National Football League
2023 NFL Draft offensive tackle rankings: Paris Johnson leads top 10 prospects
National Football League

2023 NFL Draft offensive tackle rankings: Paris Johnson leads top 10 prospects

Updated Apr. 11, 2023 11:37 a.m. ET

Fantasy football might keep offensive tackles from generating the interest that so-called skill-position players generate, but scouts know all too well that football is won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

This year's Super Bowl was a perfect illustration of that fact. Two of the best blocking units in the league literally pushed Kansas City and Philadelphia to the championship game, with the victorious Chiefs allowing zero sacks against an Eagles defense that led the NFL with 70 during the regular season.

Playing offensive tackle in the NFL is not for the faint of heart — or the short-of-arm. Modern-day NFL tackles must be exceptional athletes with size, strength and length all being critical. It might surprise some to learn just how seriously some clubs take the 40-yard dash for offensive tackles and how many will simply not consider a tackle with arms shorter than 33" long.

This reality will push many college tackles inside to guard in the NFL, possibly including projected first-round pick Peter Skoronski (32 ¼" arms) out of Northwestern, as well as North Dakota State's Cody Mauch (32 3/8") and Alabama's Tyler Steen (32 ¾"). That potential move is why they are not among the 10 offensive tackles on my board. Onward!

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Prior draft rankings:

1. Paris Johnson, Ohio State, 6'6, 313 pounds, Junior 

Overview: He is a standout on the field and in the classroom alike, Johnson was viewed as a consensus five-star recruit and among the nation's top prep prospects at any position in the 2020 class, with the Cincinnati native opting to stay close to home and sign with the powerhouse Buckeyes. He played in five games as a true freshman, including the national championship against Alabama, before emerging as the starter at right guard in 2021, where he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the league's media and second-team accolades by the conference's opposing coaches. Recognizing his blossoming talent, the Buckeyes slid Johnson outside to left tackle in 2022, where he starred, earning not only first-team all-conference honors from both groups but All-American accolades, as well. With two seasons of flashy play on tape for and a frame seemingly made for the NFL, Johnson opted to forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2023 draft.

Strengths: From a scouting perspective, Johnson has the perfect frame, including 36 1/8" arms, a trim middle and light feet. The fact, Johnson ripped off 29 reps at the combine with arms that long is like some kind of cheat code, ranking among the most impressive feats by any player of this year's workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium, in my opinion. Johnson's massive frame stands out on the field as well, where he simply engulfs defenders, using his length advantage to latch on and control most opponents from the outset. 

Johnson isn't as nimble as some of the other blockers on this list but he's quick enough to maintain the arc and shows good balance and lateral agility to mirror and sustain once engaged. His initial quickness downhill as a run blocker is one of his better attributes, in fact, with Johnson consistently generating movement due to a lethal combination of positioning and power. He has proven positional versatility and seems to be an ascending talent.

Concerns: He isn't the power player his size and weight room strength suggest. Johnson wins most of his blocks but rarely dominates. He has long arms but average hand size (9 ½") relative to the position and falls off more blocks than he should, showing just average grip strength. Johnson is a bit reliant on his length and strength to lasso opponents and keep them corralled and can get a little lazy with his footwork, leaning rather than shuffling. Johnson's long arms will catch the attention of NFL referees, as will his sporadic hand placement. He was only called for five penalties over his college career (two in 2022) according to Pro Football Focus, but does get his hands on the backs of opponents enough to worry about a rocky transition to the NFL.

Bottom Line: Let's not overthink this. Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud threw the ball 389 times last year and Johnson — in his first season at left tackle — allowed just two sacks. Given the gauntlet of talented defenses he and the Buckeyes conquered over the course of the year, I refuse to accept the notion that he is a one-year wonder at left tackle, instead projecting that he'll continue to improve in Year Two at the position. At minimum, Jones has proven positional versatility and his game is built on two factors that consistently win in the NFL: length and strength.

Grade: First round

2. Darnell Wright, Tennessee, 6'6, 335 pounds, Senior

Overview: Overshadowed a bit by a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback and two of the 10 best wide receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL draft, Wright quietly emerged as arguably the best blocker in the country, paving the way for a magical season in Knoxville. That success was always the plan for Wright, who signed with the Vols as one of the more celebrated recruits in the entire country, a five-star two-way lineman from West Virginia. Wright lived up to his billing, starting seven games as a true freshman in the mighty SEC, splitting his time between right tackle (five starts) and right guard (two) while playing in 11 games overall. He was a fixture in the starting lineup over the next three years, switching to left tackle for 13 games in 2021 and back to right tackle for all 13 this past season, concluding his college career having not allowed a sack in 19 consecutive games. He followed that up by being voted the best blocker during Senior Bowl practices by the opposing defensive linemen and linebackers.

