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Potential and value abound in the trenches
By Steve Muench
There are 13 defensive linemen among Scouts Inc.'s top 32 overall prospects, and when you throw in four offensive tackles with first-round grades it's pretty clear the men in the trenches will shine on Day 1 of the NFL draft.
That doesn't mean teams looking for help along the line of scrimmage are out of luck further down the line, though. Here's my take on three offensive and three defensive linemen who project as mid-round picks and could develop into valuable contributors in the right situation.
Offensive Line
Auburn OT Lee Ziemba (Grade: 71)
Ziemba isn't fluid enough to protect a quarterback's blindside in the NFL and he's not a great fit at guard, either. He struggled to sink his hips and get under defensive tackles when he lined up there at the Senior Bowl. However, he projects as a late-third or early-fourth round pick because is he has the tools to develop into an effective starter at right tackle. Ziemba plays with an edge and can drive defenders off the ball when he plays with good pad level.
The New England Patriots need to address its aging offensive line and Ziemba would bring good value in the middle rounds as a backup and potential replacement for RT Sebastian Vollmer, who has started on the left side as well and could move their permanently when 33-year-old Matt Lightmoves on.
Central Florida OT Jah Reid (58)
Reid isn't a mauler in the running game and at times gives more ground in pass protection than you'd expect from a 325-pounder. However, left tackles are hard to find, especially in the middle rounds and Reid is quick, agile and long enough to hold up in pass protection on the blind side if he can learn to sink his hips and play with better balance.
He projects somewhere in the early part of the fifth round, where the Minnesota Vikings could be a good fit. Vikings LOT Bryant McKinnie is a better fit on the right than the left and ROT Phil Loadholt is better suited to play guard, and while they are an adequate tackle tandem for now the entire line could perhaps be improved by adding a left tackle like Reid in the fifth.
Michigan G Steve Schilling (58)
Schilling struggled to show power defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl, reaffirming what we saw on film, so he's not a great fit for an offense that features a power runnin game. However, he has the potential to develop into a starter in a zone blocking scheme. Schilling's footwork is sound, he moves well laterally and he excels at covering defenders at the first and second levels.
The Green Bay Packers have the last pick in the fourth round and taking Schilling there is a possibility. Packers LG Daryn Colledge is scheduled to become a free agent and the Packers should be looking to upgrade the offensive line after finishing 24th in rushing yards per game in 2010. Schilling is capable of pushing for early playing time in Green Bay's zone heavy scheme.
Defensive line
Pittsburgh DE Greg Romeus (69)
The 2010 season couldn't have gone much worse for Romeus. First, he missed much of the preseason with back spasms and decided to undergo back surgery following the season opener against Utah. Romeus then tore his left ACL in his first game back from the surgery, and he's not expected to be ready to work out at the upcoming NFL combine.
Still, he showed enough on his 2009 film to warrant consideration late in the third or early in the fourth if his back and knee check out. He is big, quick and strong enough to push for a starting left end job in a base four-man front early in his career. The Cleveland Browns are expected to switch to a 4-3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron and they need bodies up front to make it a successful transition. If he's healthy, Romeus would give Cleveland some much needed depth and possibly a future starter.
Arizona State DT/DE Lawrence Guy (61)
Guy doesn't have the closing speed to develop into a top-tier pass rusher and at 6-foot-5 he has a hard time staying low enough to anchor against double teams. However, he has the frame, toughness and enough initial quickness to provide depth at defensive tackle in a base four-man front, and he may be a better fit at defensive end in a three-man front because his inability to stay low won't be as much of a concern working against taller tackles.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Arthur Jones in the fifth round last year but should be in the market for a defensive end once again. Cory Redding turns 31 this season, 2009 second-round Paul Kruger hasn't progressed as expected and Jones appeared in just two games last year. Adding Guy late in the fourth would add depth and future competition for the starting job alongside Haloti Ngata.
Mississippi DT Jerrell Powe (57)
Powe doesn't project as a productive interior pass rusher and he tends to wear down over the course of a game, so the team that drafts him will have to limit his role or improve his conditioning. Powe also needs to play with better pad level and improve his ability to get off blocks, but he has the quick first step, low center of gravity (6-foot-2) and bulk (320 pounds) teams covet at nose tackle. He rarely gives ground in one-on-one situations and can anchor against double teams when he stays low.
The Washington redskins have to improve a run defense that finished 26th in the league in yards per game, and even if Albert Haynesworth remains in Washington he can't be counted on at nose tackle after the way he played in 2010. Drafting Powe in the fifth round would bring some youth and competition to a group that will likely be bolstered with free-agent signings as well.
