BBH Draft Preview 2015 - Tackles

[UKGiantsFan]

The talent available
Having gotten caught up in the hoopla on length and athletic ability shown at the Combine I spent the Easter weekend watching as much of each of the top players back-to-back-to-back as I could. It changed my mind altogether on some and reaffirmed long held beliefs in others. To me, there isn

[DesG89]

Ah the signs of spring. Warmer weather, blooming flowers, growing leaves, grills being dusted off and fired up and of course Ceri's pre-draft positional reports. As always my friend a good read. I look forward to these every year. I didn't expect you to start with the dancing elephants (R.I.P. George Young) but I'm glad you did. I'm not part of the "OT in the 1st or bust" crowd, but for the sake of adding quality depth, and the looking towards the future since Beatty is now in his 30s, I can see one in the 2nd or 3rd.

I have just one question regarding Donovan Smith. I read his prospect profile on Big Blue View a couple days ago and the writer suggests he doesn't fit us as an OT but could be a plug and play OG. Do you agree with that assessment or do you see him as an OT only?

I patiently await future previews, particularly OG, LB (pure LBs not tweeners) and WR

[UKGiantsFan]

I have just one question regarding Donovan Smith. I read his prospect profile on Big Blue View a couple days ago and the writer suggests he doesn't fit us as an OT but could be a plug and play OG. Do you agree with that assessment or do you see him as an OT only?

I see him very much as an OT if he keeps his weight down. I think he only hinted at what he can become at the Senior Bowl where he played LT to a high level. Depending on the scheme he could play Guard but not one requiring pulling ability. We have always asked our LG to pull. He can't do that. We don't need a RG. Schwartz and Jerry play there.

[Bob In PA]

Ceri: First-class work. Thank you. Bob

[todge]

Great stuff as usual Ceri!  Am following you on Twitter, so keep up the good work.

By virtue of the fact that the Giants are sending large contingents of Brass to see tackles, it is becoming more and more evident that OL will be the pick at #9. I think it is down to Peat or La'El as the choice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sem]

Top notch write up as always Ceri. Thanks! Really looking forward to all the rest. 

[Hadron]

Solid work dude. Pretty much agree with Collins/Peat as they have been the guys I've been following at the tackle position. Haven't seen enough to really comment on some of the second 'tier' guys.

[Tomeee]

Great stuff, I typically don't pick a horse and don't put all my chips in as some do. These reports really put a great perspective on how the draft may unfold.

I find it amusing that some seem to think they know exactly what the Giants will do year after year. Statements like player xyz will not be the pick or if player abc is available you could be the bank on it.

So I'm guessing you see Scherff as a guard and he will be included in that write up.

[UKGiantsFan]

So I'm guessing you see Scherff as a guard and he will be included in that write up.

Yep, definitely a Guard (albeit a good one). I've thought that all along and saw nothing over the weekend to make me change my mind on that

[MightyGiants]

Wingspan is an new and interesting measure.  I am not sure how much it means though.   After all wingspan is the arm length times 2 plus the skeletal width of the shoulders.   I would think that basically bigger is better.  However unlike arm length I am not sure how significant it can be.  With arm length the longer you can extend your arms the bigger the blocking radius created and the further an edge rusher has to rush to get around you.   I would think you would get similar help with the shoulder width as you extend your radius to a degree.  I am just not sure it's to the same degree as arm length. 

Of course the other issue with wider is creating a wider base which gives the blocker better balance and control.   However just being wide in the shoulders is only part of the equation.  The real key is wide at the hips.  The wider hips would be the real key to the balance that linemen need.  In fact wide shoulders combined with narrow hips may actually create leverage that would hurt the blocker. 

Plus with run blocking it's about getting your hands inside the defender's arms and on to his chest plate.   I would think the wider shoulders would prove detrimental to winning those battles.

So for me I am just not sure what the wingspan really tells us.  Arms are a lot easier.  Besides the increased blocking radius those longer arms give a blocker the edge in the who gets to who's chest first in bull rushing and run blocking scenarios.   

[bamagiantfan]

Ceri this is beautiful. What's next?

[MightyGiants]

Ceri,

One thing that Ross Tucker and Greg Cossell mentioned with Collins was inconsistency.   I haven't had the chance to watch enough footage of him to discern this issue one way or the other.  What did you see in reference to that issue.   In my mind consistency is perhaps most important when it comes to offensive linemen.   After all they need to do two things, keep their man of the QB and get their man (or men) out of the way on running plays.  No real bonus for pancake blocks and the like.  On the other hand just a handful of bad plays can be a major detriment to the offense. 

[UKGiantsFan]

Ceri this is beautiful. What's next?

Either G's, DT's or edge rushers (including both DE & tweener OLB types). Not decided on which yet as all are more than part written. Probably won't be until Friday night/Saturday morning though

[UKGiantsFan]

So for me I am just not sure what the wingspan really tells us.  Arms are a lot easier.  Besides the increased blocking radius those longer arms give a blocker the edge in the who gets to who's chest first in bull rushing and run blocking scenarios.

In my simplistic and non-scientific view of things I simply consider that as wingspan equates to a wider body/shoulders it's advantageous as it makes OL's a longer cab fare to get around (or in the case of DL's taking up even more of the gap) in much the same way that longer arms and bigger hands combined with greater jumping ability provide WR's with a greater catching radius

[Philosophers]

I just can't help but think that John Mara's words about getting a big, strong RT are going to be the dominant theme guiding the Giants #9 pick unless someone falls that they did not expect like one of the WRs.  I am firmly convinced Ceri your conclusions fall in line with what the Giants are thinking as well.  I think it's Collins or Peat in their minds for the better option at tackle with Scherf a secondary consideration at this point.