Since were always talking about the O Line here's an article about the top prospects and who are the top 10 OTs in the class? These OT position rankings grant a look at a position group that could break records in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Ranking the OTs in the 2024 NFL Draft The 2023 NFL Draft brought us a formidable group of tackle prospects, with Paris Johnson Jr., Anton Harrison, Darnell Wright, Broderick Jones, and Dawand Jones leading the way. The 2024 class might end up being better — and by a substantial margin. There are upwards of four prospects at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft OT class with blue-chip upside and several more worthy of Round 1 consideration. It’s tough to limit ourselves to 10 prospects without leaving someone out. But in such a restrictive exercise, who are the prospects who earn those coveted spots? 10) Patrick Paul, Houston Since Houston was at the Group of Five level, Patrick Paul has had eyes as a potential early-round prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft cycle. He was an All-Big 12 performer in 2023 and has the tools to draw interest from NFL evaluators within the top 100 picks. At 6’7″, 315 pounds, with 36″ levers for arms, Paul is simply difficult to get around, let alone beat in a hand fight. His anchors can be suffocating, and while he’s not the most spry or efficient mover, his knock-back power alone can eliminate rushers from reps. 9) Kiran Amegadjie, Yale Yale’s Kiran Amegadjie is not only the top FCS offensive tackle prospect, but he also may be one of the top FCS prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, period. The 6’5″, 320-pound Amegadjie lost much of the 2023 campaign due to a quad injury, but his tape was dominant when he was on the field. Amegadjie still has room to keep refining his hand usage and synergy, but he’s one of the most explosive, powerful, and tenacious blockers in a class that’s stacked with high-end talent. He has a physical profile that’s easily worth investing in. 8) Kingsley Suamataia, BYU The BYU Cougars produced a highly regarded OT in the 2023 NFL Draft with Blake Freeland. In the 2024 cycle, they could be represented again with Kingsley Suamataia. A former four-star recruit who transferred from Oregon, Suamataia truly has the potential to be a first-round RT selection in April. At 6’6″, 315 pounds, Suamataia has a wide and dense frame. He’s a stellar athlete with superlative explosiveness off the line. His footwork and hand usage both stand to improve, even after 2023, and he can get drawn off-balance at contact with his tendency to lurch. Nevertheless, Suamataia is exceedingly powerful, with the torque to ruthlessly seal out opponents in both phases. 7) Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma The sheer volume of the 2024 NFL Draft OT class is bound to leave some prospects under-appreciated. One of those under-appreciated prospects appears to be Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. Guyton started five games at right tackle for the Sooners in relief of Wanya Morris in 2022 and was the full-time starter in 2023. At 6’7″ and 320 pounds, Guyton passes the initial eye test. He’s long and powerful, and his athleticism and freedom of motion pops, both in recovery and in space. He’s an explosive, exhaustive lead blocker who hunts down defenders and exerts maximum force at contact. In pass protection, Guyton’s effortless leverage acquisition, knee bend, and swivel freedom serve as a safety blanket. 6) Jordan Morgan, Arizona Jordan Morgan had his eyes on the 2023 NFL Draft, and he could have been a fairly high pick. He’s 6’6″, 320 pounds, a high-energy athlete, and was a first-team All-Pac-12 performer. But a torn ACL suffered in mid-November delayed Morgan’s professional track. Morgan didn’t let that stop him, however. He returned in 2023 and didn’t look any different. The biggest question with Morgan was whether or not he could get back to 100 percent. Now that he’s proven that, little stands in the way of an early-round ascent. Morgan is a fleet-footed, synergetic pass blocker with a rare mix of size and mobility. He can process stunts, keep his hands tight, and cover expansive gaps quickly with his recovery athleticism. 5) Amarius Mims, Georgia There’s still a very large amount of projection that goes into Amarius Mims‘ evaluation. Even as he approaches the 2024 NFL Draft, he has very little relative experience as a starter. But the tools will keep him in Round 1 territory. Mims is a laboratory-built specimen who, despite being 6’7″, 330 pounds, looks more akin to an in-line tight end than an offensive tackle. Few players wear their weight better than he does, and it shows when he’s on the move. Mims has all of the raw physical qualities that made Broderick Jones a safe bet early in the 2023 cycle — explosiveness, range, power, and gnawing ferocity at contact. Mims’ ceiling might be even higher. 