By Steve Muench
There are 13 defensive linemen among Scouts Inc.'s top 32 overall prospects, and when you throw in four offensive tackles with first-round grades it's pretty clear the men in the trenches will shine on Day 1 of the NFL draft.
That doesn't mean teams looking for help along the line of scrimmage are out of luck further down the line, though. Here's my take on three offensive and three defensive linemen who project as mid-round picks and could develop into valuable contributors in the right situation.
Offensive Line
Auburn OT Lee Ziemba (Grade: 71)
Ziemba isn't fluid enough to protect a quarterback's blindside in the NFL and he's not a great fit at guard, either. He struggled to sink his hips and get under defensive tackles when he lined up there at the Senior Bowl. However, he projects as a late-third or early-fourth round pick because is he has the tools to develop into an effective starter at right tackle. Ziemba plays with an edge and can drive defenders off the ball when he plays with good pad level.
The New England Patriots need to address its aging offensive line and Ziemba would bring good value in the middle rounds as a backup and potential replacement for RT Sebastian Vollmer, who has started on the left side as well and could move their permanently when 33-year-old Matt Lightmoves on.
Central Florida OT Jah Reid (58)
Reid isn't a mauler in the running game and at times gives more ground in pass protection than you'd expect from a 325-pounder. However, left tackles are hard to find, especially in the middle rounds and Reid is quick, agile and long enough to hold up in pass protection on the blind side if he can learn to sink his hips and play with better balance.
He projects somewhere in the early part of the fifth round, where the Minnesota Vikings could be a good fit. Vikings LOT Bryant McKinnie is a better fit on the right than the left and ROT Phil Loadholt is better suited to play guard, and while they are an adequate tackle tandem for now the entire line could perhaps be improved by adding a left tackle like Reid in the fifth.
Michigan G Steve Schilling (58)
Schilling struggled to show power defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl, reaffirming what we saw on film, so he's not a great fit for an offense that features a power runnin game. However, he has the potential to develop into a starter in a zone blocking scheme. Schilling's footwork is sound, he moves well laterally and he excels at covering defenders at the first and second levels.
The Green Bay Packers have the last pick in the fourth round and taking Schilling there is a possibility. Packers LG Daryn Colledge is scheduled to become a free agent and the Packers should be looking to upgrade the offensive line after finishing 24th in rushing yards per game in 2010. Schilling is capable of pushing for early playing time in Green Bay's zone heavy scheme.
Defensive line
Pittsburgh DE Greg Romeus (69)
The 2010 season couldn't have gone much worse for Romeus. First, he missed much of the preseason with back spasms and decided to undergo back surgery following the season opener against Utah. Romeus then tore his left ACL in his first game back from the surgery, and he's not expected to be ready to work out at the upcoming NFL combine.
Still, he showed enough on his 2009 film to warrant consideration late in the third or early in the fourth if his back and knee check out. He is big, quick and strong enough to push for a starting left end job in a base four-man front early in his career. The Cleveland Browns are expected to switch to a 4-3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron and they need bodies up front to make it a successful transition. If he's healthy, Romeus would give Cleveland some much needed depth and possibly a future starter.
Arizona State DT/DE Lawrence Guy (61)
Guy doesn't have the closing speed to develop into a top-tier pass rusher and at 6-foot-5 he has a hard time staying low enough to anchor against double teams. However, he has the frame, toughness and enough initial quickness to provide depth at defensive tackle in a base four-man front, and he may be a better fit at defensive end in a three-man front because his inability to stay low won't be as much of a concern working against taller tackles.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Arthur Jones in the fifth round last year but should be in the market for a defensive end once again. Cory Redding turns 31 this season, 2009 second-round Paul Kruger hasn't progressed as expected and Jones appeared in just two games last year. Adding Guy late in the fourth would add depth and future competition for the starting job alongside Haloti Ngata.
Mississippi DT Jerrell Powe (57)
Powe doesn't project as a productive interior pass rusher and he tends to wear down over the course of a game, so the team that drafts him will have to limit his role or improve his conditioning. Powe also needs to play with better pad level and improve his ability to get off blocks, but he has the quick first step, low center of gravity (6-foot-2) and bulk (320 pounds) teams covet at nose tackle. He rarely gives ground in one-on-one situations and can anchor against double teams when he stays low.
The Washington redskins have to improve a run defense that finished 26th in the league in yards per game, and even if Albert Haynesworth remains in Washington he can't be counted on at nose tackle after the way he played in 2010. Drafting Powe in the fifth round would bring some youth and competition to a group that will likely be bolstered with free-agent signings as well.