Part 2, OL: Buyer beware...

Ohio State's Dawand Jones epitomizes an ultra-polarizing class of offensive linemen. He could be a "Hall of Famer" but, as is the case with everyone in 2023, scouts have serious questions.

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This is the 39th year that Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared at the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-’17), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19), The Athletic (2020-’21) and GoLongTD.com (2022-’23). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. The 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic test no longer is administered at the NFL combine. Players generally took the test at spring 2022 timing days, all-star games and at pro days in March and April. The NFL average score is about 19.

Today, Part 2: Offensive Line.

Faced with a short list of draft-eligible offensive linemen, NFL decision-makers gaze upon Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones with a mixture of hope and dread.

Through the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 31, Jones was the toast of the pro football world, a giant of a man coming off a brutishly brilliant opening practice at the Senior Bowl.

Two and a half months later, the air long removed from his early off-season momentum, Jones represents just another messy question mark in a position group overflowing with them.

“This is the worst offensive-line crowd in the history of the draft — maybe,” a long-in-the-tooth NFL personnel executive. “We have like 15 guys in our top 150. For an entire 32-team league. We need 320 linemen.

“It’s so bad,” he continued. “There’s going to be some reaches on offensive linemen in this draft. I think every lineman in the top 100 overall will go a half-round to a full round, if not two rounds, higher than they normally would in a given year.”

Six years ago, talent evaluators also foresaw a terrible draft for offensive linemen. That year, however, teams didn’t even bite. Just 10 were taken among the top 100 selections, a far cry from the five-year average of 19.4 in the top 100 from 2018-’22.

As might have been predicted, just one of the 33 offensive linemen drafted in 2017 has made a Pro Bowl. That was Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins, a 2021 selection who was the 63rd player chosen in 2017. Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk of New Orleans, the No. 32 pick that year, has made All-Pro but, oddly, never the Pro Bowl.

The deficiencies in this class exist at the top, in the middle and probably near the end.

“In years past there have been more clear-cut (elite linemen),” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “Charles Cross would still be the top guy in this draft by head and shoulders. There’s guys with traits. Paris Johnson has those kind of traits so it wouldn’t surprise me if people took him at pick 9 or 10 but the film isn’t as clean as some of those other guys that have gone that high. A lot of these guys don’t feel as clean as what you feel like a first-round O-lineman is.”

Cross, a third-year sophomore out of Mississippi State, was selected No. 9 by Seattle a year ago. He went off shortly after Ikem Ekwonu was picked by Carolina at No. 6 and Evan Neal went to the New York Giants at No. 7.

My recent polling of 16 personnel men asked each to rank their top offensive linemen regardless of position on a 1-2-3-4-5-6 basis. A first-place vote was worth 6 points, a second 5 and so on.

Paris Johnson and Peter Skoronski tied for first with 74 points, although Skoronski had eight first-place votes compared to five for Johnson. Following, in order, were Broderick Jones (61, three), Darnell Wright (29), Anton Harrison (28), Matt Bergeron (20), O’Cyrus Torrence (14), Dawand Jones (10), Cody Mauch (eight), Joe Tippmann (seven), Steve Avila (four), John Michael Schmitz (three), Sidy Sow (two) and Luke Wypler (two).

Is there an offensive lineman worthy of a top-10 selection based on draft standards over time?

“Not legit,” said one scout. “Broderick Jones and Paris Johnson are the two that are going to go because we’re in an era now where a kid that’s a 5-star recruit, he comes in and it’s Covid the first year, backs up and plays a little bit the second year and starts the third year, they have the measurables and they’re the best in class. This is the world we’re in right now.

“Johnson and Broderick both will go in the top 10, top 12. But their resumes are nowhere near a Joe Thomas or Jonathan Ogden, or Walter Jones or Orlando Pace. Trent Williams, for that matter.”

Clearly, the path to first-round money and notoriety was wide open for Dawand Jones after his destructive work in Day One at the Senior Bowl. “It was almost embarrassing the way he went out and was throwing people around,” said an AFC evaluator.

At one point, Jones practically body-slammed Army’s Andre Carter out of bounds during one drill. “I said, ‘Oh, my God,’” another scout recalled.

Then it was over. Jones decided not to practice the rest of the week or play in the game. A month later, at the combine, he agreed to run two 40’s and do drill work but turned down the bench press, the jumps and the shuttle runs. When pro day arrived in Columbus, Jones stood around refusing to work or even weigh in.

“After the first day of the Senior Bowl, when he was the talk of the town, he completely f---ed this whole thing up,” an evaluator said. “He had one good day of practice and then basically shut himself down. He’s killed himself in the process.”

