2021 NFL Draft rankings: Penei Sewell leads strong offensive tackle group

After looking at the top tight ends in the 2021 NFL Draft last week, let’s take a look at this impressive group of offensive tackles. This is a very strong group, with 12 offensive tackles receiving at least a third-round grade. The group is led by one of the top offensive tackles to come out in years in Penei Sewell, and also has some sleepers like Alaric Jackson and Spencer Brown.

1. Penei Sewell, Oregon
6-foot-6, 325 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: First round

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell was dominant during his two years of college football. In 2019, he became the first sophomore to win the Outland Trophy. He also received the highest grade any offensive tackle has received in the history of Pro Football Focus with a grade of 95.5. As a freshman in 2018, he was named to the USA Today Freshman All-America team. Even though Sewell decided to sit out the 2020 season, this is enough of a resume to earn him a high first-round draft grade.

In terms of what traits stand out with Sewell, the first one is his mobility and overall athletic ability. In the running game, he has the ability to reach the second level easily. This trait helps in the passing game as well as he has the quick feet to keep up with the best speed rushers he will see in the NFL. He also does a great job of being a lead blocker on screens, which Oregon ran a lot of. His athletic ability also was one of the reasons Sewell was rarely caught off balance.

About the only weakness with Sewell’s game, and it’s not even much of a weakness, is that he doesn’t always display elite strength in the run game. While he definitely has the strength to be a good run blocker, he sometimes plays with a higher pad level than we would like to see, which causes him to get less push than if he came out of his stance lower.

Sewell is the top offensive tackle prospect in this class and has All-Pro upside left tackle upside at the next level. He is a likely top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, with the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5 looking like a strong landing spot.

2. Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
6-foot-3, 305 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: First round

The best performance from an offensive lineman during the 2019 season might have been Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater against Ohio State’s Chase Young. That was not the only great game Slater had that year either, as he did not allow a single sack and only one pressure the entire season.

What makes Slater such a promising prospect is a combination of outstanding football IQ, quickness and versatility. As a prospect, Slater is one of the smartest players in the 2021 NFL Draft, evident by his fundamental play and excellent hand use. He shows nice quickness, as well as the mobility to block downfield and fire out of his stance in an instant. One more positive with Slater is his versatility as he has played both right and left tackle in college.

The concern teams might have with Slater is that he is on the shorter side coming in at only 6-foot-3. This could cause some teams to move him inside to guard which would hurt his draft value. One other concern is he has only average power, but he definitely has enough in this area to play at a high level in the NFL.

The team that drafts Slater in the 2021 NFL Draft will be getting a player who can start from day one. It is yet to be determined if he will play offensive tackle or guard in the NFL, but even if he has to play guard, he will be well worth a mid-first round draft pick.

3. Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech
6-foot-5, 314 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: First round

Despite being only a two-star recruit Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw has made an impact from day one at Virginia Tech. Darrisaw was one of only nine true freshmen offensive linemen to start week one in the FBS in 2018. He has since gone on to start 34 games for the Hokies and was named to the All-ACC team in both 2019 and 2020.

The main reason Darrisaw was able to make such an impact for Virginia Tech is his overall athletic ability. He does a great job of making all different types of blocks and is one of the better cut blockers in the draft. He also has the quick feet to play left tackle in the NFL, which is one of the reasons people are so high on him. One other positive with Darrisaw is he has good length and the long arms teams look for.

While there is no doubt Darrisaw has the athletic tools to play in the NFL, his mentality might scare off some scouts. He is not the most aggressive offensive tackle in the 2021 NFL Draft and seems to lack the finisher mentality you want to see from an offensive lineman. Part of the problem with his lack of mentality is that he was asked to play in a two-point stance most of the time instead of firing out of a three-point stance.

When it comes to the final evaluation of Darrisaw I grade him as a late first-round pick. I have him rated lower than most people who project Darrisaw as a top-15 pick due to my concerns with his overall aggressiveness. However, his impressive athletic ability and potential makes me think he could develop into a solid left tackle in the NFL.

