2020 Positional Draft Talk - OL

[Pckfn23]

McShay's Latest Top 99:
8. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (93)
10. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (92)
12. Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama (91)
18. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (90)
29. Josh Jones, OT, Houston (88)
35. Austin Jackson, OT, USC (86)
36. Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan (86)
58. Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin (81)
64. Netane Muti, G, Fresno State (79)
65. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia (79)
78. Trey Adams, OT, Washington (76)
83. Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn (75)
86. Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU (74)
95. Keith Ismael, C, San Diego State (70)
96. John Simpson, G, Clemson (70)

[Backthepack4ever]

Adams was a border line 1st last season. Is he that low because of injuries or did he mot play well this season??

I'm not high in wills at all

[NCF]

I'm not high in wills at all

Yeah, the consensus is all over the place on him. Andrew Thomas, too. I have seen people banging the table that he's a Top-10 lock and others think he is the 4th OT off the board and goes in the mid-to-late 1st.

[go pak go]

If Andrew Thomas falls to 30....do ya take him?

[NCF]

If Andrew Thomas falls to 30....do ya take him?

Absolutely.

[paco]

If Andrew Thomas falls to 30....do ya take him?

Absolutely.

Totally, I kind of forgot about him actually. He's a monster.

[Yoop]

If Andrew Thomas falls to 30....do ya take him?

NO, take Laviska Shenault

[YoHoChecko]

McShay's Latest Top 99:
8. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (93)
10. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (92)
12. Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama (91)
18. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (90)
29. Josh Jones, OT, Houston (88)
35. Austin Jackson, OT, USC (86)
36. Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan (86)
58. Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin (81)
64. Netane Muti, G, Fresno State (79)
65. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia (79)
78. Trey Adams, OT, Washington (76)
83. Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn (75)
86. Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU (74)
95. Keith Ismael, C, San Diego State (70)
96. John Simpson, G, Clemson (70)

If that's the top 99, I'll wait until at least round 3. The top guys will be gone early and the rest don't seem like great value. Though the Packers have been looking into Josh Jones, apparently.

There are some guys I like for the late 3rd round that aren't on the list, like a Ben Bartch or Ezra Cleveland, but I'm not loving the ability for us to fill this in the first two rounds, value-wise (unless Thomas somehow falls to 30)

[Pckfn23]

McGinn on OL

My poll of 17 personnel people over the last two weeks showed four juniors packed together at the top with almost no separation. Scouts were asked to rank their top six offensive linemen, with a first-place vote worth 6 points, a second worth 5 and so on. Thomas led with 78 points and seven firsts but tight on his heels were Becton (75, five), Wills (71, two) and Wirfs (71, three).

“There’s no consensus with these guys,” an NFC personnel director said. “We have different orders between scouts, coaches. It’s kind of your flavor. You probably will get six tackles (in the first round) but there’s only four you feel good about. Then it falls off.”

There have been only two instances in my polling over the last 12 years in which the vote for the best offensive linemen had so little clarity at the top.

In 2017, Alabama’s Cam Robinson led with 59 points followed by Utah’s Garett Bolles with 57 and Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk with 53. In 2009, Baylor’s Jason Smith led with 74 points followed by Alabama’s Andre Smith with 70 and Virginia’s Eugene Monroe with 64.

Ramczyk, the No. 32 pick, made first-team All-Pro this season for New Orleans whereas Bolles (No. 20, Denver) and Robinson (No. 34, Jacksonville) remain below-average starters. A decade before, Monroe (No. 10, Jacksonville) enjoyed a slightly better career than Andre Smith (No. 6, Cincinnati), although neither made a Pro Bowl, whereas Jason Smith (No. 2, St. Louis) saw his career ruined by concussions.

Before the draft in 2009, Chicago GM Jerry Angelo offered perspective that rings true today.

“One thing about tackles, the reason they go in the first round is the value,” said Angelo. “Not necessarily because they’re the 25th, 26th-best player in the draft. It’s the value of the position. That’s what speaks volumes.”