Strengths: Wright has a hulking frame with above-average height and mass that is well-distributed. He's shown very good initial quickness and agility despite his large size, moves with the ease of a much smaller man. He's among the fastest offensive linemen tested in the 40-yard dash, clocking in at 5.01 seconds with the only blockers running faster than Wright weighing at least 18 pounds less than him. Wright doesn't just have light feet; he has quick and powerful hands. He latches onto opponents with good upper body strength and length and shuffles well laterally to mirror. He's quick and aggressive as a run blocker, firing off the line of scrimmage in short yardage and bulldozing opponents to clear room. Wright has the thick lower half and core strength to effectively anchor, growing roots and walling off the defender from the ballcarrier. He was called for 10 penalties in 2021 but only three in 2022. Wright was charged by PFF with just two hits and zero sacks allowed on 422 passing attempts last year.

Concerns: Wright was aided by an up-tempo, RPO-heavy scheme that forced defenders to accommodate for a running quarterback and perhaps not pin their ears back quite as aggressively as pass rushers. He's a bit more of a waist-bender than I'd like, standing up at the snap and negating some of his own strength and agility. He also can be bit slow to process twists and stunts, which is a concern given his experience.

Bottom Line: Today's NFL is all about protecting the quarterback and Wright's success in that department speaks for itself, especially considering he's done it in the SEC and from both tackle positions. I think he's quick enough to switch back to the left side, if needed, and has the grit to even play guard, if that is what his team prefers. It's easy to be right with Wright, as he's as plug and play as this class gets.

Grade: First Round 

3. Anton Harrison, Oklahoma, 6'4, 315 pounds, Junior 

Overview: Harrison signed with Oklahoma as a four-star recruit out of Washington D.C. and it didn't take him long to live up to his billing, playing in nine games at left tackle as a true freshman and taking over as the starter there a year later. He would go on to start a total of 24 games (in 36 appearances) over three seasons, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches and media in 2022. The fact that the Sooners were unable to live up to playoff hopes this season may have played a role in Harrison lacking the buzz of some of his fellow blockers, but for having just turned 21 years old in February, Harrison's tape shows some of the savvy of an NFL veteran.

Strengths: Harrison is a powerful blocker who comes off the snap with excellent knee bend and coil, ready to pounce. While his frame suggests power, Harrison is very light on his feet, easing out of his stance in pass protection and zipping downfield as a run blocker. His athleticism was further demonstrated at the Combine, where Harrison was clocked at 4.98 seconds, second-fastest among all offensive linemen tested there this year in the 40-yard dash. Along with his lateral agility and strength, Harrison shows terrific spatial awareness, excelling on combo blocks. 

He has a real knack for latching on just long enough on his first assignment before releasing to make a second effective block that will draw raves from OL coaches. He has a relatively compact frame which, combined with his terrific pad level makes Harrison an effective pile-mover. Harrison is a smart player who recognizes angles like a season pro, beating defenders to the point and turning and sealing them off effectively.

Concerns: Harrison will be viewed by some clubs as a guard in part because of his build. While shorter than many of the tackles on this list, he is relatively high-hipped. This frame makes Harrison stout, but also a bit inflexible and struggling to extend out far enough to ward off speed rushers at the top of the arc. Though his long arms help mitigate the issue, NFL speed rushers may give Harrison problems, thus the possible projection inside. Harrison also has a tendency to get a bit high and wide with his hand placement.

Bottom Line: Harrison may be a polarizing evaluation for scouts because, at times, he can be more of a "catcher" than a "striker" as a blocker, absorbing contact from defenders and subtly turning them away from the ballcarrier for quiet wins disguised as losses. Concerns about his frame and best position in the NFL could have Harrison still available on Day Two.

Grade: Top 50

4. Matthew BergeronSyracuse, 6-5, 318, Senior
Overview: Bergeron may not have otherworldly talent, but it certainly is other-country, with the Canadian-born tackle positioned to be just the sixth player from up north to earn a top-50 pick in the NFL draft since 2000. As one might expect, Bergeron dominated at the prep level in Canada, ranking as the No. 2 prospect in the entire country by some recruiting experts and earning a three-star grade. Bergeron exceeded expectations immediately, appearing in all 12 games his true freshman season and starting five at right tackle. He began his sophomore season at right tackle, starting the first three games there before making the switch to left tackle for the final eight games. 