4. Samuel Cosmi, Texas
6-foot-7, 309 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: First round

A player that has impressed since he has taken the field is Texas offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi. In 2018, he was named a USA Today Freshman All-American. He then made the All-Big 12 team in both 2019 and 2020. If that was not enough he also led Texas in knockdown blocks, first down blocks, and intimidation blocks in 2020.

When scouting Cosmi the first thing that stands out is his impressive length. He has ideal height at 6-foot-7 and has the long wingspan needed to keep defenders away. To go along with his size, he has the athletic ability to play left tackle in the NFL and has some of the quicker feet in the 2021 NFL Draft class. NFL teams will also like the versatility Cosmi has shown as he has played both right and left tackle during his career at Texas.

The one area teams will knock Cosmi on is his overall strength. He lacks the power to control his defender although the fact he plays to the whistle consistently helps in this area. He also has the frame where he could easily add 10 to 15 pounds of muscle. One other knock on him is that he plays with a high pad level, which allows defenders to get underneath him.

Cosmi received a late first-round grade and he has the potential to develop into a starting left tackle.

5. Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
6-foot-6, 305 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Second round

Notre Dame has produced some outstanding offensive linemen over the past couple of years including Ronnie Stanley, Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey. The next player who hopes to join this company is offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg. One of the more impressive stats with Eichenberg is that he has not allowed a single sack over the past two seasons.

While Eichenberg’s most impressive stat comes in pass protection, he is actually a better run blocker. He does a great job of firing off the ball and getting under his opponent’s pads. He shows nice power overall and should be able to win the line of scrimmage in most battles he sees. NFL coaches will also like how smart Eichenberg is as he shows great awareness in most situations, including picking up different stunts the defensive line throws at him.

While Eichenberg has played left tackle in the NFL his best position in the NFL will be right tackle. This is because he lacks the agility and overall quickness to play left tackle in the NFL. With that being said I see no reason why he can’t become an NFL starting right tackle.

6. James Hudson, Cincinnati
6-foot-4, 302 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Second round

James Hudson has seen limited playing time during his college career as he has only started for one year. Hudson came to Michigan as a four-star recruit but only played in two games over his two seasons in Ann Arbor, and didn’t start a single game. He then decided to transfer to Cincinnati in 2019 but was forced to sit out the year because of the transfer. He finally became a starter in 2020 and was named to the All-AAC first team.

Despite seeing such limited playing time Hudson has impressed scouts enough to earn a trip to the Senior Bowl, where he continued to impress. One of the skills that have shined through this year is his quick feet as he slides well in pass protection, and also does a very good job of blocking in space. He is also an aggressive blocker who loves to dominate his opponent.

The biggest concerns on Hudson come with his lack of playing time. This lack of time in the starting lineup has made him more of a developmental prospect as he needs to refine his technique. He will lunge from time and time, and also need to work on using his hands better in pass protection. Another concern with him is he lacks ideal length coming in at only 6-foot-4.

Even though Hudson may need some time to develop, his major upside at the offensive tackle position is worth making a second-round investment.

7. Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
6-foot-6, 304 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Second round

One of the best players in FCS football over the past few seasons has been North Dakota State offensive tackle, Dillion Radunz. Radunz has started 32 straight games at left tackle for the Bison and was named a consensus first-team All-American in 2019. His outstanding career earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl where he was named the Overall Player of the Week.

What is most impressive with Radunz is his strong run blocking. For a smaller offensive tackle, he shows impressive strength and has no trouble blowing his defender off the ball. He also has the athletic ability to get to the second level or be a lead blocker on sweeps. One concern with him in this area though is he does tend to lunge at times which causes him to get off balance.

As a pass blocker, he has some positives including having a good base, which makes it very hard for defenders to beat him with strength. He also uses his hands well in pass protection. However, faster defensive ends do give him trouble in pass protection at times which is why some teams are looking at him as an offensive guard.

