5 offensive tackles to watch in the 1st round
Kansas City’s offensive line could have been coMVPS with Patrick Mahomes after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.
Holding the Eagles, the first team in Super Bowl history to bring a 70-sack pass rush into the game, without a sack was huge, especially with a quarterback who was playing with an ankle injury.
It wasn’t an accident. The Chiefs had allowed the fewest sacks of any AFC team (26) and the third-fewest in the league.
As the offensive line goes, so goes any NFL offense.
That brings us to the Patriots. Last season, the offensive line struggled. By extension, so did quarterback Mac Jones.
The biggest problems came at the tackle position with Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn both having difficulty. And with Wynn, Yodny Cajuste and Marcus Cannon approaching free agency, tackle is a huge offseason priority. Even though the team re-signed pending free agent Conor Mcdermott, they still need to shore up the position.
Fortunately for the Patriots, there’s quite a few plugand-play possibilities in the NFL Draft. And sitting at 14th overall, Bill Belichick should have a few options if the Pats go that route.
Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
A three-year starter at left tackle who is considered the most Nfl-ready lineman in the class, Skoronski would be a dream at No. 14.
According to Pro Football Focus, Skoronski allowed just six pressures on 474 pass- blocking snaps this past season, which is other-worldly.
The one bugaboo has to do with his arm length, and whether that might hinder the 2022 AP All-american at the next level. But having shorter arms never bothered Patriots Hall of Famer Matt Light, who was an All
Pro and part of three Super Bowl championships.
Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
The former five-star recruit might not fall as far as No. 14, but stranger things have happened on draft day.
The Buckeye, who is a mammoth 6- foot- 6, 310 pounds, started at both right guard and left tackle. Given his size, length and athleticism, he seems more like a prototypical tackle.
According to Pro Foot
ball Focus, he allowed just 10 pressures all season. He projects to be a starter for many years to come.
Whether he starts out at right tackle next to Mike Onwenu, or heads to left tackle right away, where he’s a classic fit, he figures to make offensive line coach Adrian Klemm’s life a little easier.
Broderick Jones, Georgia
At 6-foot- 4, 310 pounds, he’s built like a block of granite. He’s also an athletic tackle who has been a master at moving defensive ends and linemen anywhere he pleases.
He’s a dynamic blocker who could jump in immediately, and help get the Patriots offensive line back on track.
He played in every game of Georgia’s back-to-back national championship seasons, starting all 15 games in 2022.
He’s another who might not last to No. 14, but if he’s still there, it’s a no-brainer to take him, assuming the Patriots don’t land a top tackle in free agency.
Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
He’s 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, and moves with with swiftness and fluidity of an NBA player according to some evaluators.
He excels in pass protection and that ability to move sets him up nicely to play either tackle position. The three-year starter began his career playing on the blindside, but switched to right tackle in 2022.
He needs some work as a run blocker, but the overall package will be hard for teams to ignore. He also plays with a mean streak, which would suit the Patriots, or any team. Scouts believe he has a very high ceiling.
Dawand Jones, Ohio State
Like Trent Brown, he stands at 6-foot- 8, and at 375 pounds, is actually a little heavier than the Patriots tackle.
Whatever the weight, Jones is a beast.
His arm length (36 inches) and wingspan (89.5 inches), measured recently at the Senior Bowl, trump Brown’s (36/87.3). In fact, no player in Senior Bowl history has ever had a longer wingspan than Jones.
He was dominant during the first day of Senior Bowl practices. There are some issues with footwork, but his huge frame, long arms and monster wingspan could very well land him in the first round.