DRAFT TRACKER 2021

Ascending wide-body with powerful hands and above-average core strength, allowing him to play with good balance and control the action around him. He's not a forklift-style drive blocker, but he does have the frame and natural strength to improve in that area if he can play with a little better pad level. Vera-Tucker is adept at catching and tagging moving targets in space. His effective play at left tackle in 2020 might create some buzz about him making that a permanent position if teams are OK with his lack of prototype length. He's a plus in pass pro and solid as a run blocker.

Mass of humanity who's able to cast his frame upon opponents and win with pure size at times. Banks can get a little lax with certain elements of technique and footwork but tends to counter that with his frame and strength. His core and base are rock-steady, as he's rarely jostled by contact. He can create momentum with his size as a run blocker, but he's not a great bender and lacks explosiveness into contact. Pass protection will get a little choppy against athletic interior rushers and twist games that force him to make quick slides to cut off his edges, but he has the anchor to stall bull rushers all day long. Banks has some physical limitations but should be fine as a potential early starter and Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) pick for a physical running game.

A starting guard for the better part of three seasons, Brown is wide, strong and built low to the ground with a natural leverage advantage. While he shines as an in-line power blocker, teams might also take note of his solid technique and reactive quickness. He worked extremely well with center Landon Dickerson on double teams and twists. His lack of length and physical traits will turn some teams off, as will his weight and body type. He's steady and powerful, though. Brown has the potential to become a starter for a power-based rushing team that doesn't adhere to strict traits standards.

When putting together a guard built for an NFL power-based scheme, the blueprint would probably look like Smith. He's big, wide, strong, long and will flash an aggressive streak when he gets geared up. The lack of body control and technique he put on tape suggests it may be difficult for him to overcome his limited athleticism. An offseason of fundamentals work should help Smith become more efficient into first contact, which will really unlock his power at the point of attack. He's been one of the more talked about guard prospects over the last few years but might be in for a bumpy beginning as he adjusts to the athletes and technicians he will face as a pro.

There is no questioning Davis' strength or toughness. He has plenty of highlight reels spotlighting a chippy field demeanor. However, there are questions about whether his lack of desired physical traits and body control are things he can work around consistently as a pro. He's powerful at the point of attack. He plays with leverage and leg drive in the run game, but the average control and athleticism make him more of a phone-booth blocker. He has the anchor and hand quickness to handle his work in pass protection but his recovery talent is a bit limited. Davis should be an NFL starter for a power-based run scheme but his lack of length, body control and footwork prevent him from playing wide on a consistent basis.

Carman might be able to offer emergency tackle value at the next level but he is better-suited for a move inside to guard. Regardless of position, he needs to improve placement and sustain with his hands to help stay connected as a blocker. He has enough pop to handle man-blocking duties inside and has adequate athleticism to go with his wide frame to help improve leaky interior pass protection. His footwork creates unorthodox fits into the block and that will need to be corrected or NFL defensive tackles will send him crashing to the ground. His lunging, lingering punch can be tightened up with more work so that he lands his heavy hands without worrying about being countered by hand-fighters. Carman has starting potential as a guard with emergency value at right tackle.

Durable three-year starter with above-average initial quickness. Capable of playing guard or center, Green's lateral get-off makes him a natural fit for teams heavy into outside zone as a primary run scheme. He can get to play-side reach and back-side cuts and he specializes in washing his defender out of the play once he's engaged on the move. He plays a little too upright at times and lacks the length and drive power in his lower half to move one-on-one blocks around with adequate sustain. The run blocking will stand out to evaluators, but recognition inconsistencies in pass protection might cause some concerns. His center/guard flexibility is an advantage and teams could go either way with how they want to use him. Green has the potential to become a starter at the next level.

Cleveland isn't just a burly interior lineman. He has a legitimate pro, wide-body frame with desired lean mass and proportional build. He's an average athlete for his size, but there are athletic limitations that will put him into the "lumbering" category if he has to redirect his weight or sustain his movements. The fundamentals into his first strike are sound, but he loses the sustain phase faster than expected for a man with his size and strength. He can be a little slow to process the moving pieces in pass protection, which could become a big issue due to below-average reactive lateral quickness. He should become an average starter, but has a chance to upgrade to quality starter if a team can coach him up to become a more consistent people-mover.