Bergeron earned honorable-mention All-ACC honors at this spot in 2021 while starting all 12 games and jumped up to second-team All-ACC in his fourth year while being named a team captain. With 39 career starts under his belt, Bergeron didn't have to compete at the Senior Bowl but chose to do it anyway, joining three other Canadian-born players (Illinois' Chase and Sydney Brown and Ole Miss' Tavius Robinson) to give this year's preeminent all-star game more of an international flavor than in any other year of current executive Jim Nagy's tenure.

Strengths: He has a well-proportioned frame with his weight and strength distributed throughout his body, including in a stout lower half. Bergeron is powerfully built with enough length and athleticism to remain outside at tackle, though his physical nature does project well inside to guard, if his future NFL team prefers it. He spent considerable time at guard at the Senior Bowl and looked good there, handling the closer quarters well due to his powerful frame and physical nature. While perhaps not the most aesthetically pleasing pass set, Bergeron is efficient and consistent in his drop. He shows good initial quickness easing into pass protection, protecting the arc with short, choppy steps and powerful clamps for hands. He locks onto defenders nicely, showing terrific grip and core strength, as well as tenacity, to sustain blocks. He is a quality run blocker. Harrison consistently gets push at the point of attack in the running game, demonstrating excellent leg drive and some nastiness to him. A highly durable player with no known injury concerns.

Concerns: Bergeron is more of a power player than the nimble athlete some teams prefer at tackle, which is where he started all 39 games of his college career. Efficient mover but is not a truly explosive or graceful athlete. He struggles to match the speed of the twitchiest-rushers, lacking the initial quickness and length (33 ¾" arms) to corral them at the top of the arc. He also has slightly smaller hands (9 ½") than preferred. This issue is compounded by the fact that Bergeron is a bit sporadic with his hand placement, sometimes allowing them to get too high or wide. Further, he lacks ideal core flexibility, struggling to adjust to moving targets with too many glancing blows at the second level.

Bottom Line: Bergeron is a better run- than pass-blocker, in large part because his game is about power rather than finesse. His "average" athleticism may mean that Bergeron lacks the ultra-high ceiling of some of his peers, but he's battle-tested and physical — and those qualities play in the NFL. I think he is among the safest blockers in this class and will be a long-time starter, with his future club able to plug him in wherever it needs help first. Speaking of firsts, if Bergeron is ultimately among the players selected in the opening frame of the 2023 draft, he would join WR N'Keal Harry (Patriots, 2019) and OG Danny Watkins (Philadelphia Eagles, 2011) as the only Canadians drafted on a Thursday since the turn of the century.

Grade: Top 50

5. Broderick JonesGeorgia, 6-5, 311, Redshirt Sophomore

Overview: Given that he played his high-school ball just an hour west of the Georgia campus, few were surprised when Jones, a consensus five-star recruit, chose to sign with the Bulldogs. What is surprising — even shocking — is Jones' career trajectory in the two years since.

The redshirt freshman took over at the critical left tackle position for the final four games of the 2021 season when an injury to senior Jamaree Salyer (now with the Los Angeles Chargers) threatened to ruin Georgia's title run in 2021 and he dominated in this role this past season, earning All-American honors, as well as First-team All-SEC by the league coaches and media. After just one full season as a starter, Jones, 21, gave up his remaining college eligibility and opted for the NFL.

Strengths: Jones is a naturally large man with excellent weight distribution. He looks like a large tight end, with long limbs (34 ¾" arms) and a v-shaped torso. Is every bit as athletic as he looks, zipping off the line of scrimmage to release in the running game and showing terrific quickness and balance in pass protection with a strong punch to complement his athleticism. He has excellent initial quickness on pulls, showing a seek and destroy mentality while attacking defenders in space that is sure to get coaches, teammates and fans excited. 

Jones seems to enjoy the physicality of the game and looks to hit defenders.  He was a quality basketball player in high school and it shows in his ability to shuffle laterally to mirror pass rushers. He plays with good knee bend and is a naturally powerful player, generating movement due to leverage and leg drive. He appears to be just scratching the surface of his potential.

