2022 NFL Draft: OT Rankings

1

Strengths

Neal is a big tackle prospect with the versatility and skillset to play all over the line. His strength is what most stands out. At his best, he is anchoring against the best pass rushers in CFB, and paving gaping holes for his RB with ease. He has a strong punch that can derail the rush plan of his opponent. In some instances, all he needed was one strike to put his guy on his back. Neal is a good athlete for his size. He is capable of handling speed around the edge, and is able to block on the move, stacking defenders as he gets further downfield. Generally, he operates with smooth footwork that helps him to mirror his opponent when in pass pro.

Weaknesses

Neal shows tremendous upside, but perhaps could still use some fine tuning. Consistency is something he’ll need to work on. You do see instances of lunges, over extensions, and bad whiffs show up on tape. They aren’t often, but they became a bit more common as games progressed into the later stages. There were also a couple of times where he had some trouble with speed around the edge. Additionally, there were plays where he wasn’t quite able to sustain his block as long as you’d like, with the defender disengaging and getting back into the play. This goes back to the consistency thing, as there are plenty of reps where he does anchor for the entirety of the rep.

2

Strengths

Cross may not be an elite athlete, but his sound technique helps him to win on a consistent basis. His kick slide is very smooth and it allows him to handle speed that other players with similar athletic traits would struggle against. He has a big frame and absorbs contact well. His strength is one of his best features, and he is able to anchor down against the strongest pass rushers. Cross has a strong punch and pairs it up with good hand placement. His hands and legs are in sync. As a run blocker, his strength shows up. He does well when he can initiate contact early to pave a running lane. 

Weaknesses

Athleticism is only average. The issues don’t show up so much in pass protection, but you do notice it in his run blocking, specifically when he has to block on the move. Cross has trouble getting to his target on time, and instances of overruns and whiffs are also present. In pass protection, inside moves seemed to give him some trouble. He also has a bad habit of reverting to holding when the defender gains the upper hand.

3

Strengths

Ekwonu is a high upside prospect, as he possesses the physical tools to dominate in all phases. As an athlete, he is very agile and light on his feet. Ekwonu has shown the ability to mirror speed rushers and anchor against power rushers. He plays with an aggressiveness that you don’t see from every player. You can see on every snap that he is out to hit someone. This mentality leads to some major flashes in both pass protection and the run game. As a run blocker, he is someone who can send his opponent flying out of the way. With his speed, he is able to pick up momentum on pulls, which creates a lethal combo when paired up with his strength.

Weaknesses

As good as the flashes are, Ekwonu is a prospect that needs more work than his draft stock would indicate. His footwork can be extremely sloppy at times, and his hands can be wild too. The two are often out of sync, and it results in some very poor reps. Defenders are able to use these deficiencies against him, and end up with more leverage. This allows them to walk him back, with little opportunity for him to recover. In the run game, his aggressiveness can go a bit overboard at times, and it can lead to him overrunning his opponent. 

4

Strengths

Smith has a nice blend of size, strength, athleticism, and grit. The physical traits are great. His toughness shows up on a snap to snap basis, as he looks to completely eliminate his opponent from the play. Smith has anchoring ability and can handle the strongest of pass rushers. His speed and agility are also assets in pass pro. He has mirroring ability, and the quickness to recover when beaten. In the run game, he is good in a phone booth, thanks to his strength and toughness. While I like him at tackle, those traits would certainly suit him nicely at guard as well. When blocking on the move, you can see his foot quickness. His strikes become even more powerful when he is able to pick up steam.

Weaknesses

The physical traits are great, but technique is off, especially in regards to his hands. Hand timing is not great, and it has given his opponent the upper hand at times. It doesn’t help that his hand placement is also very inconsistent. Smith has the athleticism to recover from initial losses, but instead reverts to holding. He got away with it on some occasions, with it not being called, but this is a problem that will need to be fixed. Smith has shown glimpses of good footwork, but it can get sloppy at times. Speed rushers have taken advantage of this, keeping him off balance and getting around the edge.

5

Strengths

Rhyan is a strong, beefy offensive lineman with good strength and plus movement skills. He stifles bull rushes, and put his abilities on full display when he went up against a top 10 prospect in Kayvon Thibodeaux. As a run blocker, he clears out nice lanes for the ball carrier. He can block in a phone booth but is also useful on pulls. Rhyan is light on his feet and can get to the second level in a hurry. He is a versatile player, with a skillset that translates to both guard and tackle.

