Chris Ransom’s Top 10 Guards for 2012

Stanford Right Guard David DeCastro was one of the main reasons Andrew Luck returned to school.

1. David DeCastro Guard Stanford DeCastro is a pure right guard.  DeCastro has the elite physical tools with the physical blocking strength, durability, and size at guard.  David DeCastro has an elite football IQ and learns new NFL type plays at a very fast rate.

DeCastro has elite pass blocking ability and great run blocking ability as a blocker.  His intangibles are great, but they don’t wow NFL scouts.  Still DeCastro is a premium prospect because he puts in top notch production week in and week out.

David DeCastro won’t get drafted as high as Mike Pouncey, but I believe he will have a better career than Mike Pouncey.  Right now I expect DeCastro to have a pro bowl career and in my mock drafts I have DeCastro playing with Mike Pouncey’s brother on the Pittsburgh Steelers as a starting right guard.

Pittsburgh was going to take Iupati as a left guard if the 49ers passed on him at #17 in 2010 and they had a deal in place to get Mike Pouncey with Washington if Miami passed on him at #15.  That deal likely would have included giving up 2 first round picks for a right guard which would have been foolish.  That’s why I get the feeling the Steelers take DeCastro in 2012 if he falls to them.

David DeCastro reminds me a lot of Giants right guard Chris Snee when you compare him to current NFL Players.  Besides Jahri Evans, Harvey Dahl, and Chris Snee most of the NFL right guards lack a premium pro bowl player who stands out among the offensive line at right guard in terms of pass blocking.  Don’t get me wrong, there are other quality right guards.  Those 3 names manage to stand out and  separate themselves as players.

Projected Round 1st Round

2. Kelechi Osmele Guard Iowa State Osmele was a left tackle who moved to guard Osmele has better physical strength and size then DeCastro.  He has good durability not excellent durability because his stamina and fatigue levels are very low.

Osmele has footwork that is very sloppy.  That is why he will switch from left tackle to left guard in the NFL.

Osmele may fit Pittsburgh or Philadelphia’s blocking scheme, but Osmele will only play on the left side rather than moving to the right side.  Osmele has an average skill set from a mental standpoint with an average football IQ and average skill set of intangibles.

Osmele will be a quality starter at left guard, but the mental aspect of Osmele’s game along with his low stamina is why he’s ranked 2nd behind David DeCastro.

Projected Round 1st Round

3. Kevin Zeitler Guard Wisconsin I believe Zeitler will be the best guard in this draft down the road because he has skill set of a Harvey Dahl type player at right guard.  I’d even take him ahead of Osmele.  Zeitler is a right guard only and had a strong supporting cast at Wisconsin on the offensive line.   Ironically, Dahl had an awesome supporting cast on the Atlanta Falcons offensive line despite playing right guard. If he gets some time at left guard this year now that John Moffit is gone I’ll move Zeitler up to #1 on this list ahead of DeCastro and Osmele.  That’s how much I like Zeitler as an NFL prospect.

Projected Round 2nd Round

4. Nate Potter Guard Boise State Nate Potter played both left tackle and right tackle at Boise State making him a bookend tackle.  The problem is his movement off the snap is horrendous despite his athletic ability as a top notch zone blocker.  He doesn’t even have the size of a guard at 6 foot 6 296 pounds.  I also believe Potter has a mediocre football IQ and is overshadowed by Kellen Moore’s leadership at quarterback.  Moore is no pro quarterback due to his size, but has the intangibles that you cannot coach.

Potter is a two guard because he can play the left guard or right guard spot.  I know two guard is an NBA term, but that does not mean I cannot use it to describe an NFL guard prospect that you can plug into the left guard or right guard spot.

If Potter can bulk up and improve his reaction off the snap he may be a decent starter.  Otherwise he will be out of the league in 3 years.

Projected Round 2nd Round

5. Cordy Glenn Guard Georgia I’ve read a lot of mixed reactions on Cordy Glenn.  Some people think he could play left tackle as a secondary position and is the top guard in this draft while others label Glenn a 5th round flyer.  I think Glenn will be the steal of the 2012 NFL Draft if he doesn’t get selected in the first two rounds.  Right now I have Glenn graded out as a 3rd round prospect.

Glenn has the complete package as a guard when it comes to the physical tools.  He also has excellent mental attributes that make him stand out as a guard prospect.  Examples of his mental attributes include football IQ, learning rate, intangibles, pass blocking, run blocking, and zone blocking.

Projected Round 3rd Round

6. Stephen Good Guard Oklahoma Good has elite physical blocking strength, durability, and production.  The rest of his game needs work at this point.  Oklahoma left tackle Donald Stephenson is very underrated and makes left guard Stephen Good and quarterback Landry Jones look good.

Projected Round 4th Round

7. Ryan Miller Guard Colorado Miller looked good because he played on the same offensive line as Nate Soldier.  Miller has the size of a starting guard, but he needs to bulk up.

Projected Round 4th Round

8. Kevious Watkins Guard South Carolina Watkins is a mid round prospect who will excel as a run blocker.  Watkins has had great success opening up running lanes for Marcus Lattimore.  His pass blocking is lackluster at this point.  Watkins is a right guard rather than a left guard.

Projected Round 5th Round

9. Jaymes Brooks Guard Virginia Tech Brooks is a right guard that you would take a late round flyer on.

Projected Round 6th Round

10. Austin Pasztor Guard Virginia Austin Pasztor is an 7th round prospect, but I like him as a sleeper at left guard.  He has elite physical tools and great intangibles.  Pasztor can pass block or run block.  Pasztor brings great production to the table.

Pasztor learns blocking schemes at an average rate which is why he’s not listed as a 5th round prospect with 2nd round potential.

Projected Round 7th Round