I'll be the first to admit that offensive line is something that I pay attention to, but never really enjoy thinking about. I'm not into high-priced free agents, or top draft picks. I just want some 300-plus pound men to stand in a line and block somebody. I don't care if they make $10 mil a year or $400k. Just block your guy. But for the sake of a Top Ten listing, here goes:
Draft the baby eater!
ReplyDeleteThe trifecta doesn't target those gigantic lineman on either side of the ball. Come on Tin, you should know this. 6-4 300 is the typical starting point. Smiley (6-3 310), Long (6-7 315), Thomas (6-4 310), Murphy (6-4 315), Garner (6-7 325) Grove (6-4 300), Berger (6-5 310), Gardener (6-6 305). They inherited Carey who's overweight but he's better than anyone else they could find so they had to pay him to keep things moving. But I highly doubt we will draft any players that large.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. That's probably why they passed on Duke Robinson and Herman Johnson in the last draft when they were available in Round 5 (I'm not saying that Nalbone was a better pick, though...).
ReplyDeleteOh, but Knight, that's not entirely true. They drafted Murphy at 320, they picked up Nate Garner at 334, and they targeted and signed Ray Feinga at 337. In 2008 they kept and started Ike Ndukwe at a whopping 338 lbs and then there's Carey at 335 lbs.
ReplyDeleteThere's no reason to believe that they would draft someone who is 305 lbs over someone who is 320 lbs. Weight/bodyfat can be changed, but ability can't (well it's a lot harder to take a crappy 305 lb lineman and make him good than to take a good 330 lb lineman and make him lose 10-15 lbs).
Like I said they might go withl players they inherit or even pick up players off the street who are bigger, but not when it comes to the draft. Murphy was 315 when they drafted him not 320. They then changed his body and got him to 310-315 the 'right way'.
ReplyDeleteWe have to wait and see with Nalbone. Lex Hilliard panned out pretty well as a 6th round pick in his 2nd season.
ReplyDelete