No “Franchise Left Tackle” In Draft?
March 18th, 2015
Demar Dotson is an almost average starting right tackle. At left tackle, he’s a project, almost a fantasy because he’ll turn 30 years old this year.
So that leaves the Bucs with developmental second-year man Kevin Pamphile at left tackle, and a whole lot of fingers crossed.
Joe assumes Tampa Bay will do the only intelligent thing and draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick on April 30.
But will they leave their prized rookie quarterback with subpar talent in front of him?
Former University of Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt, the FOXSports.com draft guru, doesn’t think there’s a franchise left tackle in the draft. He ranked his top-5 offensive tackles this week, which include mammoth, nasty Florida tackle D.J. Humphries.
1. Ereck Flowers (Junior) – Miami
2. La’el Collins – LSU
3. D.J. Humphries – Florida (4)
4. Cedric Ogbuehi – Texas A&M (5)
5. TJ Clemmings – Pitt (NR)
On Deck: Andrus Peat – Stanford (3)This offensive class as a whole is sub-par, but that is good news for these guys because they will likely get selected earlier than they should due to need. Denver needs O-Line help and will likely take one of these players in the first round. I have heard evaluations all over the map for this group, so without a clear-cut leader, any one of them could be the first off the board. I don’t see any of them being a franchise left tackle in the NFL, but all of them could play for a long time on the right side and do a serviceable job.
Of course, if the Bucs sign free agent defensive end Greg Hardy, then their 2015 draft gets a lot easier. There wouldn’t be pressure to find a right edge rusher to make Lovie Smith’s defense work. That’s a huge reason to pursue Hardy.
Joe would sleep better if the Bucs drafted Jameis Winston followed by two offensive linemen.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:20 pm
Collins guy from LSU is pretty damn good LT prospect. would love to get him.
Has good pass protection, olny run blocking (reach blocks) isn´t top.
Netherless, very good LT prospect.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
Thats why Im thinking we trade down our 2nd pick. Flowers and Peat both are dropping. Trade down, grab one of those two and then Ali Marpet in the 3rd.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Ali Marpet
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine-total-access/0ap3000000472350/On-the-Clock-Ali-Marpet
March 18th, 2015 at 1:28 pm
“Joe would sleep better if the Bucs drafted Jameis Winston followed by two offensive linemen.”
Joe’s sleep aids “many beers” will help him to sleep well if Winston is the pick..especially on the weekends and in the off-season”
The drafting of Olinemen in the 2nd & 3rd will help the Bucs QB sleep better….
March 18th, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Dot can play LT. He proved that a few years ago when he filled in for Penn during training camp. His issues last year I think stemmed from changing positions really late in the season. It’s hard to reprogram muscle memory you’ve been perfecting all season that late in the year. Give him the whole offseason to prepare as the starting LT and you’ll get quality play from him IMO.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
Good thing we only need an avg to above avg tackle. D.J. Humphries is very good – even though he wore the same uniform as Kenyata Walker. Regardless, do you really get a franchise tackle in the 2nd round? If you do I doubt people will predict they’re franchise material.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
It works out well for us that there is good value in tackles in the top of the 2nd. We could trade down as someone suggested and likely get a starting RT and starting RG with our 2nd and 3rd round picks still.
Also I don’t really buy this guys assessment. A lot of franchise LT’s developed into the position after a few years and weren’t blue chip 1st round picks
March 18th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
@Joe … “Joe would sleep better if the Bucs drafted Jameis Winston followed by two offensive linemen.”
Two offensive linemen in our top 3 picks. Amen.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
What about the D3 kid, has the size and speed, and played well in the senior bowl
March 18th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Dotson decent right tackle? Guy has been one of the better right tackles in the league past few years. He will make the switch just fine.
March 18th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Can see Jameis doing a repeat of his “Garo Yepremian dance” with the current O-linle…..
March 18th, 2015 at 2:15 pm
Joe I agree we need at least 1 o-line in the 2nd or 3rd round. Just curious I have heard multiple times that you don’t know what you have in an O-lineman till their 3rd year. Out side of some taken high first round. That said we drafted 2 last year and you are covinced they suck and want to draft several more who we also will not know what we have until 3 years out. Am I missng something here?
Whoa, Joe never said he’s convinced the fifth-rounders drafted last year suck. They’re just longshot developmental players like most fifth-rounders. Carl Nicks, a fifth-rounder in 2008, would be an exception. Edwards was hurt much of last year and couldn’t crack a bad lineup. Pamphile didn’t show much in his limited snaps at tackle. Joe’s pretty certain Pamphile is a lock for the 2015 roster.–Joe
March 18th, 2015 at 2:38 pm
I would probably offer my left testicle to Licht in a velvet box if he could somehow trade back into the end of the first if Flowers or Peat somehow slip.
March 18th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
Why is Andrus Peat dropping? I really like him and he has great bloodlines. And how about Scherf his name isn’t even on the list and Mayock had him as the top prospect. Ronnie Stanley is also a stud but Kelly somehow convinced Stanley to come back for his senior year.
March 19th, 2015 at 12:36 am
I’m with St Pete Buc fan: where is Scherff’s name? the dude was in most everyone’s top 10 mock drafts just a month ago with Peat coming off of the board right behind him. Sure; Peat may end up being a G but I still do not get Klatt’s rankings but hopefully he is right and Scherff or Peat could slip to the start of the 2nd round and land in Tampa’s lap at the #34 slot… It will be interesting to see if the Bucs address the OL or DE first in this draft which makes the decision not to pursue Hardy a head scratcher….
March 19th, 2015 at 3:30 am
Scherff will be the first o-line man taken. He plays guard that’s why he’s not on the tackle list.
March 19th, 2015 at 12:38 pm
Thanks for the reply Joe. I am torn between trading back up into the first round for a DE or picking up a decent OL at the top of the second. Hardy would have made the decesion much easier.