Weaknesses

The biggest concern I saw on tape was his arm length, which were confirmed by measurements. The issue does show up the odd time against speed rushers, but I don’t think it was that big of a thing. The bigger issue came in the run game, specifically, on pull blocks. Rhyan clearly has the athleticism to put himself in position to make these blocks. However, there were times where he ended up having to reach a bit more than he would have liked to land the block. The result was a strike with little power, allowing the defender to remain in the play. 

6

Strengths

Faalele is a towering OT with the frame and the natural strength to become a staple in the starting lineup. He handles power well and can anchor down against bullrushes. His long reach helps him in the battle for leverage. For a big guy, his footwork in pass protection is actually pretty decent. In the run game, he is at his best close to home, where he moves guys off of their spot, rather than blocking on the move. Faalele is still new to the sport, you have to figure that there is still plenty of room for growth, giving him a very high ceiling.

Weaknesses

As a bigger bodied tackle, there are some movement restrictions. He can be a bit stiff in his pass sets, and speed rushers can give him some trouble. When blocking on the edge, he’ll sometimes give his opponent too much room and too many options, to which he’ll be unable to react to or recover from in time. With his big frame, he sometimes loses the leverage battle. This is an issue that can be improved on with better technique. As a run blocker, Faalele isn’t someone I’d want pulling and blocking on the move all the time. His footspeed can be sluggish when he has to get out into space. I much prefer him blocking in a phone booth. As someone who is newer, not only to the position, but the sport in general, he still seems to lack the aggressiveness. There were opportunities to drive his opponent into the ground that he did not take.

7

Strengths

Michell is a smooth athlete and a technician. Mirroring talent is evident early on when watching his tape, as he possesses the quickness to match any kind of pass rush plan that more athletic rushers will have. Footwork is clean, and his hand placement is usually on point. As a run blocker, he gets into space quickly and is at his best when blocking on the move. That said, he still shows potential as a blocker close to the line with his long reach and ability to use leverage to his advantage. Mitchell is a versatile player who can play at both bookends of the OL.

Weaknesses

Athletic traits and technical refinement are both good. The biggest thing for Mitchell is to add strength. Power rushers did give him some trouble and he wasn’t always able to sustain his blocks as long as required. More strength will also help him create more push in the run game. Additionally, Mitchell will have to improve his use of leverage. He has shown the ability to do so, hence why it was also mentioned under the strengths. But he will need more consistency. Defenders are able to get him a little bit off balance and it helps them to work around him. He was beaten by inside moves and different counters. 

8

Strengths

Walker is a good all around tackle prospect who also offers guard versatility. He has good strength and is able to handle power rushers. He fared relatively well against Michigan’s edge duo. While athleticism probably isn’t his calling card, he does have the quickness to keep speed rushers from getting to the QB. Walker does a good job of pushing them out the back door and away from the pocket. 

Weaknesses

Walker is a good prospect, but still has some things to clan up. There were too many oversets for my liking, and his opponents, on some occasions, were able to take advantage and win with counter moves. Inside and swim moves gave him some trouble at various points. Walker has the necessary strength to succeed at the position, but didn’t create as much push as I would have liked to see. Perhaps playing with a bit more aggressiveness can help.

9

Strengths

Raimann is a converted TE that brings good athleticism to his newer position. He shows mirror talent on a regular basis, and he has the movement skills to handle speedier rushers. Raimann does well to stay square to the defender, not allowing them around the edge, before redirecting them out the back door. On a similar note, his movement skills give him the potential to be a big asset on pulls and blocks that are farther away from home. He certainly put some pretty solid flashes on tape. His transition to the position is only a couple of years old. Taking that into consideration, the strides he has made are very impressive.

Weaknesses

Given the lack of experience, he is unsurprisingly raw for the position. Footwork can still be improved, as can his hand technique and power. A bigger drawback to his game is a lack of aggressiveness. There are too many instances where he almost seems content with a smaller win or even a stalemate. He doesn’t always finish off the play, which leaves open the door for his opponent to disengage and get back into the play. As a run blocker, his angles aren’t always efficient, causing him to miss his block. Raimann has the height, but the reach is a bit on the short side, which can affect him in both phases. As he transitions to the next level, he will need to continue to add strength in order to generate more power both as a pass and run blocker.