I currently grade Radunz as a late second-round pick as I think he has the potential to be a starting right tackle or guard in the NFL.

8. Jackson Carman, Clemson
6-foot-5, 335 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Second round

The past two seasons Clemson’s Jackson Carman has been charged with protecting the blind side of Trevor Lawrence. He has done a solid job at this as he was named to the All-ACC second team in 2020, and the third team in 2019. Overall, in his career, Carman has started 27 games so experience should not be an issue for him.

What stands out with Carman is his combination of size, strength, and speed. Coming in at 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds he is one of the bigger tackles in the 2021 NFL Draft class. He also has impressive power to go with his size. He has an extremely hard initial punch and overall has the strength to hold up at the next level. In terms of mobility Carman moves very well for someone his size, and has the mobility to play right tackle in the NFL.

One area that concerns me with Carman is that he looks somewhat awkward in space. This lack of agility causes concerns as it gets him off balance at times and makes it hard for him to keep up with the faster edge pass rushers. These concerns could cause Carmen to move from his college position of left tackle to right tackle at the next level.

I currently grade Carman as a high second-round pick due to the fact he has the tools to be a starting right tackle in the NFL. I also think he could slide inside to guard if the team that picks him has a need at that position.

9. Jalen Mayfield, Michigan
6-foot-5 320 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Second round

A player who seems to be getting a lot of hype based on potential is Michigan’s, Jalen Mayfield. Despite only starting 15 games in his career and only being an honorable mention Big Ten choice, a lot of mock drafts are projecting him as a first-round draft pick.

On the positive side, Mayfield does show impressive strength. He is very rarely overpowered and should have very little trouble with power pass rushers in the NFL. He also has the mean streak you want to see in an offensive tackle.

The biggest concern with Mayfield is his athletic ability. He is not the most agile player in the draft, and will likely have trouble with speed rushers in the NFL. His lack of mobility also hurts him at times as a run blocker, as he has trouble blocking linebackers at times. One more concern with him is that he never was overly highly regarded in the Big Ten as he never made first or second-team all-conference.

While I am lower than most people on Mayfield I do think he can earn a starting role in the NFL. However, it may be with him switching to offensive guard where his lack of mobility and impressive strength are a better combination.

10. Walker Little, Stanford
6-foot-7 309 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round

Stanford’s Walker Little’s career got off to a good start as he was named an ESPN Freshman All-American in 2017. He backed that up with another strong season in 2018 when he started all 12 games for the Cardinals and protected the blindside of K.J. Costello, who finished with second-most passing yards in a season in school history that season. Unfortunately, things went downhill from there as Little suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2019 and sat out the 2020 season.

As a prospect Little has some tools that people project him as a top-10 pick early in his career. One of these traits is his quick feet. He does an excellent job of sliding in pass protection and shows the raw tools to play left tackle in the NFL. He also has impressive length coming in at 6-foot-7 and has the long arms to go with this height. One more positive with him is the strength he shows in pass protection as he is able to control the defender at the point of attack.

While Little shows impressive strength in pass protection that is not the case as a run blocker. However, this is more due to technique than functional strength. He tends to stop his feet on contact which causes him issues when it comes to staying on his blocks. He also spends more time on the ground than I would like,  which is partly due to his poor footwork. The biggest issue with him though as that he has only played one game in the last two years.

In terms of how Little projects to the NFL, he has the tools to eventually develop into a starting left tackle. In order to do that though he is going to have to improve as a run blocker. If his knee checks out ok medically, I would have no problem spending a third-round pick on this developmental left tackle.

11. Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
6-foot-6, 312 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round

One of the most dominant offensive linemen over the past few years in the SEC has been Alabama’s, Alex Leatherwood. Leatherwood’s career started with him seeing action in seven games as a true freshman at Alabama. He then played offensive guard in 2018, where he earned a spot on the All-SEC second team. That was followed up with him moving to left tackle for his final two seasons at Alabama where he was named All-SEC in 2019 and 2020.

