Vikings 2020 Draft Wish List: Offensive Line

The Vikings offensive line has garnered some criticism. Is it the right time to draft an offensive lineman in the first round?

After a 2018-19 season where the group struggled at times, the offensive line made great improvement in 2019-20 and was a big reason the team won 11 games in total.

However, Green Bay proved in Week 16 that the offensive line still needs to improve more. The Packers’ Za’Darius Smith lined up in all kinds of different techniques across the defensive line and it didn’t matter where he went, he found a way to get pressure. Smith finished with 3.5 sacks and held the Vikings to 139 yards in total. The 49ers also showed you could beat the Vikings on the line of scrimmage, sacking Kirk Cousins six times in the Divisional Playoffs.

Maybe it’s time for a replacement, maybe not. If the Vikings cut Riley Reiff, they could save $8.8 million with $4.4 million in dead money. According to Pro Football Focus, Reiff played better than every starter on the offensive line, other than Brian O’Neill.

Reiff seems like the most viable candidate to get cut due to his large contract, but is that the right call? They might be able to restructure. The Vikings might want to rid themselves of other players before they go for a competent offensive lineman. If the Vikings cut Reiff or not, they still might go to the draft just to add another lineman, maybe one that fills a platoon role in case any member of the set five starts to struggle or gets injured.

Possible options: Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Houston’s Josh Jones

5 offensive prospects for Jaguars fans to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine

The Jags need help on the offensive side and Tee Higgins will be just one of many players at the combine for fans to watch Thursday.

The offensive prospects will take the field Thursday and Friday for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. That’s a side of the ball where the Jacksonville Jaguars need a lot of help, so needless to say, fans will be glued to their television sets.

All of that said, here are four prospects with first round grades to watch on the offensive end who could end up being drafted by the Jags come draft day:

Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

Simply put, despite Dave Caldwell’s comments about liking the Jags’ offensive line, the bottom line is they need upgrades there. It remains to be seen if they will move Cam Robinson from left tackle, but at the least, they need to add a new starter at guard.

Tristan Wirfs has mostly started at right tackle, however, the Jags are unlikely to stop the development of Jawaan Taylor at that spot as he settled down late in the season and flashed. Instead, drafting Wirfs to play right guard might be an option as A.J. Cann hasn’t really developed like most had hoped.

Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

Again, it’s unknown if whether the Jags will move Robinson this year, but I’ll give you one reason they should: Andrew Thomas.

Thomas is a massive player at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, and is a strong run blocker and a mountain to get around in pass protection. Draft pundits have concerns about his technique, however, the Jags have an offensive line coach as their head coach in Doug Marrone, who can help Thomas develop over time.

Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

This year’s receivers class is one many feel is the strongest and deepest we’ve seen in some time, which is good for the Jags who need help beside DJ Chark Jr. The second-year receiver exploded in 2020 and became a Pro Bowler but it was clear he needed another receiver to take the pressure off him down the stretch.

Henry Ruggs is a player with speed for days and some believe he’ll run a 4.2 in the 40-yard dash. He’s also a player who would set the league on fire if paired with Chark. With Caldwell being great at drafting receivers, Ruggs definitely could be an option in the first round as the Jags look to build around Gardner Minshew II.

Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

Tee Higgins is another baller from this 2020 receivers class and has great size. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he’d bring that Allen Robinson-like presence the Jags have missed since the young receiver departed via free agency. He can go up and pluck the ball and is very smooth as a route runner. Those a traits that could take Minshew to the next level.

Higgins said that his goal for the 40-yard dash will be to run in the 4.4s, and if he does, the Jags need to heavily consider him for the No. 20 pick or perhaps making a trade to get him sooner.

Solomon Kindley, OG, Georgia

Jags fans should be well aware of this young man as he is a Jacksonville native. Solomon Kindley was dominant in the trenches for the Bulldogs over the span of the last three years, especially as a run blocker. When looking at his physical style, he reflects what the Jags want in a lineman and he would be just what the doctor ordered for Leonard Fournette between the tackles.

He was one of the players who revealed he’s met with the Jags this week, and clearly their interest should be genuine. It will be interesting to see what he does in the strength related drills because the power is clearly there on tape.

11 prospects who should dominate the scouting combine drills

These 11 players could see their stock soar at the scouting combine based on their ability to ace the athletic tests.