Has the ability and experience to be considered at guard or tackle. Hand placement and technique as a run blocker are generally good. He has the athleticism to handle stretch plays and long pulls effectively. He can redirect his weight and adjust to moving targets as a second-level guard (2019) and showed improvement in his pass protection fundamentals in 2020. Newman stays connected and sustains blocks, but will struggle against strong two-gappers inside. He looks like a Day 3 prospect, but his position versatility and movement skills could give him a leg up in future roster battles.

Three-year starter and key cog in run game success in 2020, helping to propel his unit to a Joe Moore Award (best O-line) finalist position. Hocker plays heavy and powerful behind his pads with an ability to strike, leverage and drive to open up running lanes for his backs. He's a pure power-based guard and will struggle if asked to consistently make reach blocks or play in space. He carries some heat in a stiff jab to stall his opponent's rush plans and has the anchor to sit down and fight it out against a pure bull rush. Ranging laterally and mirroring athletes is going to be an issue for him against athletic sub-package rushers and he might need help in those matchups. He could start off as a backup but has the size and power to make it as a starting guard in time.

Well-built guard prospect with outstanding upper-body power and a nasty streak as a block finisher. He's still a little raw from a technical standpoint and needs to play with better patience and control, but Moore has an intriguing combination of strength and quickness that should be intriguing to teams. Becoming more consistent with his footwork, leverage and hand placement will be key for him to go from prospect to starter in the future. Playing a lower level of competition and the lack of a 2020 fall season could make for an extended runway of development, but the physical gifts and toughness are compelling.

Guard prospect with good size and foot quickness. He has toughness in his field demeanor, too. Anderson's two biggest issues are his core strength and his lack of control. He needs to stay within himself and attack with a more workman-like attitude rather than rushing. He has a tendency to over-step his lateral blocks and open the back door for quick losses, but he also has lateral reactive athleticism that should benefit him if bad habits are coached out of him. His hand placement and hand strength improve his chances as a base blocker but true two-gappers have a tendency to gain control and put him in a position to hang on through shed phase. He's a backup-caliber guard who could see time as a low-end starter at some point.

Intriguing prospect with all kinds of athletic potential. However, Saltes is high-cut and plays way too high. He will need to work on dropping his pad level, with better lower-body bend. Saltes plays with good initial quickness into his block fits and churns his engine to open the run lane. He's an easy mover in space and has no problem making adjustments on combination blocks. The run blocking is fun to watch but the pass protection is a concern. He might need a redshirt year to work on his game, but Saltes has potential and should become at least a serviceable backup, if not more.

Hutcherson has good size, can push the weight pile around and will post an impressive vertical leap for a guard, but there should be concerns about his functional football movements. He's good at mauling what is in front of him. He could get even better at it if he improves his hands and finds a little more bend at the point of attack. However, the tape is full of plays where his body control through contact, in space and in pass protection creates significant issues against often average competition across from him. Ultimately, Hutcherson is a phone booth fighter who can fit with inside zone and gap schemes but his success rate as both a run and pass blocker should be in question.

While he's played tackle in the past, Fries is almost certainly locked into the guard role as a pro. He's well-schooled and plays with good technique and quality hand usage, even though he needs to get into opponents a little more quickly. He's not a bulldozer, but does a good job of working to sustain and finish once he gets locked in. Fries is limited athletically, which primarily shows itself with his lack of reactive agility against twists and in his recoveries when beaten by the pass rush. He's just average, but might have enough skill level to find his way into a backup guard role as a Day 3 selection.

Borom's mobility will be judged relative to his position ask by NFL teams. While some teams might be tempted to try him at tackle first, he doesn't appear to have functional lateral movement for pass sets or as a run blocker. If a team can fix his hand placement and get him working inside opponents' frames, we could see a jump in his block sustain and push as a downhill, phone-booth blocker in a power scheme. He creates some movement as a down blocker and teams are usually willing to spend time developing bigger guards with experience at tackle on the collegiate level.

