Alijah Vera-Tucker – Page 12 – Syndication Server

2021 NFL mock draft: David Dorey

The Huddle’s David Dorey releases his first NFL mock draft of 2021.

David Dorey’s first mock draft of 2021 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.

We’ll be unveiling more mock drafts than ever before this year, so be sure to check back with our 2021 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2021 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

Pick	Team	Pos	Player	School
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	QB	Trevor Lawrence	Clemson
2	New York Jets	QB	Zach Wilson	BYU
3	Miami Dolphins (via HOU)	WR	Ja’Marr Chase	LSU
4	Atlanta Falcons	QB	Justin Fields	Ohio State
5	Cincinnati Bengals	OT	Penei Sewell	Oregon
6	Philadelphia Eagles	TE	Kyle Pitts	Florida
7	Detroit Lions	LB	Micah Parsons	Penn State
8	Carolina Panthers	QB	Trey Lance	North Dakota State
9	Denver Broncos	CB	Caleb Farley	Virginia Tech
10	Dallas Cowboys	CB	Patrick Surtain II	Alabama
11	New York Giants	WR	DeVonta Smith	Alabama
12	San Francisco 49ers	EDGE	Gregory Rosseau	Miami (Fla.)
13	Los Angeles Chargers	OT	Rashawn Slater	Northwestern
14	Minnesota Vikings	OG	Alijah Vera-Tucker	USC
15	New England Patriots	QB	Mac Jones	Alabama
16	Arizona Cardinals	CB	Jaycee Horn	South Carolina
17	Las Vegas Raiders	EDGE	Kwity Paye	Michigan
18	Miami Dolphins	WR	Jaylen Waddle	Alabama
19	Washington Football Team	OT	Christian Darrisaw	Virginia Tech
20	Chicago Bears	OT	Jalen Mayfield	Michigan
21	Indianapolis Colts	CB	Greg Newsome II	Northwestern
22	Tennessee Titans	EDGE	Jaelen Phillips	Miami (Fla.)
23	New York Jets (via SEA)	RB	Najee Harris	Alabama
24	Pittsburgh Steelers	OL	Teven Jenkins	Oklahoma State
25	Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR)	DT	Christian Barmore	Alabama
26	Cleveland Browns	LB	Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah	Notre Dame
27	Baltimore Ravens	EDGE	Joe Tryon	Washington
28	New Orleans Saints	S	Trevon Moehrig	TCU
29	Green Bay Packers	WR	Kadarius Toney	Florida
30	Buffalo Bills	EDGE	Azeez Ojulari	Georgia
31	Kansas City Chiefs	OG/C	Landon Dickerson	Alabama
32	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	LB	Nick Bolton	Missouri

What signing OL Oday Aboushi means for Chargers

The revamp of the Chargers offensive line is going very well.

The Chargers signed guard Oday Aboushi to a one-year deal on Saturday/

Los Angeles acquired center Corey Linsley and guard Matt Feiler earlier this week, but the renovation of the offensive line didn’t stop there.

Aboushi, 29, is a player who’s capable of starting at the other guard spot opposite of Feiler.

Aboushi thrived as the Lions’ right guard last season, which could indicate that the team sees him in that spot while Feiler plays on the left side.

At the moment, four starting spots are filled: left guard, center, right guard and right tackle. Now, the Chargers are in a position where they have to find a starting left tackle.

Trey Pipkins is still on the roster and while he was drafted to eventually become the starter, he hasn’t proven himself in that role.

Therefore, Los Angeles is in a prime position to land either Christian Darrisaw, Rashawn Slater or Alijah Vera-Tucker at No. 13.

Assuming L.A. drafts one of the three, this is how the starting offensive line would look like going into the regular season:

LT Slater/Vera-Tucker/Darrisaw

LG Feiler

C Linsley

RG Aboushi

RT Bryan Bulaga

The Chargers lost Dan Feeney and Cole Toner to the Jets and Texans, respectively. Other starters from last season, Sam Tevi, Forrest Lamp and Ryan Groy remain free agents. The team could benefit to re-sign one for the sake of depth.

I expect Los Angeles to use two of their nine draft picks, outside of the first-round, for depth and upside to start down the road. This year’s draft class is loaded with players who possess that, both at tackle and guard in the mid- late rounds.

The bottom line is that general manager Tom Telesco made the point that the offensive line needed to improve this offseason and he’s done a fine job of sticking to his word.

Breaking down the Chargers’ options after release of Trai Turner

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down how the Los Angeles Chargers can fill the hole at right guard.

The Chargers popped up in the news on Friday after releasing their starting right guard from last season, Trai Turner. The release wasn’t all that surprising considering Turner was injured and underwhelming with his play in 2020.

