DRAFT TRACKER 2024

Reviewing Barton’s tape is a pleasurable experience in offensive line evaluation, as his tenacity and know-how are on full display throughout. Though he played at a high level at left tackle, center will likely be his NFL home. Barton is an explosive drive blocker with the body control and leg drive to keep opponents centered and finish the job. His hands are sudden, accurate and strong in both phases, but a lack of length will create occasional challenges on the next level. His fluidity creates an advantage as a second-level climber, and he’s highly capable in the screen game. Barton’s technique, toughness and athleticism are exactly what teams will be looking for from an early starter with Pro Bowl potential.

Since 2021, Van Pran-Granger has played in the middle of feisty offensive lines. He has short arms, strong hands and good size by NFL standards. He has the hand quickness, placement and play strength to scrap against the nose, while his innate sense of positioning allows him to beat defenders to the spot moving laterally. He’ll have some ugly losses as both a run blocker and in pass protection when he starts to play too far forward or his footwork gets sloppy in space. It doesn’t always look controlled or clean, but he’s a fighter who usually finds ways to get his guy blocked. He should become an early NFL starter as a Day 2 selection.

Sawed-off frame with short arms and terrific power once he gets locked in. Frazier’s lack of ideal arm length will be a problem for some evaluators and could cause him problems on the next level. Frazier has bulldozer drive strength in his lower half but allows his hands to do too much grabbing and hugging at times. He has quick eyes and a firm punch in pass protection, but because of his lack of length and recovery ability, he’s going to have issues if he’s forced to protect on an island. Frazier has the potential to be a good backup or eventual starter, but he needs to play with consistent inside hands and must stay tight to his targets in order to mitigate his physical deficiencies.

Limmer brings center/guard flexibility and a wealth of starting experience in the challenging SEC. He has decent upper-body strength and good lower-body flexibility to provide leverage, but he could use additional mass on his frame. His clear eyes and accurate block entries give him early leads in the initial phase as a run blocker, and he maintains active feet to stay connected to his blocks over the first and second level. His tendency to lean and sit heavily on his feet has created problems mirroring rushers at both guard and center, and that is likely to continue for him as a pro. Limmer's run blocking should create an NFL opportunity at center, but the pass protection must improve.

The former multi-position starter at Yale proved he could hop into the SEC and make a solid contribution to the Gamecocks' offensive front. He has the size, length and play strength for center/guard roster flexibility. He's not a body mover, but he's also not a basic stalemate blocker. His body control, patience and core strength show up in pass pro and as a run blocker, and he's athletic enough to make blocks in space. The tape won't blow you away, but he's consistent, with an above-average feel for finding positioning to wall off interior defenders. Gargiulo's physical traits and position flexibility could earn him a backup role on a roster.

A three-year starter with good feet and technique, Samac could be in consideration for a move-blocking rushing attack. He is strong at the point of attack but will have limitations against NFL power. He operates with good hand placement and nimble feet and is a demon once he’s on the move as a pulling center leading the way. He’s fluid and agile in the run game, but those traits fail to do as much for him in protection. Samac punches with inside hands but can struggle to widen his protection base in order to protect his edges. He has eventual starting talent as a run blocker but needs to add more mass and improve in pass protection to get there.

Bortolini offer center/guard flexibility with good mass and below-average length. He's well-schooled from a technique standpoint and will fit his blocks with hand placement and footwork to put him in position to succeed. He has decent strength but won't root out single blocks and could have issues dealing with a two-gapping NFL nose tackle. He's fluid on the move as a pulling center and has played in every run-blocking scheme. He's fundamentally sound in pass protection but is inconsistent sliding and catching rushers in the A-gap. He's solid in most areas and could become a backup with two-position flexibility in the future.

Rare five-year starter and two-year team captain with explosive power and plus athleticism. Right off the bat, Monk will be dinged for his lack of ideal size as a center. He's going to have trouble with bulky two-gappers who can snap a punch into him and quickly separate. However, one-gapping defenders will have their hands full, as he's more than capable of washing them down or outright pancaking them. Monk can slide and redirect A-gap rushers, but an offensive line coach must get him to protect with inside hands. Monk's blend of football IQ, nimble feet and power give him a realistic chance to compete for a job, no matter how he gets into a camp.

