2017 NFL Draft: Offensive tackles could fly off the board early

Despite a negative reputation leading up to the 2017 NFL Draft, this year’s class of offensive linemen could very well end up with four top 20 picks…

The 2017 NFL Draft is not necessarily known for having elite depth along the offensive line, but the NFL doesn’t appear to care much about being selective these days, especially when it comes to offensive tackles.

As the first wave of free agency unfolded, money was being delivered by the truckload to the front doors of these tackles, most of which are not in the upper echelon of tackles in the NFL. We watched as Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff, Russell Okung, Andrew Whitworth, and Kelvin Beachum were handed out some of the richest contracts on the free agent markets.

Teams prioritized these tackles, likely due to the lack of ‘elite’ talent in this year’s draft class, but were they right to do so?

While many of these teams made desperate four or five year investments in free agent left tackles that have been average (at best) save for Andrew Whitworth, other teams have been left patiently waiting for this year’s draft class to basically just fall into their laps.

The teams needing left tackles at this point in time include the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Seattle Seahawks. All have varying levels of desperation, but all could be interested in tackles in the first round of this year’s draft, regardless of what people think of the class.

And the class, as a whole, is not perceived as poorly among NFL teams as it is among fans and pundits.

Each prospect has area that either needs work or areas of distinct uncertainty. Starting with almost the consensus top blocker in the draft, Ryan Ramczyk of Wisconsin, who only played one year of high level college football and had hip surgery this offseason.

Cam Robinson was a three-year starter at Alabama, where he helped the Tide offense roll over most opponents, but off-field questions have lingered as have some questions about his ability to even hold up as a left tackle in the NFL with the amount of work his footwork will require.

Forrest Lamp may be the most dominant blocker in this year’s draft, at least from a college production standpoint, but many feel he will be best suited for guard or even center in the NFL. Does that drive his value down?

Finally, you have Utah’s Garett Bolles. Bolles may be the most athletic tackle in this year’s draft pound for pound, but some feel like his transition to the NFL game could take a couple of years, and he’s already going to be 25 as a rookie in the NFL with one year of major college experience.

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There will be a lot of tough conversations in draft rooms this year, but for teams needing a tackle, you can easily talk yourself into one of these guys in the first round, and heck — even in the top 20.

With the supply and demand for tackles entering desperation mode, teams are going to look at Ryan Ramczyk’s one season at Wisconsin and see a future stud left tackle in the NFL, probably sooner rather than later.

They will look at Cam Robinson and see a potentially dominant player with one of the highest ceilings in this year’s draft, regardless of position.

They will see Forrest Lamp as a technician, someone that can play any position on the offensive line and play at a Pro Bowl level.

And in Bolles, the can see an instant starter at right tackle who can move to the left side in a year, maybe two, and potentially start in a pinch his rookie year on the left side.

If the Panthers can talk themselves into Matt Kalil at $55.5 million, another team can be talked into one of these kids in the top 20 of the draft. The demand for left tackles hasn’t disappeared completely. There are still teams in need of tackles within the top 20, and they could definitely surprise people come draft night.

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