INDIANAPOLIS — People in and out of the NFL have denigrated the scouting combine drills as the “Underwear Olympics” for years, but those same people are sure on hand when it comes time for prospects to go through those drills every year. And yes, draft decisions are made on a guy’s 40-yard-dash time, broad jump, and bench press numbers more than some would have you believe.

There are a number of new drills this year, created and enacted to more closely mirror the on-field experience. Whether it’s old-school or new-wave stuff, here are 11 prospects who could really stand out at the 2020 combine.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Some evaluators have Love, who experienced an efficiency downturn in 2019 with 17 interceptions against 20 touchdown passes after a 32-touchdown, six-interception 2018, as a possible Next Patrick Mahomes based on his arm strength and athleticism. I believe there are too many legitimate questions about Love’s mechanics and overall form to make such comparisons just yet, but there’s absolutely no question that Love can sling the ball around. In the friendly confines of Lucas Oil Stadium, where he’ll be throwing different routes without any defensive pressure, Love could make a great impression on scouts, coaches, and personnel people who are already halfway to making that comparison in their minds.

“The most important thing to be is to be more consistent,” Love said this week about his own game. “You watch my film, there are some plays where I make an incredible throw, and the next thing you know, I miss a swing route on a checkdown. Being more consistent in all my throws, my footwork, in the pocket, under center, doing dropbacks and things like that. It’s something I’ve practiced since the season ended.”

Love should reap the benefits of that practice in the quarterback drills.

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Broncos met with OL Tristan Wirfs at NFL combine

The Broncos met with Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs at the NFL combine this week.

The Denver Broncos met with Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs at the NFL combine this week, according to The Denver Post‘s Ryan O’Halloran.

Wirfs (6-5, 322 pounds) earned second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press in 2019 after starting all 13 games (10 at right tackle and three at left tackle). Iowa awarded him their offensive Team Hustle Award and Big Ten Conference gave him the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award after his junior season.

Wirfs played tackle in college but many draft pundits believe he could transition to guard in the NFL. He is the 16th-best player and fourth-best offensive lineman in this year’s class, according to Luke Easterling’s 2020 NFL draft big board for Draft Wire.

Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills (No. 7), Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (No. 10) and Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (No. 14) are the only offensive lineman ranked higher than Wirfs on Draft Wire’s big board.

If selected by the Broncos, Wirfs would be reunited with tight end Noah Fant. Wirfs and Fants were teammates with the Hawkeyes from 2017-18. Denver selected Fant with their first-round pick in last year’s draft.

The Broncos are scheduled to select 15th overall this year.

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Browns stressing proper technique with OL in combine interviews

New Browns OL coach Bill Callahan is a stickler for technique

We don’t get to see or hear what goes on behind the closed doors of the hotel rooms in Indianapolis where the NFL teams are interviewing draft prospects during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Cameras and listening devices from outside the team are strictly prohibited.

But we have a pretty good idea of what the Cleveland Browns are focusing upon when they talk with offensive linemen. One word jumped out over and over from offensive tackle prospects when asked about the Browns during the players’ media sessions.

Technique.

Several of the top offensive tackles mentioned technique in relation to the Browns’ line of questioning. From Georgia’s Andrew Brown to USC’s Austin Jackson, Alabama right tackle Jedrick Wills and Louisville behemoth Mekhi Becton all noted the focus by the Browns on their technique.

Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, a very strong candidate to be the No. 10 overall pick, even stated that the Browns told him what was wrong with his technique. “I met with the Browns last night,” Wirfs told reporters. “They showed me my technique and areas that I need to improve upon.”

Safe to say the new coaching staff under Kevin Stefanski has more of an attention to detail and a focus on doing things correctly than we’ve seen in Cleveland lately. Veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan is a noted stickler for proper technique and fundamentals, and that is definitely coming across to prospective players.

2020 NFL Combine: Matt Peart stands out as offensive tackles measure in

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez drops some of his takeaways from the offensive tackle’s measurements at the 2020 NFL Combine.

The offensive tackles were among the positional groups that measured in on Tuesday at the 2020 NFL Combine.

For the Chargers, addressing the position sits the near the top of their to-do list this offseason. Therefore, they will likely be in the market for one in the early rounds of the draft.