Concerns: Jones has a nasty habit of dropping his head just before contact that can be easily taken advantage of on swim and quick counter moves by experienced NFL defenders. A potentially related issue is Jones' inexplicable falling off of blocks, which may be occurring because when he drops his head and loses sight of his target for a split-second, his hand placement suffers. Regardless, for a blocker as nimble and powerful as Jones appears, too often he falls to the turf, himself. He may be more explosive than truly strong, with a disappointing bench press total — and he chose not to lift at the Combine. His only practical experience at Georgia came at left tackle.

Bottom Line: Jones has a bright future but he is not as polished as some of the experienced blockers listed above. He has the size and physicality to handle being pushed inside to guard for a year to help him get acclimated to the speed and nuance of the NFL. If he can get a few of the wrinkles in his game ironed out, Jones could be a decade-long pillar.

Grade: Second Round 

6. Jaelyn DuncanMaryland, 6-6, 306, Redshirt Senior

Overview: A four-star recruit offered scholarships by the likes of Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Duncan elected to sign with his home-state Terrapins, emerging as the team's starting left tackle by the second game of his redshirt sophomore season back in 2019. While undeniably gifted, Duncan struggled with snap-to-snap consistency throughout his career, topping out with honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors (2020-2022) and frequently drawing the ire of referees, getting called for an eye-popping 20 penalties over the last two seasons according to PFF. 

Strengths: Duncan is a naturally large man with a wide-shouldered frame and thick limbs. He shows off impressive footwork for a man of his size, dancing off the line of scrimmage with good initial quickness and balance. Handles speed rushers with his own agility, showing quickness and coordination to cut them off and force re-directs. He makes up for average arm length (33 5/8") with this agility, as well as terrific core flexibility and strength. Duncan keeps himself coiled and ready to take on rushers, playing with excellent knee bend and quick hands to latch and shuffle.

Duncan's ability to play so low helps him win the leverage battle, where he demonstrates impressive core strength and grit, as well. He can be a punishing run blocker, latching onto defenders and driving them against their will for emphatic highlight-reel-worthy blocks. He has forceful, active hands and doesn't rely on his ability to grip, showing an ability to strike and move such as in a boxing ring.

Concerns: The average arm length shows up, at times, with Duncan scrambling to maintain contact with the opponent and grasping at jersey — especially when he misfires on his initial punch. Further, Duncan get a little overzealous with his arc, peeling deep to ward off speed rushers and then leaving the gate open for counter-moves back inside. He's so eager to get to the second level on combo-blocks that he leaves the first assignment unfinished. There is a general lack of finishing with Duncan's play that will rub some scouts and offensive line coaches the wrong way, with Duncan winning, then turning to watch the action elsewhere, at times, rather than truly battling to the whistle.

Bottom Line: Duncan drew more flags than praise during his time at Maryland, but savvy NFL teams will look past his lack of hype and instead focus on the tape. Duncan's traits are undeniable and his relative weaknesses appear both correctable and, frankly, at least partially due to inconsistencies around him. Duncan is a starting-caliber tackle who should be competing for playing time by his second season, if not immediately. He has the core strength and mentality to handle a switch inside to guard, should his NFL team desire it.

Grade: Second Round

7. Dawand Jones, Ohio State, 6-8, 374, Senior

Overview: Kyle Whittingham and the Utes lured Daniels out of the football-loving state of Texas as a three-star recruit back in 2017. After he redshirted his first season on campus and played only as a reserve in his second, Daniels earned the starting role at left guard for all 14 games. He was in and out of the starting lineup during Utah's pandemic-abbreviated 2020 campaign but again emerged as a starter in 2021, spending three games at left guard again and 11 more at right tackle, earning second-team All-PAC-12 accolades. Daniels finished his college career in 

Overview: If you didn't already, check Jones' size. He is a very, very, very big man. His rare size-athleticism combination earned Jones the attention of both college football and basketball recruiters during a stellar prep career in Indianapolis, just miles from where he'd ultimately measure in as one of the biggest players in modern NFL draft history.

He signed with the Ohio State in 2019 as a four-star recruit in 2019 and saw action that year, playing in nine games as a freshman and another six (including his first start; Michigan State) during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. He seized the starting right tackle job in 2021, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors from the league's media (third-team by coaches) after each of the next two seasons.

