Panthers NFL Draft: Five Offensive Tackle Targets

There is a fair amount of debate about Robinson for the NFL. One team said they had Robinson as a top-15 pick and believe that he is a Russell Okung- or Ryan Clady-caliber left tackle for the NFL. Another playoff team graded Robinson late in the first round. That organization thinks a team could get by with him at left tackle, but ideally, Robinson would be a right tackle. One NFC team gave Robinson a second-round grade. That team said that one could get away with Robinson at left tackle, but that he could have problems with speed rushers. They said they project him similar to Tampa Bay’s second-year left tackle Donovan Smith. This is a weak tackle draft, however, so Robinson will probably go in the top-20 picks.

In the 2017 NFL Draft, McGlinchey could be the closest thing to a franchise left tackle. He isn’t one of the best tackle prospects to come out in years, but he is very good with upside to be a very good pro left tackle.

McGlinchey has suggested that he is inclined to return for his senior year rather than enter the 2017 NFL Draft, but a year ago around the same time, former teammate Will Fuller said the same thing and now he’s playing for the Texans, so it isn’t a definite that McGlinchey won’t be in the 2017 NFL Draft. Stephon Tuitt said the same thing.

McGlinchey has been very impressive at left tackle for the Fighting Irish. As a run blocker, McGlinchey can get movement at the point of attack. He flashes heavy hands to push defenders out of their gaps and open holes for his back. In pass protection, he looks like a natural at left tackle, and one wouldn’t have thought that he wasn’t playing the position last year. McGlinchey shows excellent feet to get depth in his kick slide and cut off speed rushers. He also displays a nice ability to bend at the knee, and that in combination with his feet, keeps him from having to reach after edge rushers. McGlinchy’s performance has given evidence that he is a future starting left tackle in the NFL and a first-round pick.

Given his relative inexperience, Ramczyk shows impressive balance, agility and patience in pass protection. He eases off the snap, sliding left with light feet and bent knees waiting for the defender to come to him. The coordination between his upper and lower body is impressive, as Ramczyk keeps his feet sliding while shooting his hands into the chest of opponents. From there, Ramczyk’s long arms and strength typically take over, essentially ending the play for the defender.

Shows the poise that will earn him high marks from offensive line coaches as well as scouts, maintaining his technique with bent knees and using his trailing right arm to get a final, powerful shove on the rusher.

In this writer’s opinion, Johnson has struggled this season and should return for his senior year to get better before going pro. He has turned in some underwhelming performances, including rough moments against Louisville and Miami. NFL sources haven’t been as hard on Johnson, but they aren’t excited about him either. Even scouts from teams that are desperate from offensive line help aren’t pining for their team to land Johnson. He hasn’t been receiving first-round grades.

Johnson had an ugly start to the season as Ole Miss and edge rusher Marquis Haynes exposed a lot of problems for Johnson. Johnson was beaten for a sack and got zero movement in opening holes in the running game. The junior lacks strength and doesn’t generate any push in the ground game. He ties up his blocker, but is not a force at the point of attack to push a defender out of their gap. In pass protection, Johnson has the athleticism to protect against speed rushers, but he is weak to block inside moves and gets bull rushed too easily. Even undersized speed rushers have success bull rushing him. Johnson is a finesse player who needs development.

Moton has been a solid offensive lineman for the Broncos the past few seasons and is having a quality senior year at right tackle. Western Michigan has had a superb offense with a dynamic aerial attack for a few years, and Moton’s pass protection has contributed to that. As a sophomore, Moton played right tackle before moving to right guard as a junior. He has versatile size for the NFL and could be a player who is a valuable backup for guard or tackle early in his NFL career.