being named 1st Team All American and the Rimington Award Winner for being the top overall Center in the nation. Dickerson’s stock saw it take it’s biggest hit when he tore his ACL late in the season, which could potential push back his NFL debut. Regardless, he is as solid of an NFL prospect as any in this class and has the strength to start anywhere on the interior right away. He was a pancake machine in 2020 and played a critical role in Najee Harris’s success between the tackles. He is an extremely smart and well coached prospect, but will also be 23 when he makes his debut, something that combined with an injury could push his stock into the third round. Regardless, Dickerson will be an NFL starter.
Jalen Mayfield | Michigan, OT
Mayfield is as raw as it gets for someone considered to possibly be taken before the end of Day 2. He has limited reps and tape and was a 1 year starter before he opted out of the 2020 season, but then elected to return for just two games. In those two games he played extremely well and showcased he rare strength and muscle. The ceiling is high for Mayfield, but there is too much work to be done technically before he is worth much more than a 3rd round pick. A team may reach higher due to his high developmental ceiling, but he will certainly be a project in the pros.
Alex Leatherwood | Alabama, OT
Leatherwood was as reliable as they get in the SEC, but also benefitted from being on one of the best offensive lines in the country. He finished his career with a National Championship, along with other great honors and accolades. He started his Bama career by playing the RG position while former 1st Rd picks Jonah Williams and Jedrick Wills played as the tackles. He then bumped outside to the Left Tackle (at the time, not the blind side for lefty Tua) for his next two seasons. He has the ideal size (6’6″ 315 lbs) and length (34 3/8 inch arms) necessary to play tackle at the next level, but lacks the athleticism and quickness to keep up with the top tier talent of this class. He is as solid as they come and also could certainly play anywhere on the line, but it is likely that we see Leatherwood drop to the bottom of the second round.
Creed Humphrey | Oklahoma, C/G
Humphrey, like Dickerson, is a former Rimington Award winner and one of the most accomplished interior lineman in the draft. He is an absolute grinder on the line with some of the best hands in the class, but is certainly going to be limited to never playing on the outside. He is an excellent zone blocker who played a key role in the success of Oklahoma’s run game over the years. He has experience playing with great scrambling QBs and his quickness and movement looks fluid enough to keep up on tape. He has a powerful upper body, but can sometimes play a bit too tall against some of the heavier and more powerful defensive tackles. He is as solid as they come and certainly with garner a Day 2 pick and will start at the next level.
Quinn Meinerz | Wisconsin-Whitewater, G/C
Meinerz went viral when he had one of the best Senior Bowls out of the entire group and contained some of the top edge rushers in the country (not to mention, wore an Ezekiel Elliott crop top while doing so). Then, weeks later, he ran two sub 5 second 40 yard dashes to prove he was much more than just a physical imposer. Despite not having a 2020 season due to the D2 cancellation, Meinerz appears to be in game ready shape and has been making himself richer by the month. He has gained the attention of scouts and proven that he is worth the investment and that he can keep up with anyone. Meinerz is likely a mid round selection.
Trey Smith | Tennessee, G/T
Trey Smith was once one of the top rated recruits in the nation, but was sidelined due to serious health conditions revolving around blood clots in his lungs. When he returned he was a solid SEC lineman, but he never really appeared to reach the potential he once had early in his career. He played multiple positions on the line and settled as a LG in 2020, which boasts his versatility. He plays with NFL strength, but didn’t have the consistency you would hope for, which likely will push him into the mid-rounds. Someone could take a shot earlier than that, but with a scary medical history it is unlikely.
Spencer Brown | Northern Iowa, OT
Spencer Brown is a psychical beast and recently ran a 4.8 second 40 yard dash despite having a 6’8″ 310 lbs frame. The ceiling is extremely high when you have that rare of an athletic profile, but there is a long road before Brown can be considered NFL starter quality. He comes from FCS powerhouse Northern Iowa, which also discounts his sloppy tape. He has the potential to be a great NFL starter, but there is a long way before that is a reality. Brown may be worth a 4th or 5th round pick as a shot in the dark, but there is no guarantee that it will work out.
Drake Jackson | Kentucky, G/C
Drake Jackson was a four year starter in the SEC who saw consistent improvement each season. He is a seasoned veteran with as much top tier experience as possible and thrives in the run game. However, he is under 300 lbs and just 6’2″, which will likely keep him at the center position for good. He is a smart and instinctual player that brings a high football IQ to the huddle and is an offensive line coaches dream of a leader of the unit. The future could potentially be a bright one for Drake Jackson if he finds the right fit for his abilities.
Deonte Brown | Alabama, G
Deonte “Cornbread” Brown is another interior prospect that went viral this year, due to his monstrous 6’5″ 350 lbs frame. Brown struggled with consistency throughout his career, but has experience starting in both guard positions. He got dinged at the Senior Bowl due to his sloppy play, but bounced back by having a strong pro day where he showed up 18 lbs lighter. He isn’t very nimble on his feet, but that type of size is un-coachable. Another higher than a 5th would be a massive reach, but Brown has the potential to develop into a run blocking mauler at the next level as long as he stays at a manageable size.
Just missed the cut:
Walker Little | Stanford, OT
Jackson Carmen | Clemson, OT
James Hudson | Cincinnati, OT
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