Strengths: It is hard not to venture into hyperbole with a man as massive as Jones, who not only measured in as the tallest and heaviest man at the 2023 NFL combine but as the longest, as well, with 36 3/8" arms and absolute oven-mitts for hands, which span an incredible 11 5/8 inches from pinkie to thumb. He was the talk of the Senior Bowl weigh-ins after registering an 89.5" wingspan, the longest ever recorded at the event, according to Nagy.

Jones is a smooth athlete despite his size. He eases off the ball in pass protection, maintaining a tight arc with impressive knee bend and balance for a big man. Jones' long arms and huge hands often equate to "game over" for opponents shortly thereafter. Not surprisingly, Jones can be simply overpowering as a run blocker, driving defensive linemen off the ball at the point of attack, as well as knocking down linebackers and defensive backs at the second level with one-arm shivers to open up huge lanes for teammates. He's surprisingly quick to go along with that size and power.

Concerns: Jones is a bit of a specialist who won't appeal to every club, lacking the quickness to switch to the left side and simply being too tall to move inside to guard. After all, what quarterback could see or throw over him? We all bow to physics, and like any blocker of his remarkable size and length, Jones is vulnerable to the quick-twitch burst and counters of speed rushers. He's occasionally a half-beat slow off the ball, too. We see some flailing arms and flags for holds when he gets complacent and stops moving his feet. Jones was charged with 17 penalties over the past two seasons, according to PFF, including nine in 2022. This sounds illogical, but even the massive Jones can get knocked back by bull rushers — perhaps because he has such a high center of gravity.

Bottom Line: Jones' talent deserves a higher placement, but his value is limited by the fact that he only projects to right tackle. That said, with NFL passing attacks increasingly designed to get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly, massive blockers like Jones, the Patriots' Trent Brown (6-8, 380), highly coveted free agent Orlando Brown, Jr., (6-8, 340) and the RamsRob Havenstein (6-8, 330) are proving bigger can be better. He's a Day 1 starting right tackle… and an intimidating one, at that.

Grade: Second-to-third round

8. Blake FreelandBYU, 6-8, 302, Senior

Overview: A Utah native, Freeland earned plenty of interest from in-state schools as well as USCUCLA, Washington and Vanderbilt, despite weighing just 260 pounds as a high-school senior and spending nearly as much time competing in Track and Field as he did the gridiron. The then-gangly 6-foot-8 teen won the state championship in both shot put and javelin, setting a state record in the latter. It didn't take Freeland long to establish himself at BYU, either, earning the starting right tackle job for the final seven games of his true freshman season. He'd switch to the left side for his final two seasons at BYU before impressive performances at both the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine proved that he was not just feasting on weaker, smaller competition. With BYU an independent team, there were no all-conference accolades to drive up Freeland's notoriety among the media and fans, but he was honored by some outlets as an All-American in 2022 and was the only offensive tackle to earn a 90% pass blocking grade in each of the last two seasons from PFF.

Strengths: Freeland has a rare combination of size and athleticism, as indicated by a 37" vertical jump at the Combine that beat most of the wide receivers tested this year, including projected top-50 picks Zay FlowersJordan Addison and Jaxson Smith-Njigba. He was also one of just a handful of offensive linemen to crack the five-second mark in the 40-yard dash (4.98). His track background (especially the shot put) also speak to his explosive power, with his career-best 64'06 mark the best of all former shot-putters tested at the Combine this year. The explosiveness demonstrated in testing flashes on tape, with Freeland showing good initial quickness off the snap in both pass protection and in run blocking, where he can create a surge. 

His agility and length combine to make getting around Freeland quite the task. He is surprisingly nimble for a such a tall player, even being asked to be a pull blocker in BYU's scheme — a rarity for tackles and certainly for ones as big as Freeland. He isn't just athletic; he's the very picture of dependability, earning a Captain role in 2023 and starting all four years of his college career.

Concerns: Even in a league where bigger is normally better, Freeland is stretching it. As one might expect of a player his height, Freeland is very high-hipped, which makes him vulnerable to bull rushers running straight through him and making him backpedal. Further, while the explosiveness shown in Freeland's workouts at the Combine is evident with his initial surge, he doesn't redirect well, needing a step or two to throttle down and leaving himself off-balance and functionally weak.

Bottom Line: Any player of Freeland's size is going to be polarizing, but like with Dawand Jones, I'm a believer. Freeland's experience, suddenness and size make him one of the better, more pass-protection-ready tackles in this class and a likely top-100 pick.