Listed at 359 by Ohio State in the fall, Jones scaled 374 at the combine while measuring 6-8 1/4. He clocked 5.36 in the 40. His arms (36 3/8 inches) and hands (11 5/8 inches) each were among the longest recorded.

In the last 10 years, five tackles of Jones’ physical dimensions have been drafted. Two became fine players, one failed, one has been bedeviled by injury and another has barely played.

Trent Brown (6-8 ½, 353, 5.26, 36, 10 7/8), a seventh-round pick in 2015, and Orlando Brown (6-8, 340, 5.68, 35, 9 ¾), a third-round choice in 2018, are in the midst of outstanding careers. Zach Banner (6-8 ½, 353, 5.59, 34 7/8, 10 ¾), a fourth-round pick in 2017, was a bust. Mekhi Becton (6-7 ½, 357, 5.11, 35 5/8, 10 ¾), the No. 11 pick in 2020, has started just 14 games in three seasons due largely to injury. Yet to be heard from is Daniel Faalele (6-8, 390, 5.60, 35 1/8, 11), a fourth-round selection last year. He made one start and played 169 snaps as a rookie for the Ravens.

Since Jones pulled back, evaluators have expressed serious concern. In the survey, the scouts were asked to pick which of the top offensive linemen was most likely to bust.

Dawand Jones was a runaway choice with seven votes compared to two each for Broderick Jones and Wright and one each for Bergeron, Harrison, Johnson and Skoronski. One of the 16 scouts declined to vote.

“He’s a better athlete than Orlando Brown,” said one personnel man. “If he had clean character and wasn’t lazy and didn’t have a weight problem, you’re looking at a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

“You’re taking a risk, for sure. But this guy is the real deal when he wants to be. And even when he doesn’t want to be he’s still pretty good.”

Part 1, WR/TE: Hallelujah, it's the Year of the Tight End

Full scouting reports on this draft’s top tackles, guards and centers, full of the scouts’ perspectives…

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TACKLES

1. PARIS JOHNSON, Ohio State (6-6 ½, 311, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. Hardly played in 2020, started at RG in 2021 and at LT in 2022. He replaced Nicholas Petit-Frere, a third-round pick by the Titans. “He’s a physical freak,” one scout said. “He is a great kid, too. He’s more talented than (Peter) Skoronski. Maybe not the football player that Skoronski is now but Johnson has a higher ceiling.” Extremely long arms (36 1/8 inches), small hands (9 ½). “He’s got all of the physical traits,” said a second scout. “He’s got really good character. He doesn’t have unique stopping power (compared to past leading prospects). Needs to get stronger.” His score of 26 on the Wonderlic test was the highest of the top four tackles. “He is so up and down,” a third scout said. “It’s all there but there’s no consistency. Needs to play stronger and more physical. He pushes. Soft hands. If you can get through to him he certainly has the size and long arms.” A fourth scout insisted that Petit-Frere manned the position better in 2021 than Johnson did in ’22. “I don’t see it with this guy,” a fifth scout said. “Decent athlete, nothing special. Technique is off. He falls off a lot of stuff. Just real hit or miss. Just a work in progress. Unlike (Broderick) Jones, who has tons of natural athletic ability, I see this dude as just an average sort of talent. He’s not (real tough). He's not impressive.” From Cincinnati.

2. BRODERICK JONES, Georgia (6-5 ½, 313, 4.94, 1): Like Johnson, he was a 5-star recruit. “Damn good athlete,” one scout said. “He’s just still raw and green. Got a lot of technical (bleep) to clean up and he doesn’t finish plays, but he’s a really good foot athlete. He’s got some bad habits. … Sisters raised him with his mom in Atlanta. He’s a good kid.” Played two games as a true freshman in 2020, filled in for injured LT Jamaree Salyer (four starts) in 2021 and started all 15 games at LT for the national champs in 2022. “This guy is ultra-athletic,” said a second scout. “But he’s raw as can be, and very inconsistent. It’s all about, when you interview him, to see what’s inside him and if he will develop. He has developmental movement and feet but his hands are all over the place. He gets caught off-guard with anticipation and vision. Falls off a lot. Looks like he has 36-inch arms (actually 34 ¾) and keeps them down by his side. C’mon. He’s just so far away. It’s all the assumption that he’s this great athlete. Someone will be disappointed.” Wonderlic of 12. “You’re taking a little bit of risk on the kid,” said a third scout. “He’s got some immaturity to him. Like a lot of these Georgia guys, a lot of talent but maybe not the greatest football character. He’s athletic and he’s strong and he shows he can be mean. It’s just are you going to get it out of him? Is he going to be a pro?” From Lithonia, Ga.