4) JC Latham, Alabama Alabama’s JC Latham argues to be the best right tackle prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6’6″, 335-pound powerhouse was already a near-dominant start in 2022, and in 2023, he was an absolute game-changer in both phases for the Crimson Tide. Latham explodes off the line as a run blocker and is surprisingly balanced and disciplined as a pass protector, showing patience, foot speed, and well-timed hands when matching rushers to the apex. 3) Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State He’s not always mentioned in the same breath as blue-chip prospects like Fashanu, Alt, and Latham, but Taliese Fuaga might be just as compelling of a 2024 NFL Draft prospect. He stepped his game up in 2023 and locked down the right side of the line for the Beavers. At 6’6″, 334 pounds, Fuaga is one of the most exciting space blockers in the class with his explosiveness, range, and physicality, but he’s also a balanced and synergetic pass protector with combative hands, spry recovery athleticism, and stifling strength. 2) Olu Fashanu, Penn State It was the end of the 2021 season, and Penn State’s starting left tackle Rasheed Walker was out for the team’s bowl game against Arkansas. In stepped a redshirt freshman by the name of Olu Fashanu. Fashanu played well in that game, and it would come to be a premonition of his impact and ascent in 2022 and 2023. Fashanu hit the ground running as the Nittany Lions’ full-time starter at LT in 2023, providing dominant performances week in and week out against some of the best college football had to offer. Derick Hall, J.T. Tuimoloau, and Zach Harrison all struggled to get consistent disruption against Fashanu. As a redshirt junior, Fashanu is already an incredibly composed and controlled pass protector with a strong inside hand. He uses independent punches, swivels his hips to recover, and recognizes stunts. And beneath all this age-defying refinement, Fashanu has high-end tools as well. He’s an energetic athlete out of his stance at 6’6″, 321 pounds, and has exceptional length, strength, and power capacity, with the flexibility to absorb power rushes within his frame. Fashanu is a blue-chip tackle prospect who’ll be extremely coveted in April. Who Is the Best OT in the 2024 NFL Draft? Deciding on an OT1 in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle is an entirely subjective exercise. Fashanu is a very worthy option. But in our latest 2024 NFL Draft OT rankings, it’s Notre Dame’s Joe Alt who comes away with the OT1 mantle. 1) Joe Alt, Notre Dame Most preseason top OT rankings had Notre Dame’s Joe Alt near the top of the composite big board. Then he went out and improved his hand usage and play strength in 2023, building on an already dominant physical profile. In a talented and tightly-contested first-round OT class, Alt stands above our updated OT rankings as the top positional prospect of the group. Interestingly, at 6’8″, 315 pounds, size isn’t even Alt’s top selling point. Rather, it’s what he can do at that size. Alt’s an explosive, light-footed athlete — far from a surprise given his past as a former TE. But beyond that, he’s absurdly flexible, both in recovery and when flexing to increase his blocking range and wall-off rushers. His malleability is a stifling failsafe for defenders. Honorable Mentions Delmar Glaze, Maryland Blake Fisher, Notre Dame Anthony Belton, NC State LaDarius Henderson, Michigan Matt Goncalves, Pittsburgh Roger Rosengarten, Washington
I think that this year is sorta tricky because a lot of the top OL guys are RTs. I do think that there is a discernible difference between a solid left tackle and a solid right tackle.
Chances are good that a good tackle is good at either position, but it's still some risk when swapping them around and does create a touch of uncertainty. I think people are sleeping on a Chargers trade down - if they want a RT, do they need to take Alt at 5 and swap him to the right side? Or would they be better served dropping a bit, getting a draft haul to replenish an aging roster and then just taking Fuaga or Latham? I think Fuatanu is also being discounted here. Many speculate he may be best at guard, but he was a college LT and his combine was off the hook. He or JPJ are easy picks if you are looking for linemen with some versatility who could really add some pop.