His departure leaves another hole in the offensive line that Los Angeles will have to fill this offseason. With that being said, let’s take a look at a couple of options and potential suitors.

Cardinals land O-lineman in mock draft projecting Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson trades

In this new mock draft affected by trades for Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, the Arizona Cardinals USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker.

We have a new mock draft from Draft Wire managing editor Luke Easterling. In this one, he projects what the first round of the 2021 draft could look like after trades for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson have gone down.

Those potential trades would not affect the Arizona Cardinals with the 16th pick in the draft.

Who do the Cardinals get at No. 16?

Easterling has them selecting USC offensive lineman Alihah Vera-Tucker.

The Cards have one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Kyler Murray, but just because he can run for his life and make plays outside the pocket doesn’t mean he should have to do it all of the time. Arizona should use this pick on the best offensive lineman available, whether at tackle or along the interior, and Vera-Tucker is the clear choice in this scenario.

An offensive lineman would make sense. Vera-Tucker is versatile enough to play tackle but he is projected to be a potentially great guard.

Cornerback Jaycee Horn is still on the board in this mock draft. He probably will be in play, considering the great need the Cardinals have at the position this offseason.

Sitting with the 16th pick, an offensive lineman, a pass rusher, receiver or cornerback are the likely target.

Vera-Tucker makes a lot of sense. He might not start as a rookie, as offensive line coach Sean Kugler prefers to avoid that, but as the Cardinals build their team around quarterback Kyler Murray, giving him protection up front is a good plan.

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2021 NFL mock draft: Round 1

The first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is a no-brainer, but from there all bets are off.

Here’s my first 2021 NFL mock draft. I tend not to project trades, and this year is no different — at least for now. The draft process is quite different this year, most notably without a scouting combine, so collegiate pro days will be more valuable than in recent years. Also valuable, in-game data retrieved from chips embedded into equipment.

Anyway, we’ll be unveiling more mock drafts than ever before this year, so be sure to check back with our 2021 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2021 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

The New York Jets’ No. 2 pick … I’m not convinced they’re done with Sam Darnold, and putting more weapons around him will help see what he can bring to the table. He’s only 23, and Zach Wilson is far from a sure thing. I can envision Wilson being the pick and Darnold remaining on the roster, but for a few reasons (durability questions, level of competition, overrated QB class), I’m not nearly as high on Wilson as others. This pick is extremely fluid.
A trade is absolutely in play, and Carolina jumps out as one of the most viable partners. The Panthers could secure Wilson, while New York then moves back just a handful of spots and picks up multiple picks. It would then allow the Jets to spend a more palatable No. 8 overall pick on a receiver and build around Darnold.
That being said, it makes the Miami pick at No. 3 all that much harder to project. I’m not sold on DeVonta Smith being the second-best receiver, let alone the second one chosen, and this pick almost certainly becomes Ja’Marr Chase if Wilson is the Jets’ No. 2 overall selection.
Several situations that appear to be obvious directions for teams to turn don’t necessarily compute for me. I’m not saying Chicago, New Orleans, New England and/or Washington won’t add a quarterback in Round 1, but I’m not seeing the scenarios playing out favorably.
Free agency opens March 17, and the player movement will undoubtedly create cause for an update after some of the dust settles.

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Pick	Team	Pos	Player	School
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	QB	Trevor Lawrence	Clemson
2	New York Jets	WR	Ja’Marr Chase	LSU
3	Miami Dolphins (from HOU)	WR	DeVonta Smith	Alabama
4	Atlanta Falcons	QB	Zach Wilson	BYU
5	Cincinnati Bengals	OT	Penei Sewell	Oregon
6	Philadelphia Eagles	TE	Kyle Pitts	Florida
7	Detroit Lions	WR	Jaylen Waddle	Alabama
8	Carolina Panthers	QB	Trey Lance	North Dakota State
9	Denver Broncos	QB	Justin Fields	Ohio State
10	Dallas Cowboys	CB	Caleb Farley	Virginia Tech
11	New York Giants	EDGE	Gregory Rosseau	Miami (Fla.)
12	San Francisco 49ers	CB	Patrick Surtain II	Alabama
13	Los Angeles Chargers	OT	Rashawn Slater	Northwestern
14	Minnesota Vikings	OG	Alijah Vera-Tucker	USC
15	New England Patriots	LB	Micah Parsons	Penn State
16	Arizona Cardinals	LB	Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah	Notre Dame
17	Las Vegas Raiders	EDGE	Jaelen Phillips	Miami (Fla.)
18	Miami Dolphins	RB	Najee Harris	Alabama
19	Washington Football Team	WR	Kadarius Toney	Florida
20	Chicago Bears	OL	Teven Jenkins	Oklahoma State
21	Indianapolis Colts	OT	Christian Darrisaw	Virginia Tech
22	Tennessee Titans	EDGE	Kwity Paye	Michigan
23	New York Jets (from SEA)	EDGE	Zaven Collins	Tulsa
24	Pittsburgh Steelers	OT	Jalen Mayfield	Michigan
25	Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)	DE	Christian Barmore	Alabama
26	Cleveland Browns	CB	Jaycee Horn	South Carolina
27	Baltimore Ravens	EDGE	Ronnie Perkins	Oklahoma
28	New Orleans Saints	EDGE	Joe Tryon	Washington
29	Green Bay Packers	DL	Levi Onwuzurike	Washington
30	Buffalo Bills	EDGE	Azeez Ojulari	Georgia
31	Kansas City Chiefs	OG/C	Landon Dickerson	Alabama
32	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	LB	Nick Bolton	Missouri