3. DARNELL WRIGHT, Tennessee (6-5 ½, 333, 5.01, 1-2): Another 5-star recruit, this time from Huntington, W.Va. “He is a talented underachiever,” said one scout. “Not great football character. You could hit on him. If he has an epiphany and becomes a pro, he’s got a shitload of talent.” Started 42 of 47 games over four seasons, including 27 at RT, 13 at LT and two at RG. “There’s a lot of entitlement with this kid but did he shut out (Alabama’s) Will Anderson,” another scout said. “Absolutely. If you want to like him that’s the tape you point to and say, ‘This guy’s a starting left or right tackle. Case closed.’ But when you dig into it, he’s never been much of a worker. Barely does enough to get by. Not super cooperative. Hard work is not in his vocabulary. Just does enough … But he has absolutely helped himself. Had a good Senior Bowl. Had a good combine. He’s probably been clean enough in the interviews that somebody would say, ‘Hey, we’ll work with him.’ I think he could flame out pretty quick because he’s not a worker. It might not be as easy as he thinks it’s going to be in the league.” So-so arm length (33 ¾), tiny hands (9). “Pro Bowl-caliber player,” a third scout said. “Looked a lot more comfortable on the right side. Really strong hands. Aggressive, can move people in the run game. Hard to beat in pass pro because he’s good with his set. You can’t run through him because he’s strong.” Wonderlic of 18. “He’s got character but he’s talented,” a fourth scout said. “He’s just got poor football character. Lazy, but he blocked Alabama, he blocked Georgia like it was nothing.”

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4. ANTON HARRISON, Oklahoma (6-4 ½, 316, 4.99, 1-2): Third-year junior. “Not gifted athletically but he plays with balance and has enough movement,” said one scout. “Guys that really know how to play, they’re going to make it and they last and they play well. The hand use, the punch, he’s patient, the vision. He does all that little stuff that you say, ‘Wow. This guy really knows how to play.’ Not elite with his feet and movement and athletic ability, but good enough in all those areas.” Backup in 2020 before starting 24 games at LT in 2021-’22. “It might take him a year or two but the ceiling is very high for him,” a second scout said. “Maybe he hasn’t played up to his talent level but I would be optimistic he’ll get there. The character’s fine. The work ethic? Same. It’s certainly not ideal. I think he’s relied upon his athleticism and gotten away with that.” Arms were 34 1/8, hands were small (9 ¼). Wonderlic of 19. “He’s not a consistent finisher and his technique can be a little inconsistent,” said a third scout. “But he’s got good feet and quick hands. Plays a little bit high sometimes.” From Washington. “Do you see the foot agility? Sure, but that is it,” a fourth scout said. “I thought he was just underdeveloped … ordinary. Is he a get-in-the-way pass protector? Yes, against lousy rushers in the Big 12. I think when he’s playing real bonafide NFL football he’s going to struggle big time if he’s put on that field this year. He’s a little bit undersized for tackle. He’s not powerful enough to play on the right side. I would be leery of him.”

5. MATT BERGERON, Syracuse (6-5, 317, no 40, 1-2): From Victoriaville, Quebec (Canada). “Mentally, he could play all five spots,” one scout said. “He’s an acquired taste, though. Pretty good athlete. Probably better moving inside but he could play tackle in a pinch.” Started five games at RT in 2019 as a true freshman before moving to LT in 2020-’22. “He’s a starter Year 1,” said a second scout. “Really nice feet, really good athlete. He’s got the girth and is square enough to play guard but he’s also got enough length (33 ¾ arms) to play out there on the edge with his feet. He goes in the top 50 and he starts next year.” His Wonderlic score of 27 paced the top 10 tackles. “I think he’s an All-Pro guard in the making,” said a third scout. “He’s got unbelievable prick in him. He has more upside than (Peter) Skoronski.” A 3-star recruit. “He just doesn’t play strong at all,” a fourth scout said. “The lack of length kind of shows up. He doesn’t sustain any blocks. In pass pro you can tell he has decent feet but just not a nimble, quick-footed guy. Misses his punch way too much, which is when his short arms show up. If you move him to guard I don’t know if he’s got the grit in there. You can see he has some ability but a disappointing player. Fourth round for me.”