Here is a look at the measurements of the tackles courtesy of CBS Sports, followed by some of our takeaways:

Takeaways

Matt Peart was arguably the biggest winner. The former UConn product boasted the longest arms and wingspan, which is extremely beneficial at the position. At 320 pounds, he looks the part with an NFL frame. Peart put together solid tape at the right tackle position, stamping himself as a top-100 pick. He should help his stock even more after showing off his athleticism this week.
Standing at a whopping 6-foot-8 and 365 pounds, Mekhi Becton has an enormous frame with natural girth and a wide base, along with octopus-like arms. Becton has seen his stock rise throughout the past couple of months, and he should be picked within the top-20 selections.
There’s been plenty of chatter of kicking Tristan Wirfs inside to guard because of his arm length, but those talks were put to rest after coming in at 34-inch arms. At 320 pounds and an 80-inch wingspan, Wirfs looks the part as an NFL offensive tackle.
Robert Hunt has also been on the fence of whether or not he needs to move from tackle to guard, but after coming in with a solid 82-inch wingspan, it’s safe to say that he can stay on the outside.
Ben Bartch, the small-school standout, didn’t have the most ideal measurements for the position. Bartch came in with the shortest arms of anyone in his group and he fell short of 310 pounds. His tape suggests that he should be able to play tackle at the next level, but he will likely have to put on a little bit more weight.
There were concerns in regards to Ezra Cleveland’s arm length, but he came in at 33 7/8 inches with a wingspan of 80 7/8 inches. We currently have Cleveland stamped as an early-third rounder, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he moves himself into top-50 consideration after this week.

12 players Giants should watch carefully at 2020 NFL Combine

Workout at the 2020 NFL Combine will begin on Thursday, and here’s a quick look at 12 players the New York Giants should watch carefully.

The 20202 NFL Combine is being held this week in Indianapolis and the New York Giants, holders of the No. 4 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, will be seeking their next class of presumptive stars.

What will they be looking for and what the rest of the football world believes they should be looking for are two distinct and separate things.

If I ran the Giants, I’d be looking specifically for two types of players first: ones that can make plays on defense and ones that can protect my young quarterback.

What is going through general manager Dave Gettleman’s mind is anyone’s guess. Like most, I’m under the assumption he knows what his team in lacking, but you can never tell with him. He falls in love with players and ends up reaching.

Here’s some players the Giants should be interested in this week.

Offensive Tackles

Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama (JR, 6’5″, 320 pounds)
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (JR, 6’5″, 320 pounds)
Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (JR, 6’7″, 369 pounds)
Tristan Wirfs, OT/OG, Iowa (JR, 6’5″, 322 pounds)

You can take them in any order you’d like. They all should be there at No. 4 when the Giants select. The favorite here is Becton, who is just so massive and imposing he’s hard to pass up. The question is can you trade down a few spots and still get one of these guys?

The answer is yes. Gettleman should trade back from No. 4 with a team looking for a quarterback, grab some draft capital and maybe take one of the above and perhaps one from the below list in Round 1:

Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (rJR, 6’4″, 225 pounds)
Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (JR, 6’2″, 234 pounds)
Patrick Queen, LSU (JR, 6’1″, 227 pounds)
Zack Baun, Wisconsin (rSR, 6’3″, 240 pounds)
A.J. Epenesa, Iowa (JR, 6’6″, 280 pounds)
K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU (JR, 6’4″, 250 pounds)
Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State (JR, 6’5″, 264 pounds)
Terrell Lewis, Alabama (rJR, 6’5″, 258 pounds)

Any one of the above players would walk right onto the practice field in East Rutherford and take someone’s job Day 1. Simmons would be the optimal choice, but the Giants might have to stay at No. 4 to get him, pending his Combine performance.

I love Epenesa and Baun, but they aren’t Top 5 worthy. The rest could be mid-late first rounders or even second rounders, but I’m putting Becton, Simmons, Baun and Epenesa on my dance card. I’ll also be interested to see how Chaisson fares as well.

For those who are into the best available player theory, Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy and Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah are two players to watch.

2020 NFL draft prospect profile: Iowa OL Tristan Wirfs

Let’s take a look at Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.