Lee's lack of mass and NFL size will be a stumbling block from a perception standpoint, but the tape doesn't lie when it comes to his talent in pass protection. Lee is a technician with good play strength whose anchor supersedes the number on the scale. He keeps his head on a swivel and was rarely beaten in 2023. He's not much of a knee-bender, so drive blocking attempts will stall out, creating lane closures inside. Lee is an average athlete with above-average core strength and protection technique, and he might be able to overcome concerns about his size once he makes it into a camp.

Turner is an undersized center-only prospect who relies on his tenacity to overcome his limitations. The LSU offensive line was a physical unit and Turner fit right in. While he held his own for the most part, the step up in competition could strain his ability to keep up as both a run blocker and pass protector. He has good length and is a decent athlete but will need to improve his technique and show that he can play with enough contact balance to grind out reps on the NFL level.

Center-only prospect on the next level, lacking desired length and NFL play strength. McMahon plays with good intelligence and technique, which serves him well against average competition, but he is likely to struggle when it comes to getting and keeping NFL competition blocked in both the run game and in pass protection. He will need to get bigger and stronger and play for a zone-scheme unit to have a shot at sticking on a roster.

Dalcourt has a girthy lower half and play strength that is commonly found in Alabama interior linemen. He can displace down-block targets and is capable on double teams and when pulling in space. He can play center and guard, but he lacks the ideal length to keep two-gappers from punching and neutralizing his efforts at the point of attack. He’s a leaner in pass protection, but he will generally work to mirror the man in front of him. Dalcourt’s position flexibility is great and he’s solid when he’s healthy, but his history with durability issues could be a stumbling block for him despite his potential to earn a job as a backup in the NFL.

Nugent comes from NFL bloodlines (his father, Terry Nugent, played for the Colts and Browns) and an extended family with a college football background (his uncle, Brian, played at Washington State). The former high school shot-put champ is stout and powerful through his upper body but lacks the size, length and leverage many teams will be looking for. He's well-versed as a technician but might see his success decrease away from home base. Nugent does well at protecting his gaps in pass protection and battles back against bull rushers but doesn't have the foot quickness to survive on an island if isolated against an athletic rusher. Nugent has a shot at making an NFL roster, but the ceiling could be fairly low for him.

Center with good toughness and a willingness to do whatever he needs to in order to come out on top of the rep. Unfortunately, Raym lacks lateral quickness and plays with inconsistent body control, which could stunt his impact on games. Raym needs to play with much more consistent technique and hand usage in order to make up for his liabilities. Coaches love tough guys with size, which gives him a shot at making an NFL roster.

Hudson has all the intangibles a coach could want. He’s a leader who is driven, smart and a good communicator. While he has adequate strength, he needs to add more mass to help bolster his anchor against NFL power. He knows where to go but might not have the athleticism to get to those spots on time. He’s reliable and tough but could have a hard time earning a roster spot as a likely center-only prospect.

Athletic with a multi-positional background, Sundell will be at his best in a move-blocking scheme that allows him to pull or get out in space on stretch plays. He has the ability to get to cut-off blocks and the fluidity to adjust and tag targets in space. He will need at least a year to attempt to gain the strength necessary to face off against NFL power at a functional level. He has good hands and timing in pass protection but can get rolled into the pocket by power due to a subpar anchor. Sundell’s athleticism and versatility will help, but it could be difficult finding a team willing to wait for him to gain the strength necessary to earn a role.

Solid three-year starter as a center/guard but will need to stick at center as his primary position. Jurgens uses accurate hands and consistent footwork to fit blocks with good centering, but he doesn’t have the core strength needed to displace opponents or keep from being pulled and shoved off balance by a strong nose tackle. He’s fairly average as an athlete but he does see the field well in pass protection and steadies the gaps around him. Jurgens’ lack of functional power and contact balance could hurt his chances as a late-round pick or priority free agent.

Slightly undersized three-year starting center whose lack of leverage and play strength could make the NFL game a tough nut to crack. Eguakun has the quickness to get into space as a pulling center or second-level climber but needs to do a better job of dominating those targets once he strikes. He’s a fighter and a strainer at the point of attack but it’s unlikely to be enough when facing off against a willful NFL nose tackle. Bull rushers will cause trouble for him due to his lack of lower-body anchor, but his sets and punch are fairly well-schooled. Eguakun could be a later-round pick but might not have enough marks in his favor to make a roster.