Top 10 guards for NFL Draft
1. Branden Albert (6-6, 309), Virginia: In a year where the guard class is pretty weak, Albert stands out. Combines great work habits with excellent athleticism, long arms, good balance and a strong punch. He can definitely move a pile and can get to the second and even third level and punish defenders. Tends to play a little too upright and has been known to take plays off. Needs to spend more time in the weight room. Played two games at tackle and did well enough some teams could be projecting him as a tackle. Has only been playing football since his junior year of high school, so has tremendous upside. The only first-rounder in this group
2. Chilo Rachal (6-5, 315), USC: Strong and powerful, he'll put defenders on their backsides. Plays with a mean streak and is very competitive. Uses his hands well. He has a big frame and can engulf defenders. Better suited for a team that plays a power game. Doesn't play with good knee bend and tends to play out of control. His quick temper makes him a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty waiting to happen. Doesn't play well in space and is not very agile. A junior who would have benefited from another year. Still, he should get a chance to start somewhere fairly early in his career.
3. Roy Schuening (6-4, 306), Oregon State: A four-year starter in the Pac-10, he has experience playing against top-notch competition. Smart. A leader. He can lock on defenders and push them around and will work to finish his blocks. That said, he's not a great athlete and doesn't have very good recovery speed. Struggles to block in space. Better in a short space. Needs to work on keeping defenders from getting underneath his pads. Nothing flashy about him, but he could develop into a solid player.
4. Mike McGlynn (6-4, 311), Pittsburgh: Has played everywhere on the line, but projects as a guard, perhaps even center. A scrappy player who will look for defenders to hit. Has a nice punch that will shock defenders. A tough player with good awareness and a nasty disposition. Struggles in space and plays too upright. Can struggle against opponents with speed and quickness. Played well enough at the East-West Shrine game teams are giving him a look. His versatility is a big plus.
5. Jeremy Zuttah (6-4, 303), Rutgers: Another player who has played predominantly at tackle, but also has some experience at guard and could project either there, or at center. Had a good week at the East-West Shrine game and performed extremely well at the NFL combine, where he ran a 5.2 in the 40 and had 23 reps in the bench press. A tough-minded player who plays with passion. Not big enough to play tackle and can struggle with speed. Doesn't play up to his workout numbers. Still, he's moving up draft boards and will get a shot somewhere.
6. Drew Radovich (6-5, 301), USC: Played left guard as a junior and right tackle as a senior. Obviously, he's projected as a guard here. Has long arms, good agility and plays with a terrific motor. He can get to the second level and has shown a good skill set in pass blocking. Whoever drafts him should lock him in the weight room until July. Needs to get much stronger. Doesn't get as much push in the running game as he should. One reason is he needs to get better leverage when blocking.
7. Chad Rinehart (6-5, 320), Northern Iowa: Played left tackle in college, but doesn't have the speed required to stay out there at this level. If he makes it in the NFL, it will be on the interior of the line. Strong and powerful, he can maul defenders when he gets his mitts on them. Has the ability to pull and trap. Struggles with edge speed rushers and doesn't redirect very well. Also needs to play with better technique and leverage. Some will question the level of competition he faced in college. A little raw, but has the chance to develop into a solid player.
8. Eric Young (6-4, 310), Tennessee: The trend continues. A tackle in college who projects inside in the pros. Has good size and bulk. Moves well for a big guy and has some quickness and agility. Does a good job of getting to his blocks quickly and can also recover in pass protection. Missed his final six games after tearing his left quad and did not work out at the combine. Not a consistent player. Doesn't drive his man off the ball, or finish his blocks. Technique needs work. Perhaps moving inside will help the light bulb go on.
9. Donald Thomas (6-4, 303), Connecticut: A former walk-on who made his mark on special teams before becoming a starter. Only had 14 starts. An excellent athlete with good speed and quickness. He can pull and get to the second level and can shock defenders with his initial punch. Although he has a strong upper body, his lower body is too thin to be able to drive off NFL-sized defensive tackles. Plenty of upside. But don't expect him to come in and contribute on offense right away.
10. Robert Felton (6-4, 315), Arkansas: A three-year starter in the SEC who played all along the line. He can pull and trap and is strong at the point of attack. Nice size and a big enough frame he can add a few pounds if he wants to -- but only if it's muscle. Uses his hands well and can sustain his blocks. Needs to spend more time in the weight room. Tends to lunge and play out of control. Not very mobile and stamina could be an issue. Not a great fit for every scheme.
Best of the rest: Kerry Brown (6-6, 305) Appalachian State; Chris McDuffie (6-4, 330) Clemson; Mackenzy Bernadeau (6-4, 298) Bentley; Andrew Crummy (6-5, 299) Maryland; Shawn Murphy (6-4, 320) Utah State.
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