Tag: OT

NFL Draft Prospect Isaiah Wilson Talks Intellect, Blocking For Jake Fromm

What’s it like playing lacrosse at 6’8″, 350 pounds? 2020 NFL Draft prospect and former Georgia Bulldogs tackle Isaiah Wilson shares his experience playing college lacrosse, plus how he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, what it was like playing with quarterback Jake Fromm, what his typical meal looks like and more.

What’s it like playing lacrosse at 6’8″, 350 pounds? 2020 NFL Draft prospect and former Georgia Bulldogs tackle Isaiah Wilson shares his experience playing college lacrosse, plus how he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, what it was like playing with quarterback Jake Fromm, what his typical meal looks like and more.

Chiefs held pre-draft chat with Houston OT Josh Jones

Could the Kansas City Chiefs draft a left tackle in the first round?

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to meet with prospects via video chat ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

This time, the team is interested in improving the protection for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. On Wednesday, Kansas City spoke at length with Houston’s athletic offensive tackle prospect Josh Jones according to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo.

The 6-5 and 319-pound left tackle was a dominant pass-blocker for the Cougars, allowing a total of four pressures during the 2019 season according to Pro Football Focus. During the pre-draft process, he was a standout performer at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl, showing the ability to finish his blocks better than any of the other tackles in attendance. He also showed the ability to get to the second level in the run game.

Jones was the No. 28 overall player in my recent prospect rankings. He reminds me of current Houston Texans OT Tytus Howard, who was a riser out of Alabama State after a strong performance at the 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Howard ended up being selected at No. 23 overall in 2019, which gives me the feeling that Jones is absolutely in play for the Chiefs at pick No. 32. After all, offensive tackles are among the most coveted players in football. There’s bound to be a player who shows upside that ends up in the latter half of the first round.

Why would the Chiefs be looking for an offensive tackle when they already have two bookends in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz? Well, remember, Fisher missed eight games this season due to injury. Schwartz also missed the first snap of his career in 2019.

Apart from the injury insurance, Kansas City can save money on the tackle group in 2021. If they cut Fisher they’ll save $11 million against the salary cap. With a monster contract coming eventually for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, It’d make a whole lot of sense to grab and groom a young successor now. That way, they’ll be ready to take over at left tackle in 2021.

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Chiefs send OL Martinas Rankin to IR, sign OT Jackson Barton

The Kansas City Chiefs have sent Martinas Rankin to IR and signed an offensive tackle from the Indianapolis Colts practice squad.

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The Kansas City Chiefs made a pair of roster moves on Monday. Following the report that offensive lineman Martinas Rankin suffered a season-ending knee injury, we now have some clarity on that situation. According to the NFL’s transaction report, the team has opted to place Rankin on the injured reserve list.

Rankin joined the Chiefs this season in a trade that sent running back Carlos Hyde to the Texans. He’d been starting at left guard since Week 6 after Andrew Wylie suffered an ankle sprain. The move to place Rankin on IR suggests his season is over.

In a corresponding move, the Chiefs have signed a rookie offensive tackle from the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. Jackson Barton was a seventh-round draft pick by Indianapolis out of Utah. His brother Cody plays linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. Jackson was making well over the weekly minimum on the practice squad, with the Colts shelling out $20,000 a week to keep him there. That alone shows you what they thought of him.

Barton didn’t make the 53-man roster out of the preseason and spent the first 10 weeks of the season on the Indianapolis practice squad. At 6 feet 7 and 302 pounds, Barton is a big body that is better suited playing tackle than he is in the offensive interior. He has experience playing both left and right tackle.

Given the injury concerns for the Chiefs, Barton might have to get up to speed quickly. Eric Fisher has been out recovering from a groin injury, and Mitchell Schwartz was dinged up in Week 10. If Barton fills a similar role to Rankin in Kansas City, expect him to be listed on the depth chart as the backup right tackle with the ability to fill in at other spots as well.