The Los Angeles Chargers would be wise to invest early draft capital into the offensive line, but the work shouldn’t stop there.
Every draft class includes a handful of sleepers waiting to surprise the rest of the league and force senses of regret upon the teams that passed on them.
The consensus believes that the Chargers will address the offensive line in the early going of the draft, but the work shouldn’t stop there as this is a unit that needs all of the reinforcements that they can get to help quarterback Justin Herbert, now and many years from now.
With that being said, here are five offensive linemen who aren’t receiving a lot of buzz that Los Angeles could target in this year’s draft.
Sadarius Hutcherson, G, South Carolina
In a deep interior offensive line group, the player that still doesn’t get enough attention is Hutcherson, even though I wouldn’t be surprised to see him be a Day 2 selection. Maybe his Pro Day will draw some more attention after he did 36 reps on bench press and ran a 4.95 40-yard dash at 331 pounds.
A versatile lineman for the Gamecocks, Hutcherson started 39 games — 16 at left guard, 12 at right guard and 11 at left tackle. He has the anchor ability to lock up rushers, power and toughness to move bodies in the run game, and active eyes to diagnose stunts and slants.
Hutcherson is a guy who could be a solid starter in this league by Year 2, projecting best on the left side, although he has position flexibility to kick out to the right side and the ability to serve as a backup at tackle, if need be.
Robert Jones, OT/G, Middle Tennessee State
Jones, the former two star recruit, started off as a JUCO-player before transferring to Middle Tennessee State in 2019. In two seasons at right tackle, Jones never missed a game and was named All-Honorable Mention Conference-USA twice. He played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he performed well.
Jones is a massive, powerful lineman with surprising quickness and athleticism, but will be making a leap from a lower level FBS school, where his easy dominance, sufficient hands and overall technique in pass protection will take time to translate, projecting as a reliable backup at either guard or tackle.
Adrian Ealy, OT, Oklahoma
Starting all 11 games in 2020, Ealy earned Second-Team All-Big 12 honors. Ealy allowed only three sacks on 421 pass blocks, per Pro Football Focus. In 2019, he also secured Second-Team All-Big 12 marks, starting all 12 games. He appeared in 28 games in three seasons, starting 23 of them.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and 324 pounds, Ealy has the size that NFL teams are looking for. He has the athleticism, anchor ability and good movement in space. Ealy needs to refine his hand technique, but he has the necessary traits to be counted on as a backup right tackle who can play left tackle, as well.
Kayode Awosika, OT, Buffalo
Awosika was three-year starter for the Bulls at both tackle spots, anchoring a line that led the way for a rushing attack that averaged 287.4 yards per game and allowed only one sack. He was named first-team All-MAC and second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America in 2020.
The 6-foot-5 and 315 pound Awosika is a good-sized lineman who uses his athleticism to mirror pass-rushers smoothly and keep them at bay with his length. In the run game, he is a force, where he does a phenomenal job of moving bodies instantly at the point of attack.
Awosika does need to improve with his leverage and hand placement in pass protection, but overall, he has the solid foundation to serve as a versatile swing tackle who might even become a reliable guard at the next tackle, given his run-blocking prowess.
William Sherman, OT, Colorado
Sherman started for the Buffs the last three seasons, with four at right guard, 11 at left tackle and 12 at right tackle. He moved over to the blindside for the 2020 season, allowing just one sack and being penalized just once in six starts en route to earning second-team All-Pac-12.
At 6-foot-3 and 313 pounds, Sherman has a sturdy frame with wide hips and square shoulders, where he uses it to his advantage when anchoring defenders. His athleticism shows when dropping back, showing quick feet and fluidity in space. While he isn’t the best run-blocker from a technical standpoint, Sherman has the strength and speed to get the job done.
Sherman could become a reliable swing tackle in the NFL, but he projects best inside not only due to his lack of length but where he actually shines, showing plus anchor strength and ability to do well in tight spaces.