The skill that has made Leatherwood so successful is his impressive strength. He shows the ability to drive his defender off the ball in the run game. He also will rarely get beat by a bull rush in pass protection and does a great job of standing his ground in this area. He also has a good frame coming in at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds.

While Leatherwood has been dominant at the college level, NFL teams may worry some about how his potential translates to the NFL. This is mainly due to his average athletic ability and questionable balance. He really struggles when working in space and will have a very hard time when facing quick pass rushers like Bud Dupree in the NFL. His lack of mobility might also hurt him when it comes to playing guard, as this may not be the type of athlete you want pulling.

I currently grade Leatherwood as a third-round prospect. I think his best chance of starting in the NFL might be right tackle, where his size and strength can best be utilized.

12. Brady Christensen, BYU
6-foot-6, 300 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round

BYU’s Brady Christensen is a player I am higher on than most people. One of the reasons for this is his on-field production. This past season he was the highest-graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus and also made several All-American teams. PFF also was high on Christensen in both 2018 naming him the 12th best offensive lineman in college football, and in 2017 when they gave him the second-best freshman offensive tackle grade.

His NFL coaches will also love the physical tools Christensen brings to the table. One of these tools is his imposing size coming in at 6-foot-6. He also has been a very good pass blocker in college showing the quick feet to matchup against the top pass rushers he has seen. He has also shown good strength as a pass blocker and overall has the strength to play either left or right tackle in the NFL.

One concern with him is he is not the most flexible offensive tackle in the draft. This hurts him when it comes to his pad level, and also just firing out of his stance. Another issue with him is that while he has the feet to play left tackle in the NFL, he does struggle at times when asked to block downfield.

Most of the projections I have seen when it comes to where Brady Christensen will go in the draft have him being a mid-day three pick. However, his outstanding production and ability to play left tackle earn him a third-round grade.

13. Alaric Jackson, Iowa
6-foot-6, 318 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fourth round

Iowa offensive tackle Alaric Jackson is another player I am higher on than most people. All Jackson has done during his career is start 42 straight games at left tackle for the Hawkeyes, and be named to the All-Big Ten team three times. He was so impressive, that Iowa even kept Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Tristan Wirfs at right tackle. Despite all of this a lot of draft pundits have Jackson rated as a sixth or seventh-round pick.

One thing Jackson has working in his favor is his athletic ability. He shows the feet to play left tackle in the NFL and has no problem blocking at the second level. He is an impressive pass blocker for the most part as well. However, in order to earn a starting role in the NFL, he is going to have to add some strength as he can be pushed around at times.

14. Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State
6-foot-6 310 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fourth round

A prospect people are a lot higher than I am is Oklahoma State Teven Jenkins. While some have him projected as a top-20 pick, I would not even consider him until the fourth round. This is due to the fact he is a below-average athlete, who has poor balance. This causes him to spend a ton of time on the ground and makes it very hard for him to block in space. He also doesn’t have the quick feet to play either right or left tackle.

On the positive side, he does show good overall strength, which is where he was able to win as a blocker. He shows impressive grip strength as defenders were rarely able to break free once he got his hands on them. I could see Jenkins possibly earning a starting spot as a guard in the NFL, which is worth a fourth-round pick not a first-round pick.

15. Spencer Brown, UNI
6-foot-8, 314 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fourth round

One of the bigger athletes in this year’s offensive tackle class is UNI’s, Spencer Brown. Coming in at 6-foot-8 and 314 pounds he definitely has the size to attract scouts attention. He also draws his share of attention in the weight room as he squats 600 pounds, bench presses 500 pounds and runs a 4.8 40-yard dash.

