Zach Tom - HOF Center?

[BF004]

[YoHoChecko]

My long-term take on this is that you do not move a player exceeding expectations to a lower-value position.

I rank the positions as such:

1. Left Tackle
2. Right Tackle
3t. Left Guard
3t. Center
5. Right Guard

Zach Tom is our best OL and I believe that his plus athleticism and the slight value edge to left tackle means if we move him, we should move him to left tackle.

I have seen some discussion where someone says they value C as high or higher than RT--and under that construction, a potential move from RT to C can make sense. But if you think LT is more valuable than C then it still makes more sense to play your best OL at the most valuable position first--left tackle, not center.

Now, moving a guy from right to left is not automatic. But Tom is a) an exceptional athlete and hits all measurable blocks to be a left tackle; b) played LT in college; and c) is smallish for an OT which conventionally is more associated with the right side, both for run defense and because a lot of the elite pass rushers than line up on the left side are bigger, more powerful rushers (likely because they need to hold up better against the run and RTs are typically more powerful and less athletic).


So that's my theory and my reasoning and it has been consistently.

One final note: I don't know what "could be a hall of fame C" looks like for a guy who has by no reports spent much time (if any) practicing the position. It sounds like pure projection.

[Drj820]

this is more about myers being a bust

[NCF]

There is actually quite a bit of precedence for this in recent Packers history going all the way back to moving Jason Spitz to OC to push Scott Wells out of the line-up.

Others include Brian Bulaga moving from RT to LT for an offseason and then back to RT. Josh Sitton and TJ Lang flip flopping starting spots from LG to RG and visa versa. There is obviously a ton more, but this is specifically looking at playing preferred starters at their "best" positions.

I do think they would move Tom to OC if they needed to make way for someone else that deserved starting at RT. I don't buy that they will go out of their way to force that transition, however. It aint broke, don't fix it.

[YoHoChecko]

There is actually quite a bit of precedence for this in recent Packers history going all the way back to moving Jason Spitz to OC to push Scott Wells out of the line-up.

Others include Brian Bulaga moving from RT to LT for an offseason and then back to RT. Josh Sitton and TJ Lang flip flopping starting spots from LG to RG and visa versa. There is obviously a ton more, but this is specifically looking at playing preferred starters at their "best" positions.

I do think they would move Tom to OC if they needed to make way for someone else that deserved starting at RT. I don't buy that they will go out of their way to force that transition, however. It aint broke, don't fix it.

Great point on the precedent.

One possibility I find interesting is if, for instance, JC Latham fell to our pick. Latham is a RT/OG prospect. Drafting him as the BPA would give us a lot of options. Latham could compete with Rhyan at RG, or could go to RT and push Tom inside to C. If Latham plays OG, then swapping Walker and Tom remains an option.

[Pckfn23]

@NCF good examples. I don't think we have seen an OT to OC transition however. That would definitely be an outlier.

[Drj820]

all the chatter could just be to signal to myers that hes not safe and its time to not suck

[Pckfn23]

There is actually quite a bit of precedence for this in recent Packers history going all the way back to moving Jason Spitz to OC to push Scott Wells out of the line-up.

Others include Brian Bulaga moving from RT to LT for an offseason and then back to RT. Josh Sitton and TJ Lang flip flopping starting spots from LG to RG and visa versa. There is obviously a ton more, but this is specifically looking at playing preferred starters at their "best" positions.

I do think they would move Tom to OC if they needed to make way for someone else that deserved starting at RT. I don't buy that they will go out of their way to force that transition, however. It aint broke, don't fix it.

Great point on the precedent.

One possibility I find interesting is if, for instance, JC Latham fell to our pick. Latham is a RT/OG prospect. Drafting him as the BPA would give us a lot of options. Latham could compete with Rhyan at RG, or could go to RT and push Tom inside to C. If Latham plays OG, then swapping Walker and Tom remains an option.

Is that the talk around Latham? A RT or guard?

[go pak go]

It's a great position to be in. We can pick either a Tackle or interior candidate and still have flexibility for getting the best 5 out there.

Personally whenever I hear "HOF" caliber...you put that player in his best spot.

[Backthepack4ever]

I'm not as high on lathem but if Mims is the pick and he's one of the 5 best in camp then yes look at putting Tom at center.

Great I the options and flexibility. Only thing is Tom gets screwed not making tackle money if he's at center

[NCF]

@NCF good examples. I don't think we have seen an OT to OC transition however. That would definitely be an outlier.