It's been said Herring is built like a Viking with his big, muscular frame and good lean mass. He has tackle/guard experience, but projects inside at the NFL level due to his short arms. He's diligent to keep pad level low due to his height, but it can turn into excessive leaning that gets him beat. He works well with his unit on double-teams and moves pretty well both laterally and on climb-up blocks. He needs to play with quicker hands as a run blocker and in pass protection, where rushers tend to get into the frame and prevent him from working to full arm extension. Issues with leaning and riding on pass rushers could be exploited on the next level. He has backup value and could fit into a variety of rush attacks as a guard with emergency tackle potential.

Big and broad with massive frame and outstanding length. Parker has lined up at both guard spots and generally plays to his size with natural power in his upper body and an ability to generate momentum in cratering down blocks to open run lanes. His lack of functional foot quickness limits both his scheme fit in the running game but also his ability to deal with moving rush fronts. He can handle bull rushers, but could struggle to keep blitzers and athletic interior rushers out of his gaps. Mississippi State's extended splits did him no favors, but he should see improvement with standard splits that put him in more of a phone booth. The size, power and length could give him a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Three-year starter at tackle who will likely make the move inside to guard as a pro. Awosika was one of the pivotal offensive linemen for a rushing unit that pounded opponents throughout the season. He has a guard's frame and decent leg drive that can be improved upon with a wider base and better hand placement through contact. He's not much of a knee-bender, which will limit his range as a move blocker and create some consistency issues against athletic pass rushers who might be able to work their way around him quicker than his quarterback will be comfortable with. Improving body control and learning to widen out will be the keys for him making it as a backup guard in a power-based run scheme.

Broadly built guard prospect with slightly top-heavy frame whose body type and playing style are classic Iowa football. He's compact and brings some pop into his initial contact. His play strength is average and he might need help in dealing with bigger NFL defenders. Despite his length, he allows too many blocks to get away from him during the sustain and finish phases, as he tends to leave his feet behind too frequently. He'll get beat from time to time by athletic rushers but is adequate in pass protection. He doesn't stand out in any one area but has potential as a backup interior lineman with center/guard flexibility.

Four-year starter from a school that has produced a steady stream of offensive line prospects over the last few years. With Kraemer starting, Notre Dame's offensive line took home the Joe Moore Award in 2017 and was a finalist in 2020. He possesses an NFL frame with strong hands to help sustain and finish. He's strong and works well with double-teams, but is just average staying centered on athletic opponents. Any time he starts to lose control of the rep in pass protection, his default is to lean and lunge -- but his feet stay behind, causing his balance to give way. He might have the size and ability to hang onto a backup role for a little while, but the waist-bending will be tough to correct and could become too easily exploited in the pros.

Off-and-on starter on the Mississippi State offensive line over the last four seasons. Players with Eiland's size, length and starting experience tend to get longer looks on the offensive line despite below-average movement skills and technique. He shows an ability to win with his traits on occasion, but he will need to play with substantially better body control and hand usage to keep NFL defenders from exploiting him early and often if he makes a team.

College tackle with debilitating length and a lack of athleticism in pass protection that will force a move to guard. Van Lanen is more angular and upright than wide and balanced in his play. When he's allowed to come off the ball as a drive blocker, he shows some potential to generate push. And he already has the hand placement to help make a transition to guard a little easier. He's made for power schemes where he can pull, locate and land to help spring the running game. The short arms and narrow power zone will make both block sustains in the run game and mirroring in pass protection a difficult task in the pros, but he has enough working for him to compete for a backup guard spot.

Farniok has three-position flexibility but will likely play guard or center as a pro. He has a long frame with decent proportions and can fit gap and zone schemes. There's room for continued growth as a run blocker but his pass protection is below average. He has a shot to earn a role as a backup interior offensive lineman.

Jones is a two-year starter at right tackle who will transition inside to guard due to a lack of athleticism at tackle. His wide frame can be a challenge to navigate and there is potential for improvement by making the proper adjustments with hand placement. However, his inability to bend and drop his pad level will make it even tougher to create leverage and sustain blocks as an interior player. Sub-package rushers might be too quick for him to handle in protection with his lack of body control.