In terms of the skills he brings to the football field, Brown is a very good run blocker. His strength shows up in this area as he is able to drive his defender off the ball. He also is a good athlete who moves well for someone his size. In addition to these traits, he also draws positive reviews from his coaches when it comes to his work ethic and his love of football. On the downside, he does need to keep working on his footwork and someone his size will always have issues with pad level.

16. Myron Cunningham, Arkansas
6-foot-7, 325 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fifth round

Myron Cunningham started his college career at Western Illinois, where he saw very little playing time. He then decided to transfer to Iowa Central where he played well enough to be named an NJCAA All-American. After his time at Iowa Central, he transferred to Arkansas where he has been a two-year starter.

While Cunningham is still a raw prospect who will take a few years to develop into a player you can see playing time in the NFL he does have some raw tools that make you think he can be a good developmental prospect. One of these is his size and another being that he is a good athlete for someone his size.

17. Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan
6-foot-4, 311 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fifth round

Western Michigan’s Jaylon Moore has started 32 games for the Broncos. He has been solid in this capacity being named to the All-MAC second team in both 2019 and 2020. He also earned an invite to the Senior Bowl where he had a good showing for NFL scouts.

As a prospect, he shows good athletic ability for a late-round prospect and does a very nice job of getting off the ball. I also like the tenacity he shows as is one of the more aggressive linemen in the 2021 NFL Draft. A few things he can work on include overall technique, and playing strength. He is the type of player who in time could figure into an offensive line rotation.

18. Royce Newman, Ole Miss
6-foot-6, 310 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round

A player who quietly had a strong season this year is Ole Miss offensive tackle Royce Newman. In 2020, Newman switched from offensive guard to offensive tackle and earned a Senior Bowl invite with his strong performance. Two things that are impressive with Newsom are his athletic ability and quickness off the ball. He needs to improve his technique significantly as he looks downright sloppy at times. I could see him playing right tackle or guard in the NFL

19. Dan Moore Jr., Texas A&M
6-foot-5, 309 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round

Texas A&M offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. has been a three-year starter for the Aggies. Even though Moore has not been dominant at the college level he does show some traits that make you think he can make an NFL roster. This includes good size, long arms, and decent athletic ability. It would not be a surprise if the team that took Moore moves him inside to offensive guard.

20. Josh Ball, Marshall
6-foot-8, 350 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round

Despite only being a one-year starter Marshall offensive tackle Josh Ball has attracted scout’s attention. He has the size the NFL craves coming in at 6-foot-8 and 350 pounds. He also moves well for someone his size. Unfortunately, Ball does have some off-the-field concerns which will cause him to fall in the draft as he was kicked off the Florida State football team in 2018.

21. Tommy Doyle, Miami of Ohio
6-foot-8, 326 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Seventh round

A developmental offensive tackle a team might take a swing on late in the draft is Miami of Ohio’s Tommy Doyle. Doyle is worth taking a shot on as he is gigantic, has the strength to play in the NFL, and moves fairly well for someone his size. He will likely be a player a team tries to develop on their practice squad.

22. Brenden Jaimes, Nebraska
6-foot-5 300 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Seventh round

Nebraska offensive tackle Brenden Jaimes set a school record for consecutive starts as he started 40 straight games. During his Nebraska career, he has played both left and right tackle. However, due to a lack of athletic ability, he will likely have to move inside to offensive guard. On the positive side, he does show good overall strength, so he could eventually develop into a starting offensive guard in the NFL.

23. Landon Young, Kentucky
6-foot-7, 321 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Seventh round

The team that drafts Kentucky offensive tackle Landon Young will be getting a strong run blocker, who has enormous size. On the downside, they will also be getting a stiff athlete who struggles in pass protection. Look for a team to take Young late in the draft or sign him as an undrafted free agent.

Players with free agent grades

24. Adrian Ealy, Oklahoma
25. Carson Green, Texas A&M
26. Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
27. Foster Sarell, Stanford
28. Tanner Owen, Northwest Missouri State