10

Strengths

Petit-Frere is an athletic tackle with the frame and reach to develop into a good starter. His movement skills are noticeable on a consistent basis. He has the agility to mirror even the speedier pass rushers, as well as the ability to recover when initially beaten. Petit-Frere should be a good run blocker at the next level, specifically in a scheme that requires the tackles to get out into space on a regular basis. He does a good job of getting to the second level and can stack blocks. His frame is tall and should be able to handle additional muscle mass, alluding to more upside as a pass and run blocker.

Weaknesses

I like the upside, but Petit-Frere is very much still a raw prospect. He loses the hand battle far too often which prevents him from establishing control and anchoring down. Even when he does engage, his strength is lacking and he isn’t always able to sustain it. Stronger rushers will push him back, and he isn’t always able to gain leverage. Petit-Frere will bite on various pass rush moves and leave his opponent an opening to get by with a counter. Inside moves give him trouble, but he also showed some struggles against speed. This comes down to technique, not physical ability. Strength will need to be added, as he makes the transition, and technique will need to be improved. Adding strength will help him in the run game as well. He is good on the move, but has a tougher time blocking in a phone booth.

11

Strengths

Penning is a huge OT with one of the meanest, nastiest demeanors in this draft class. He is out to get you on every play, and his pancake blocks are quite impressive. His strength is good. Penning does well to absorb power and redirect rushers away from the QB. He was surprisingly good when blocking on the move. Once he gets going, the speed really picks up, and he is able to stack up his blocks. His long reach helps him as a run blocker and in pass protection. His run blocking closer to home also yields some flash plays. He is fast to initiate contact and plough his opponent right out of the running lane.

Weaknesses

Physical traits are nice, but technique is just all over the place. Hard to not consider him a developmental player. He may end up starting in his rookie year, but that is a situation that would have me nervous. His footwork in pass protection can be very sloppy, and speedier edge rushers can take advantage. As a result, Penning will sometimes overset and get beat with inside counters. The mean streak is nice to see, but he does go overboard. This was on display in his game film and the Senior Bowl. The aggressiveness is good in the game, but he engages in too many extracurricular activities. The risk for 15 yard penalties goes way up if he can’t control it.

12

Strengths

Munford is a strong tackle prospect that offers guard versatility. He played both positions at various points in his college career. Anchoring ability is quite good, and he has the frame and strength to translate it into NFL success. He creates good push in the run game when he is allowed to operate close to home. Length is on the plus side, which helps him in both phases.

Weaknesses

Munford unfortunately doesn’t have the athleticism to pair up with his strength, so there will be limitations to his game. Speed rushers won’t be easy for him to handle, and there are times where he might overset in an attempt to cover it up. However, crafty pass rushers will take advantage with counters. His sloppy footwork doesn’t help in this area, and he lacks desired recovery ability.  He doesn’t have quick feet and would be better off with limited pulling responsibilities. On this note, he lacks ideal scheme versatility. 

13

Strengths

Lucas has the athleticism and reach of a starting LT. He has quick feet and, at his best, displays a smooth kick slide. Lucas has the type of quickness that enables him to recover when initially beaten. He shows flashes of anchoring ability, and his fram looks like it can hold more weight, meaning that there is room for growth. His athletic profile alludes to some upside as a blocker in space, and there is potential for improvement when pull blocking. Lucas has a long enough reach for it to be an advantage in both phases.

Weaknesses

Beyond the athletic profile and good flashes, you see a prospect that is still quite raw. The good anchoring reps have been too few and far between. They are sandwiched in with ones of him getting walked back by his opponent. He will definitely need to add some strength to help fix this issue. It will also help him generate more push in the run game. Lucas also loses the hand battle too often, allowing his opponent to land first, and swipe him out of the way. Counters and inside moves gave him trouble, and he wasn’t perfect against speed either. Further, there were some reps where his footwork was off, although I don’t think this was as big an issue as the stuff mentioned previously.