Either one of them are day 1 starters and we haven’t drafted a center in the first round since Mike Pouncy.
You have to think that the pick will be BPA, but that player could easily be an offensive lineman and I would not be opposed to us drafting one at all. We really, truly need to hit on a player that not only becomes a mainstay on the O-line for us...But also an All pro level player.
I have NEVER understood the mindset of drafting the best player available. It’s never made any sense to me.
BPA is rhetoric trotted out by GM's. When Reggie McKenzie was GM of the Raiders he talked about BPA but always drafted those who played a position which was obviously needed.
The entire notion of it is silly in my opinion. Say a team NEEDS an offensive lineman but they draft a defensive back instead…because he’s considered the “best player available”? Im sure your quarterback and running backs will appreciate that *sarcasm*
Personally, I would lean more towards need in the first 3 rounds and then lean more towards BPA for the rest.
We have bigger problems on the IOL. Connor Williams’ knee injury confirmed to be “pretty significant” Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, tells WSVN that the center is focused on his medical situation and will not be signing with the Dolphins or any team any time soon. By Marek Brave@MBrave13 Mar 18, 2024, 8:25am EDT Rumors have been running rampant on social media regarding former Miami Dolphins center Connor Williams and the ACL tear he suffered in December during the first quarter of Miami’s loss to the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. Speaking with Miami television station WSVN this weekend, Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed that the center’s knee injury was “pretty significant,” and that the 26 year-old will not be signing with the Dolphins or any other team “any time soon.” “Connor Williams had a pretty significant knee injury. So, he’s taking his time with his rehab. I don’t think his plan is to sign with the Dolphins or any team right now. I think he’s focused on his medical situation — getting healthy — and seeing where he stands. Not any time soon.” In the meantime, the Dolphins brought in Williams’ replacement at center during free agency when they signed former Titans offensive lineman Aaron Brewer to a 3-year deal worth $21 million. Both linemen — Brewer and Williams — have experience playing guard, so a Williams return to Miami can’t be ruled out if the veteran’s medical situation improves in the next few months. The timing could work in the Dolphins’ favor as well, seeing as Miami will gain a large chunk of cap space on June 2nd when $18 million gets added to their books as a result of Xavien Howard’s post-June 1st release designation. This situation will be one to monitor over the next few months, but for now, all we can do is wish Connor Williams the best in his recovery. https://www.thephinsider.com/2024/3...nee-injury-confirmed-to-be-pretty-significant
And if that offensive lineman you took turns out to be Tony Mandarich and the defensive back you didn't take that was the BPA turns out to be Deon Sanders, I guess you just missed right? I'm not at all trying to argue. You're saying the notion of taking the best player available is beyond silly and I'm giving you an example of where it's actually the opposite. I think it goes both ways to be fair. We took Dion Jordan over Lane Johnson some years back. I would say that Johnson was an obvious need for us and should have been the obvious pick, but we chose upside and potential with Jordan and whiffed big time on the selection.
The fact that Micah Parsons would go top 3 in any redraft of the 2021 draft explains why going BPA is a good policy. BPA is also how most late round picks are made. The most extreme example of how it works is the Niners' selection of Brock Purdy with the last pick even though they had Trey Lance waiting to compete for (and expected to take) the starting job. Some GMs swear to a policy of filling needs in free agency so that they can use the draft for depth. And BPA is the best way to build depth. Of course, you can't be stupid about it and draft the same position with the top picks like Matt Millen did for three years in Detroit. I guess BPA is more of a guideline than it is a rule.
Yeah man, I was only responding to the initial question as in "what to do with the draft pick." Obviously we need help on the O line, but if the best linebacker is available and we're still picking, I might be inclined to make that pick.
Exactly, this is the best strategy, BPA within reason. Problem is Grier has a hard time figuring out who the BPA actually is.
As you cry about the players Grier drafted that left because other teams were willing to pay them an exorbitant amount of money.