Very true. There are two anecdotal situations I can think of, though. The first, is actually in reverse, Mike Flanagan moved from OC to LT at various points as the top back-up to Chad Clifton. The second, which never materialized due to Brian Bulaga's ACL injury in 2013, was some chatter, specifically pre-Draft about David Bakhtiari's best position being OC. Obviously, whoever thought that was dead wrong, but that was definitely out there.

[lupedafiasco]

To me Center is the 3rd most important position on the line but it is undoubtedly Toms most natural position. If there is a RT there for the taking as the BPA you take it and you move Tom to C. It makes your offensive line overall better.

I still think to call him a HOF C is wild. I dont even think hes a Pro Bowl OT. Hes a good OT but theres still enough better than him to gate keep him OT. Same goes if he was to move to OG. Im not so sure he beats out a lot of OGs as an All Pro. I dont think he would beat out Jenkins for All Pro.

[YoHoChecko]

Look guys, Walker is fine, but if we take an OT he’s the first on the list to lose their job. Tom is our best OT. By far. Anything else about him is projection. In real life, he’s a top 10 RT and could easily continue ascending

[Labrev]

Tom had a 10/10 RAS for Center prospects, had the best athletic testing in NFL Combine history for a C (since they started testing it). He is athletic enough to face the top EDGE guys at RT, so you do not worry to much about him against inside pass-rushers, and in the run, that athleticism to block in space is a huge asset.

The biggest drawback with Tom was he came into the NFL pretty undersized, but he put on weight before the start of last season, and looked about the same size as Myers when they stand next to each other. He is now at a size where he can take on the bigger DTs and not even need much help.

He has also excelled at every OL spot where we have put him, so that implies a level of savvy that you need from the C.

It takes a lot for any IOL to be inducted into the HOF. Odds are Tom will not be good enough to be one of the rare few. That said, can he be a perennial All-Pro guy at C? I definitely can see it.

[lupedafiasco]

Look guys, Walker is fine, but if we take an OT he’s the first on the list to lose their job. Tom is our best OT. By far. Anything else about him is projection. In real life, he’s a top 10 RT and could easily continue ascending

If you put the best 5 on the field and you have another good RT then Walker is staying on the field over Myers and Rhyan bummy butts.

[BF004]

Look guys, Walker is fine, but if we take an OT he’s the first on the list to lose their job. Tom is our best OT. By far. Anything else about him is projection. In real life, he’s a top 10 RT and could easily continue ascending

If you put the best 5 on the field and you have another good RT then Walker is staying on the field over Myers and Rhyan bummy butts.

I agree with this, but not by a ton. Walker >> Myers, probably Rhyan, but that’s just more unknown

[Yoop]

Tom had a 10/10 RAS for Center prospects, had the best athletic testing in NFL Combine history for a C (since they started testing it). He is athletic enough to face the top EDGE guys at RT, so you do not worry to much about him against inside pass-rushers, and in the run, that athleticism to block in space is a huge asset.

The biggest drawback with Tom was he came into the NFL pretty undersized, but he put on weight before the start of last season, and looked about the same size as Myers when they stand next to each other. He is now at a size where he can take on the bigger DTs and not even need much help.

He has also excelled at every OL spot where we have put him, so that implies a level of savvy that you need from the C.

It takes a lot for any IOL to be inducted into the HOF. Odds are Tom will not be good enough to be one of the rare few. That said, can he be a perennial All-Pro guy at C? I definitely can see it.

a 10/10 ras testing at the combine means what,? that he practiced hard to do well at the drills, seriously that stuff means absolutely squat Buddy.

why is it folks care about what a player can become at any position, versus what he can mean for the team over all, my point is he has great value to the Packers as a tackle, a position more important then center

[Yoop]

all the chatter could just be to signal to myers that hes not safe and its time to not suck

Myers may be considered a weak link, but he did OK as a rookie, declined a bit last year, that stuff happens, I expect he'll bounce back this year, RB is the weak spot on the line

[APB]

RB is the weak spot on the line

[APB]

Look guys, Walker is fine, but if we take an OT he’s the first on the list to lose their job. Tom is our best OT. By far. Anything else about him is projection. In real life, he’s a top 10 RT and could easily continue ascending

If you put the best 5 on the field and you have another good RT then Walker is staying on the field over Myers and Rhyan bummy butts.

I agree.

Walker steadily improved throughout all of last year and, by seasons end, was playing some consistent quality snaps. I'm not even convinced he has plateaued like some here seem to believe.

If another tackle is drafted, I could easily see the Packers bumping Tom inside to make room for the newcomer. I think Walker is more entrenched than some here seem to believe.