Grade: Third Round 

9. Carter WarrenPittsburgh, 6-6, 311, Redshirt Senior

Overview: Warren earned three stars from recruiting experts but was more highly regarded by colleges, earning scholarship offers from a variety of ACC, Big Ten and even some SEC programs before picking Pitt. After redshirting his first season on campus and operating as mostly a reserve in 2018, Warren earned the starting left tackle job out of fall camp in 2019 and never looked back, finishing his career with 39 starts in 40 games played. He was a quiet factor in the breakout campaigns enjoyed in 2021 by Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett and wideout Jordan Addison, earning second-team All-ACC honors, and appeared well on his way to at least matching that acknowledgment in 2022 until tearing his meniscus. The resulting surgery abruptly ended Warren's college career after just four games in 2022 but he returned to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl and was given a clean bill of health at the combine.

Strengths: Warren showed excellent initial quickness in his kick-slide to protect the edge, basically leaping out of his stance to counter speed rushers. He has good patience and balance to mirror, allowing the pass rusher to come to him and recognizing that many defenders will attempt counters back inside after Warren's deep initial drop. He has good lateral agility and the core strength to shuffle, remaining square with the defender with his heavy, accurate hands latching onto the chest plate of his opponent. The same quickness in pass protection also shows up as a run-blocker with Warren getting an immediate advantage on opponents with his burst off the ball. 

He's a naturally powerful man with good grip strength and leg drive to move the pile. Though all of his collegiate starts came at left tackle, Warren does have extensive playing experience at right tackle, as well, shifting to that side on some formations in 2021 games and throughout his practice career, offering more positional versatility than some of the others on this list. He was voted a team captain in 2022.

Concerns: Warren is a bit looser with his fundamentals than one might expect of such an experienced player. He plays too high, bending at the waist rather than at his knees, sapping his own leverage and power and leaving himself vulnerable to over-arm swim moves and bull rushers. He stops chopping his feet and leans on defenders, at times. Warren is effective blocking in space but this isn't his specialty, too often struggling to hit moving targets at the second level. He doesn't always play with the nastiness that his size and power would suggest.

Bottom Line: Savvy teams will hope that Warren is a bit of a forgotten man after missing most of the 2022 season due to a torn meniscus that required surgery. The tape prior to the injury is impressive, showing a quality tackle prospect with future starting potential – and more versatility than expected.

Grade: Third round

10.Braeden Daniels, Utah, 6-4, 294, Redshirt Senior

Overview: Kyle Whittingham and the Utes lured Daniels out of the football-loving state of Texas as a three-star recruit back in 2017. After he redshirted his first season on campus and played only as a reserve in his second, Daniels earned the starting role at left guard for all 14 games. He was in and out of the starting lineup during Utah's pandemic-abbreviated 2020 campaign but again emerged as a starter in 2021, spending three games at left guard again and 11 more at right tackle, earning second-team All-PAC-12 accolades. Daniels finished his college career in grand style, sliding over to left tackle, where he earned first-team all-conference honors for the two-time defending PAC-12 champs and earning an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where his versatility was lauded by scouts.

Strengths: Daniels is a quality blocker whose versatility may very well be his greatest asset. He shows good initial and lateral quickness out of his stance and complements his lower body agility with active, powerful hands, taking the fight to defenders with a strong punch. The requisite core flexibility, light feet and balance to remain outside are tackle are evident with Daniels' ability to slide and mirror with defenders. 

Further, he shows good awareness to recognize blitzes and stunts. Daniels' quickness and body control are just as effective in the running game, where he it almost seems like he dances up to the second level, showing intriguing body control to adjust and seal off moving targets to help his running backs excel. Questions about his size and ability to hold up are countered by Daniels' durability and toughness. He leaves Utah with 43 starts in 49 career games played with his starts well distributed (18 at LG, 14 at LT, 11 at RT). He was voted a team captain in 2022.

Concerns: Daniels is significantly undersized for the position, including less than ideal arm length (33") and hand size (9 3/8"), which shows up on tape with Daniels' merely average grip strength. Daniels doesn't help his lack of ideal size with the fact that he's a bit of a waist-bender, making him that much more vulnerable to over-arm swipes. He is tenacious but can get too far over his skis and lunge at defenders, making himself off-balance.

Bottom Line: Daniels is a departure from the typical Utah offensive lineman, winning more with quickness and savvy that the sheer brawn and girth the Utes often produce. He lacks the eye-popping traits of some of the others on this list but, at minimum, should prove a quality sixth man capable of playing any role necessary.

Grade: Third-Fourth Round

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.

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