There was a precipitous drop off to fifth place in this year’s poll. That was Cesar Ruiz, who totaled 16 points. Others receiving votes were Austin Jackson (12), Isaiah Wilson (10), Josh Jones (five), Ezra Cleveland (four), Lloyd Cushenberry (four), Matt Hennessy (four), Hakeem Adeniji (three), Matt Peart (two) and Robert Hunt and Shane LeMieux, each one.

Meanwhile, at center, some teams like the group while others don’t. There seemed to be close to unanimity when it came to guard, where one team emerged from meetings with merely three draftable players.

[salmar80]

Good stuff [mention]Pckfn23[/mention] , keep 'em coming.

It could be great for the Packers if there was a run on OTs in the 1st round due to limited supply (unless Gutey wants one and sees Wagner as a short term placeholder). Would conceivably make Murray/Queen drop, or make trading back for a WR even more of a possibility.

[lupedafiasco]

Adams was a border line 1st last season. Is he that low because of injuries or did he mot play well this season??

I'm not high in wills at all

All injuries for Adams. He already has one ACL year and all types of back issues having to do with the discs. I would take him if he’s still there in the 3rd.

[go pak go]

Good stuff @Pckfn23 , keep 'em coming.

It could be great for the Packers if there was a run on OTs in the 1st round due to limited supply (unless Gutey wants one and sees Wagner as a short term placeholder). Would conceivably make Murray/Queen drop, or make trading back for a WR even more of a possibility.

I'm hoping a run happens. I don't see us having a shot at the top 4 and that is honestly the ones I would consider using a 1st round pick on. I would be disappointed if Josh Jones is our pick at 30.

[Pckfn23]

I got the following:

Round 1:
Wirfs
Becton
Wils
Jones
Thomas

Round 2:
Jackson
Ruiz
Tega
Wilson
Muti
Cleveland

Round 3:
Cushenberry
Biadasz
Niang


I could even see Jackson and Ruiz going in Round 1.

[NCF]

I'd move Ezra Cleveland up. Fringe 1st-rounder.

[Pckfn23]

I'd move Ezra Cleveland up. Fringe 1st-rounder.

Ya, not ranked within the tier. I would have him just after Jackson as the 7th OT.

[NCF]

I'd move Ezra Cleveland up. Fringe 1st-rounder.

Ya, not ranked within the tier. I would have him just after Jackson as the 7th OT.

Got it.

[YoHoChecko]

Jon Runyan, Jr. is the safest Day Three pick in the draft.

He hits every athletic benchmark, he has the smarts, the attitude, the toughness. He grew up around the game.

This position is tough with the massive lack of agility drills conducted this year. A startlingly low number of lineman hit the Packers' traditional thresholds, though I'm not sure how strictly we're sticking to those anymore.

Jon Runyan, ranked as a 5th-7th rounder, is one of those.

Would also like to see Danny Pinter as a PS candidate to learn C (was mostly an OT in college, has to move to OG, but C would be even better).

Kyle Murphy and Matt Hennessy would be good gets, also.

The only pure OT prospect that hits all the marks is Cleveland, and I'm concerned that his draft stock has risen too far above his value

[NCF]

Jon Runyan, Jr. is the safest Day Three pick in the draft.

I can't, for the life of me, figure out why he is ranked in this area... unless he is just a late bloomer and didn't produce early on.

[YoHoChecko]

Jon Runyan, Jr. is the safest Day Three pick in the draft.

I can't, for the life of me, figure out why he is ranked in this area... unless he is just a late bloomer and didn't produce early on.

Agreed, I think he's a starting OG by year two, and can just stay there competently, not dominantly, for a decade. Almost every scouting report says so, too. He's a low ceiling high floor guy with, apparently, some hand placement technique issues? Seems like in a very weak interior OL class, he'd be valued for his reliability? I dunno. But he is definitely on my list of Guys I Want On My Team.

[Pckfn23]

It is interesting how consistent the write-ups after on him. Bad hands, limited power and suddenness, smart.