My breakdown of the top OT prospects

[davos]

Huh? What?

 

 

Cam Erving started at LT for FSU for 2 years and only played Center the final 5 games of his Sr year. The only reason he is being mocked as one of the top interior lineman in the draft is because he was so damn good at Center in only 5 starts.

 

Yep.  Also, his measurables are right where you want them for an LT.  A lot of people think he's going to be an elite C though so it will be really interesting to see what happens with him.  I think he's fully capable of being a very solid LT and his potential at center shouldn't take away from that. 

 

6'5+ --- yep

310 lbs+ --- yep

10"+ hands --- yep

34"+ arms ---- yep

 

Proven starter against top-level competition.  Was the starting LT on their championship squad and like you said, played most of his collegiate career there.  

[Riverboat Ron]

I have the weird feeling Fisher will be a Panther come May.

[Pox2]

I understand that and I said that he'd played both positions.  It's also fair to mention that FSU's OL was much, much better with Erving at C than it was with Erving at LT.

 

Well of course it was, FSU Center play was awful all last year with Barron (redshirt SR that was simply a below average player that ended up getting injured) and Hoefield (redshirt freshman that was not physically ready to play). Both of them underperformed all year and interior lineman routinely beat both of them off the ball and lived in the backfield. FSU was ranked 93rd in running the ball this past season. Last year when their OL played like a top 5 unit with Bryan Stork at Center (who started for the Patriots as a rookie at Center this past season) they were 28th in the country. So as pass blockers and run blockers both Barron and Hoefield were liabilities.

 

 

FSU OL was not stabilized until Cam moved to center and then suddenly their OL looked much better because they did not have a weak link at Center. It  does not matter how good of a LT you have if your Center consistently allows DTs and NGs to beat him off the ball in one on one battles and harass your QB.

[LinvilleGorge]

I don't disagree with you there.

 

Overall, I think Erving's versatility is a strength, I'm just not sure how NFL teams are evaluating him.  Do they see him at C or do they see him at OT?  I think he can do either.

[Pox2]

Yep.  Also, his measurables are right where you want them for an LT.  A lot of people think he's going to be an elite C though so it will be really interesting to see what happens with him.  I think he's fully capable of being a very solid LT and his potential at center shouldn't take away from that. 

 

6'5+ --- yep

310 lbs+ --- yep

10"+ hands --- yep

34"+ arms ---- yep

 

Proven starter against top-level competition.  Was the starting LT on their championship squad and like you said, played most of his collegiate career there.  

 

 

He certainly has LT tackle measurables and not only that has big game experience and success at he position. His value comes from the fact that he can conceivably play every position on the OL because he has the tape to prove it. It will be interesting to see what position he ends up playing in the NFL.

[Pox2]

I don't disagree with you there.

 

Overall, I think Erving's versatility is a strength, I'm just not sure how NFL teams are evaluating him.  Do they see him at C or do they see him at OT?  I think he can do either.

 

Yeah, that's the question. Each team projects him differently.

[sml1950]

I've never seen a year where there was so much disagreement in OT evaluations. One analyst (and I mean the kind who watch film) will have a player in the top ten and another won't even have him in the first round. My take from this is that every player has a downside and there are no really safe picks. If Gman sees this the same way, it may mean that we wait until the second day to take this position.

[JawnyBlaze]

Damn it!!!  I did it again!!!  I cannot get over this mental block I have of calling Jake Fisher "Eric Fisher".

 

heh I'm the exact opposite.  I keep calling him Jake Long...

 

[MHS831]

Eric Fisher?

 

Look whose at it again! Eric Fisher and Greg Norman are free agents.  Jeez.

[Jeremy Igo]

Solid breakdown. Excellent post.

[CamNewt1JuiceJ36]

Not a regular poster, But I have to disagree with your analysis of DJ Humphries, at least in part. 

 

"What not to like:  Marginal measurables, marginal athleticism, marginal movement skills."

 

DJ is a former top 5 recruit (meaning that he has to have some decent measurables), he ran a 5.12 at the combine, not mind-boggling but solid.  He didn't perform as well as say Jake Fisher in the 3 cone drill or 20 yard shuttle but he did just fine.  Only fighting for him because for some reason I have a feeling that's who we will end up selecting and I think it will be a great pick.

[LinvilleGorge]

Not a regular poster, But I have to disagree with your analysis of DJ Humphries, at least in part. 

 

"What not to like:  Marginal measurables, marginal athleticism, marginal movement skills."

 

DJ is a former top 5 recruit (meaning that he has to have some decent measurables), he ran a 5.12 at the combine, not mind-boggling but solid.  He didn't perform as well as say Jake Fisher in the 3 cone drill or 20 yard shuttle but he did just fine.  Only fighting for him because for some reason I have a feeling that's who we will end up selecting and I think it will be a great pick.

 

I'd be really disappointed if we took him at #25.  I wouldn't be all that happy if we took him in the 2nd.  3rd round is where I think this guy can come into play.  I'm just not big on him at all as an OT.  When I watch this guy, I see Morgan Moses.

 

HS recruit rankings mean nothing when it comes to evaluating NFL prospects.

 

Just look at his numbers and look at his workout drill videos.  There's only one word to really describe him as a prospect IMO - marginal.

[LinvilleGorge]

Yup, I'd take Ogbuehi right at 25.

Run it up to the podium.

 

The knee really worries me.  If it wasn't for the knee, I'd be screaming for this guy at #25.  But if it wasn't for the knee, I don't think he'd be there at #25.

[DaCityKats]

there are game cut ups on most of those guys on draftbreakdown.com