Vikings draft G Alijah Vera-Tucker in analytics-based mock

With the 14th pick, Cynthia Frelund has the Vikings drafting USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.

It’s no secret that the Vikings need some help on their offensive line heading into 2021.

In Cynthia Frelund’s latest mock draft over at NFL.com, she does it based strictly on analytics that will help teams now.

With the 14th pick, Frelund has the Vikings drafting USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Here’s what Frelund wrote about the pick:

I project Vera-Tucker at guard, though he has experience at USC at both that position and tackle. His ability to stay low in his stance through contact helps project him as a very reliable (that is, possessing a high projected floor) in both passing and rushing situations, as well as in play-action, which is extremely helpful for the Vikings’ scheme.

If there’s been a knock on Vikings GM Rick Spielman it’s been that he hasn’t been able to find top talent on the offensive line. Maybe that change with the 2021 draft.

In latest mock draft, Mel Kiper Jr. sticks with USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker going to the Vikings

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his second 2021 mock draft of the offseason. He’s got the same player going to the Minnesota Vikings.

In a previous offseason mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. tabbed the Vikings to fix their offensive line with USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Kiper has a different mock draft now, but the same player going to Minnesota. Vera-Tucker was his Vikings prediction for No. 14. He makes the case for why here:

“I’ll stick with Vera-Tucker here because of his versatility. He played guard before moving to left tackle for USC last season. He impressed there and rocketed up draft boards. I think he’ll probably stick at tackle in the NFL. We know coach Mike Zimmer will always push for the Vikings to draft a defender, and this could also be a spot for a pass-rusher or defensive back.”

It’s nice that Vera-Tucker can play both guard and tackle, because, at the moment, Minnesota’s offensive line situation is a bit up in the air. Riley Reiff is currently under contract, but the Vikings are most likely going to be strapped for cash this offseason. There’s also Ezra Cleveland, the right guard from last season who could switch to tackle.

How Chargers can fix offensive line this offseason

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez rebuilds Los Angeles’ offensive line.

I feel like a broken record saying this, but the time is now for the Chargers to revamp the offensive line in the offseason.

After putting it off year after year, general manager Tom Telesco is finally realizing that the line is a glaring issue that needs to be resolved.

“There’s a lot of improvement that needs to be made in that area,” Telesco said about the team’s offensive line at his end-of-season press conference.

Numbers don’t lie. Quarterback Justin Herbert was pressured on 27.6% of his attempts in 2020, the seventh-highest rate among QBs with at least 200 attempts, according to SportRadar.

Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus had the unit ranked the worst in the NFL.

Injuries hindered tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner. Meanwhile, there was inconsistent play from center Dan Feeney, guard Forrest Lamp and tackle Sam Tevi.

At the moment, Feeney, Lamp and Tevi are slated to be free agents. Turner is a potential cut candidate to free up some cap space after his disappointing season. Bulaga is likely safe, but there are some serious durability concerns.

The bottom line is that if Los Angeles wants to have a high octane offense moving forward with Herbert at the helm, they need to get better in the trenches.

Starting with the in-house options, I believe the team loves Feeney, Lamp and Tevi. I don’t feel comfortable with anyone of them in a starting role moving forward, but I believe for the sake of continuity, they’re good enough to be brought back as depth pieces.

As for Turner, I elect to move on from him to clear up $11.5 million in cap space.

Looking ahead to free agency, I am going all in for the best interior free agent offensive linemen available. All eyes are on Brandon Scherff, Joe Thuney, Corey Linsley.

In this scenario, I’m able to sign Linsley to fill the center spot.

Looking to the second tier of free agents, my attention is shifted to Nick Easton, Larry Warford, Jon Feliciano and Denzelle Good.