The offensive line is a clear cut need for the Panthers in this upcoming draft. Fortunately, there is plenty of OL talent to go around in this draft class. Last week we talked about the possibility of the Panthers drafting a right tackle (Jedrick Wills) and kicking Taylor Moton over to left guard to fill the hole they have there.

This week, we are going to take a look at a player who could potentially fit right in at guard and make an immediate impact Week 1. Let’s take a look at Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.

Scouting Report:
Wirfs is listed at 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 320 pounds. Physically speaking, he checks off all of the boxes and passes the eye test. He uses his tremendous frame and strong hands to bully defenders in the run game and is pretty quick on his feet getting out of his stance. Wirfs even offers versatility as a guard or tackle, as he spent time playing at both spots during his career at Iowa. Along with his incredible athleticism and pure strength, Wirfs plays with excellent balance, body control, hand usage, and anchoring ability in pass protection.

However, edge defenders have exposed his lack of flexibility in his pass sets in the past which has some teams worrying about his ability to play tackle at the next level. In fact, some analysts believe he would be better suited at guard so he can hide the inefficiencies in his pass protection sets against outside edge rushers. By moving inside, Wirfs will be able to stay compact and utilize his strength more to his advantage, all while not having to worry about edge rushers burning him on the outside in his vertical pass sets.

Overall, Wirfs is a tremendous talent but moving him to guard full-time in the NFL will help him tap into his All-Pro potential.

Highlights:

Wirfs vs. USC

Wirfs vs. Rutgers

Wirfs vs. Wisconsin

Wirfs vs. Michigan

Fit with the Panthers:
There are many rumors flying around right now speculating that the Panthers are looking to trade down in the draft. No. 7 overall might be a bit of a reach for Wirfs, but if Marty Hurney makes the move to trade down into the mid-first round, look for them to potentially pounce on a prospect like Wirfs. It would not be a sexy pick, but it would be a big step towards finally fielding a complete offensive line.

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Giants ‘love’ OL prospect Cardinals might covet

The Giants reportedly “love” Iowa tackle prospect Tristan Wirfs.

It is NFL draft season and that means information and misinformation will come from many sources. We will hear reports of teams and their interest in different players.

The Arizona Cardinals have the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft and they could target an offensive lineman. Based on many mock drafts, if they do, they very possibly will be the second team drafting a lineman. The other could be the New York Giants, who pick fourth overall.

A player connected to the Cardinals in many mock drafts is Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs. Most do not rate him as the best tackle in the draft, but according to a report from SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants are very high on Wirfs.

In fact, the Giants already “love” Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, according to an NFL source familiar with the Giants thinking, and they have expressed similar interest in Alabama’s Jedrick Wills. Both of them are widely considered among the top four offensive line prospects in this year’s class, and they will get a good look from the entire league at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.

It is far too early to know whether either of them would interest the Giants enough to draft them with the fourth overall pick. Right now, the NFL consensus seems to have Wirfs and Wills in a four-man group at the top of the offensive line charts, with Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton. Which order they will eventually land in depends, for now, on who is asked.

If the Cardinals decide to go with a lineman with the eighth pick overall, if the Giants end up liking Wirfs more than others, there is the potential that the Cardinals could select Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, whom NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah calls “an absolute freak.”

The NFL combine begins this week and so player rankings could change.

Cardinals fans will want to keep an eye on the Giants leading up to the draft because their pick could affect what direction the Cardinals go with the eighth pick.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 258

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Ep. 257

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Check out what Daniel Jeremiah said about 4 top tackle prospects

In a conference call, Jeremiah gave his thoughts on Mekhi Becton, Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs and Austin Jackson.

The Arizona Cardinals could be drafting an offensive tackle in the first round or perhaps in the second round. If they select one with the eighth overall pick, they will be getting one of the top-rated tackles in the draft.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke about four of the top tackle prospects in his recent conference call with the media.

What did he say about each of them?

Louisville OT Mekhi Becton

“To me, Mekhi Becton is a freak, from Louisville, an absolute freak,” said Jeremiah. “He’s a left tackle. He’s a better version of Bryant McKinnie. He’s going to be that guy for the next 10 to 12 years to protect your franchise quarterback. He’s so big, so long, so athletic, even when he is not perfect, it doesn’t matter because nobody can get through him. He’s 6’7”, 370 pounds.

“You just don’t see guys like that come around very often.”

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