Smaller, short-armed interior lineman who might require a camp shift to center due to his physical limitations. He's an above-average run blocker with very good feel for angles and landmarks when asked to block on the move. He has the potential to compete in power, gap and zone schemes based on his ability. His lack of size and length shows up more in pass protection than it does in the run game. He's likely to struggle in finding the range to protect his gaps in pass protection and his redirection for recovery blocks is just average. He's unlikely to be drafted but could be a competitive addition in camp.

Experienced starter with wide frame and solid play strength, but a lack of desired athletic talent. Hoge has a good understanding of technique and plays with proper hand placement most of the time. He's balanced and patient into block fits, but has trouble sustaining against more talented foes. He lacks lateral quickness to consistently handle reach blocks and is just average as a drive blocker. Hoge's pass protection will be his biggest hurdle as athletic defenders with good hands will be able to threaten his edges too often. He has a chance at a backup role, but it may come as an undrafted free agent.

Hargrove has the athletic ability to handle scramble situations with some success but he's going to need to improve his balance and core strength as NFL defenders will make quick work of his mistakes. He can work on the move and on double teams, but once he's tasked with matching power with power, he can be exposed. His pass protection is fairly solid with punch accuracy and active hands to gain feel for the rush right off the bat, but he needs to trust his feet to slide and cut-off the rush rather than reaching and lunging.

Developmental prospect projects as wide-body guard with some power but a lack of average play quickness. The former five-star recruit got his start at Auburn before transferring to Florida Atlantic and then to Florida A&M, with the drop down to FCS allowing him to play immediately in 2019. His drop in level of competition in 2019, combined with a lack of football in 2020, creates a dire need for more technique and fundamental work before he has any chance of blocking against pros. He has a shot at landing on a practice squad, thanks to his plus size and NFL play strength.

Classic Wisconsin guard with broad frame, solid fundamentals and good overall toughness. Dietzen understands angles and does a nice job of getting to his landmarks to help open holes. He plays with good strength at the point of attack, but his success rate drops when he's asked to play too far outside his phone booth. He's not athletic enough for wide zone or to consistently get to cut-off blocks on the second level. His footwork and overall balance are too erratic in pass protection to trust that he can match with NFL rushers. Previous injuries mean medical concerns could make his journey even more difficult.

College tackle with some guard experience who will need to prove himself with a full-time move inside. He does a nice job of getting out of his stance quickly and working the angles to help create opportunities for running backs. While he has the ability to reach and cut opponents, his lack of extensive pass protection experience shows with his below-average hand usage and body control through engagement. His size and athletic traits are below average and help to make him a longshot to stick on a roster.

Campbell began his career at LSU but simply couldn't break through the talent that was ahead of him at the school. LSU staffers speak favorably of Campbell and his football character. He's a big man, but doesn't carry an unreasonable amount of weight for his frame, although he could trim some off to improve his movement skills. However, his lack of bend will be very debilitating at the next level, so he will need to do everything in his power to improve his hands and overall technique in order to counter that concern. He will find his way into a camp, but faces an uphill climb to make a roster.

Athletic guard with durability and consistency both strongly in his favor. He is quick off the snap with the ability to find positioning for reach blocks in a zone scheme. His lack of length shows up against better competition, though, limiting his ability to stay connected in the run game and protect his edges in pass pro. He lacks the desired NFL measurables, but should still be a priority free agent for a wide zone offense.

Well-built and proportional, Cooper's physical dimensions stood out against his opposition from a visual standpoint, but he failed to consistently dominate and impose his will on a game-to-game basis like he should have. He plays with good bend and foot quickness, which is a plus, but he'll need to improve his hands and aggression level to up his game as a drive blocker. He has the reactive movement for pass-pro duties but lacks the length and protection instincts to defend against blitzing fronts.

After playing right tackle at Fresno State, Tuitele will need to make a move inside to guard for his shot as a pro. His pass sets and overall athleticism aren't a match for the tackle spot in the NFL and he needs to prove he can use his size along the interior as a drive blocker. He might improve his consistency as both a run and pass blocker with better hand accuracy and usage. Tuitele has favorable size, but he lacks the body control and skill of a pro lineman.