I sign to Warford to serve as the starting right guard.

Moving on to the NFL draft, my focus is landing a plug-and-play tackle and guard in the first two rounds.

On the clock at pick No. 13, the Chargers land USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker. Vera-Tucker projects best as a guard at the next level, but his tape from 2020 tells me that he can thrive on the outside.

Fast forward to pick No. 45, Los Angeles takes Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks. A proven guard, Banks’ pass protection will help secure the inside of a line early on and he will add value as a run blocker with his power.

The work doesn’t stop there. After addressing the cornerback and edge defender position with the team’s two third-round picks, I add a high upside player in Clemson’s Jackson Carman to kick off Day 3.

The 6-foot-5 and 335 pounder has the athleticism, strong hands, leverage in pass protection and mauling mentality in the running game. Carman can play tackle at the next level, but he has the skill set to play guard, as well. That versatility is a plus for L.A.

My new line, from left to right, would look something like: Vera-Tucker, Banks, Linsley, Warford, Bulaga. Depth includes Feeney, Lamp, Tevi, Carman, Storm Norton, Trey Pipkins and Scott Quessenberry.

If the Chargers want to get the most out of Herbert for many years, they must keep him as clean as possible and a line like this can go a long way.

Cardinals land O-lineman in Daniel Jeremiah’s 2nd mock draft

USC lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker is the pick in Jeremiah’s second mock draft of the year.

There is a new mock draft by NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. In his first projections, he had the Arizona Cardinals selecting a pass rusher. He has them going a different direction now.

With the 16th pick in the draft, in this mock draft, the Cardinals select an offensive lineman — USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Vera-Tucker has played tackle and guard, but I envision him sliding inside for the Cardinals. I’m sure USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell would give his fellow former Texas Tech quarterback, Kliff Kingsbury, a glowing recommendation.

The Cardinals could use top guard talent. They like Justin Murray and gave him a contract extension last season but he has been a journeyman at best in his career. Justin Pugh is now 30 years old and could be a cap casualty.

Vera-Tucker would give the Cardinals young protection for quarterback Kyler Murray, whose recent retweets suggest he would like a focus on his protection.

However, if the Cardinals do not move on from Pugh, there would be no guarantee that Vera-Tucker would start as a rookie. He would have to beat out Murray, someone the coaching staff likes a lot.

Vera-Tucker would have a connection with the offense at USC.

Sam Dehring gave an early profile of Vera-Tucker last October.

Alijah Vera-Tucker is an athletic machine that moves very well for his size. He is productive as a run and pass blocker. As a run blocker, Tucker has a nice burst of speed of the ball as a pulling guard that uses his hands efficiently to win those one-on-one matchups. As a pass blocker, he has elite technique that keeps a steady balance throughout plays. He recorded an 88.6 pass blocking grade in 2019 with no sacks or QB hits, according to Pro Football Focus. Alijah Vera-Tucker is a versatile talent at his position and would be a nice addition to the struggling Cardinals run game.

Other players on the board who could fit the Cardinals who go in the next few selections are Alabama running back Najee Harris, Michigan pass rusher Kwity Paye, Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw and Florida receiver Kadarius Toney.

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Vikings draft offensive lineman in ESPN’s Todd McShay mock draft

Do you want the Minnesota Vikings to draft USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker in the 2021 NFL draft?

The Vikings may have a lot of talent to replace on their starting offensive line in 2021. Minnesota likely needs a new left guard and left tackle Riley Reiff might command too high of a salary to keep around.

That possibly leaves two open spots on the offensive line for a team that’s struggled to pass protect in the past. ESPN’s Todd McShay thinks more help is needed. McShay has Minnesota drafting USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker with the 14th overall pick in his mock draft. Here’s what he wrote about Vera-Tucker:

“Minnesota will take a long look at the pass-rushers on the board, and it might decide someone like TCU safety Trevon Moehrig is worth the grab here. But the Vikings’ offense starts with a good zone-blocking scheme, and Vera-Tucker excels there, with a feel for angles and blocking at the second level. I like how Ezra Cleveland, last year’s second-rounder, has fit into the Minnesota offensive line puzzle, but more help is needed in protecting quarterback Kirk Cousins and springing running back Dalvin Cook on big runs. Plus, Vera-Tucker can play tackle or guard.”

It’s been said that Vera-Tucker could play on the interior or the exterior of the offensive line at the NFL level. If that’s the case, he could surely slot into the left guard spot or left tackle spot for the Vikings if need be. The offensive line unit isn’t far off from being decent if the team retains Reiff. They need better pass protection on the interior, though. Vera-Tucker could add that.