14

Strengths

Lowe is a high upside player with great athleticism, strength, and size. The tools are off the charts. He moves gracefully when tasked with pulling or blocking down the field. His lateral agility and speed are big pluses there. His agility gives him the ability to mirror speed rushers, and he also has the strength to snuff out bullrushes. Potential is there for him to be a complete player that can handle even the most diverse pass rushers. With his size, he has the ability to create significant push in the run game. He can play in a phone booth or farther away from home.

Weaknesses

Massive upside but still very raw. He plays too high much of the time and gives up too much leverage to his opponent. Smarter, savier pass rushers can best him. They have him overset as he plays the speed rush, and can counter with a swim or spin move. Lowe is very inconsistent with his hand technique and placement. He can be slow to strike and has gotten pushed back when his opponent gains the leverage advantage. He moves very well in space, but isn’t always able to finish off the block. Finishing in general is something that he can do a better job of. This goes for his pass protection too. There were instances where he almost seemed to be guarding a zone, rather than engaging with his opponent. He was unaware of the QB’s movement in the pocket, and his opponent was able to get by him rather easily. A bit more aggressiveness would be nice.

15

Strengths

Jones is a tough player for pass rushers to navigate around thanks to his long reach. He can cover a good amount of ground when he gets into his pass set, and has natural mirroring ability. Jones does well to stay square to his opponent and not allow him an easy pass. He has the reach and athleticism to be an asset as a pull blocker with some more development. 

Weaknesses

Jones often plays at a pad level that is too high. His opponents are able to latch on and use his high pad level against him. They get him off balance and can push him back into the pocket. His hand timing is off, which helps them latch on in the first place. Jones is a bit lacking in the strength department, and at this time, is better off as a zone blocker. He has more stalemates than true wins when he really gets into a battle. This goes for the run game too, where he is inconsistent in creating push.

16

Strengths

Burford is an athletic tackle prospect who also offers guard experience. He is a smooth mover with quick feet and the ability to mirror his opponent’s pass rush attack. Some of his best reps come in the run game. His quick feet allow him to react well to moving targets, and there were times where he completely sealed things up, allowing his RB to have an open running lane. Length is also a trait that works to his benefit, and is something that can continue to do so as he further develops his game.

Weaknesses

Burford is unrefined technically at this point. His hand timing was off on a number of reps, and he allowed his opponent to push/pull him off balance on a number of occasions. Despite his good length, he lost the leverage battle too often. Playing too high much of the time also contributed to this. As well, oversets allowed rushers to win with inside moves and counters. Stronger bull rushers gave Burford some trouble. There were times where he’d be walked back towards the pocket, creating an uncomfortable environment for the QB. Strength and muscle mass will need to be added.  He is an athletic player with quick feet, but can still be inconsistent with his footwork, in terms of the technical aspects. 

17

Strengths

Diesch is a very athletic, smooth player. His kick slide is very nice and there is ability to mirror the quickest of rushers. He does a good job of staying square to his opponent and not allowing an easy pass. Diesch is a good blocker on the move and is quick enough to hit his target when pull blocking. 

Weaknesses

Diesch has a tall frame, but is lacking in arm length. This can create some difficult matchups when going up against craftier rushers, as he’ll have some trouble latching on. His frame is very lean and lacking muscle mass. At this point, he isn’t able to consistently handle stronger power rushers, even at the level of competition he faced. The step up to the NFL will cause more problems. Significant work in the weight room will be needed. In terms of technique, he can stand to improve his hand positioning and timing. 

18

Strengths

Waletzko is a massive OT prospect with some tools that are worth developing. His size and reach on their own are tremendous traits to work with. His long arms help him in the battle for leverage, and make it tougher for speed rushers to work around him. Athleticism is solid for his size and he has enough quickness to hold his own against speed rushers. There is also ability as a blocker on the move. Waletzko consistently keeps his head on a swivel and is looking to block someone, even when he is sitting alone.

Weaknesses

Waletzko is a very raw prospect. His footwork is sloppy at times, with instances of crossovers present, instead of a smooth kick slide. He plays at a high pad level and has trouble winning the leverage battle. With his size, it can be hard to stay low. Waletzko will need to add more strength at the next level. His frame is tall, but lean, and stronger rushers can give him some trouble. This problem will only be magnified as he makes the significant jump in competition, unless he is able to fix it. Additionally, he will need to improve his hand technique. As a blocker on the move, there were times where he overran his target. He needs to be more consistent as a finisher.