6. DAWAND JONES, Ohio State (6-8, 374, 5.36, 2): Biggest man in the draft. “He’s so enormous and I love watching him play,” one scout said.  “I was scouting the other guy, Paris Johnson, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Dawand. Some absolutely love him and some think he’s absolutely no good. It’s a strange thing. He does have some character issues.” Started just one of 15 games from 2019-’20 before starting 25 games at RT from 2021-’22. “He has just dominating strength,” a second scout said. “He’s a big guy that actually plays big. His bend for his size is amazing. He’s got great feet. He’s crazy long. His hand use is really good. He’s light on his feet. His punch is ridiculous. He’s really similar to the best Mekhi Becton played in college (at Louisville) but he’s more dominant. You can see the basketball player in him.” Fielded mid-level Division I basketball offers after a top-notch career on the court for Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. “I think he likes basketball more than he likes football,” said a third scout. “I don’t know if he really likes football.” Arms (36 3/8) and hands (11 5/8) were the longest at the combine. His Wonderlic score of 11 was the lowest of the top 12 tackles. “He just wins with his size,” said a fourth scout. “He does stay on his feet for the most part but reaching guys, adjusting, space, slide, all that, he just struggles to do that. How much of that will transfer? Zach Banner was so big and had those limitations, too, and he just kind of bounced around.” Made a terrible post-Day 1 impression at the Senior Bowl and then at pro day. His weight of 374 at the combine didn’t thrill scouts, either. “He was listed at 359 (in the fall),” a fifth scout said. “That (374) scares me. When a guy gains weight before the combine that shows you how much pride he has. Next thing you know he’s going to be 400.”

7. CARTER WARREN, Pittsburgh (6-5 ½, 314, no 40, 3): Sixth-year senior. After two backup seasons, he started at LT for four years. “He’s got some upside,” said one scout. “He’s made good strides in his college career. He’s worked on his body. He’s not a finished product but he’s gotten better. Great kid. He’s a pro. He wants to do well. He’ll be on a roster because tackles are too hard to come by. I don’t think he’s ready to be the swing tackle Year 1 but he's got that in his future.” Long arms (35 3/8), very small hands (9 1/8). “I was impressed,” said a second scout. “Not elite like some other guys but he’s a good player. He’s long. At the end of the day he just blocks his guy. He’s a little stiff. Not a great athlete. He’ll start.” Missed the final nine games of 2022 with meniscus damage. From Paterson, N.J.

8. BLAKE FREELAND, Brigham Young (6-8, 302, 4.95, 3): Compared by two scouts to Raiders LT Kolton Miller, a first-round pick in 2018. “He reminds me of Brian O’Neill of the Vikings,” one scout said. “It’s hard to find that combination of length and explosion. He’s not a great bender but he’s got really good feet and body control for a guy that size. Two or three years down the road you’re looking at a potential high-end starter.” Started 15 games at RT in 2019-’20 and 26 more at LT in 2021-’22. Ran fast at the combine while posting a tackle-best vertical jump of 37 inches. “The guy was a quarterback and tight end in high school,” said a second scout. “Recruited as a D-end. Was on campus for two weeks and they said, ‘Hey, we need you at tackle.’ So he’s been a work in progress. He is not strong. He’s got foot agility. He’s got the length. He can run a 40-yard dash. But he’s nowhere ready for prime time in 2023. Good luck, and people are saying he’s going in the third round. I thought somebody would take a flier on him in the fourth or fifth.” Great track athlete in high school at Herriman, Utah in the shot put (64-6 personal best), discus (165-2) and javelin (186-7).

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9. WANYA MORRIS, Oklahoma (6-5 ½, 312, 5.15, 3-4): Departed Tennessee amid recruiting violations surrounding coach Jeremy Pruitt after starting 19 of 22 games at LT in 2019-’20. “Absolutely he is (an underachiever),” one scout said. “We have concerns about his approach.” Went to Oklahoma where he served as a backup in 2021 before starting at RT in 2022. Suspended for two games in ’22 for academic reasons and had other off-field incidents that merited close attention from teams. “Bad body, doesn’t love football,” said a second scout. “But extra long arms (35 1/8) and good enough feet to pass pro. He’ll make a team but I wouldn’t even think of it before the fourth or fifth round.” Scored 16 on the Wonderlic. “Just coming in as the No. 1 recruit in the country and all that was not a good thing for him,” said a third scout. “It prevented him from trying to get better and working as hard as he could. He got paid a whole bunch of money to go to Tennessee and then transferred because he wasn’t starting and wasn’t working hard enough. I think the light bulb’s gone on for him a little bit. He hasn’t performed anywhere near to how he came in as the top recruit but he is a talented player. There is risk to him. I think he’ll go mid-two to early three. It might take him a year to get on the field but if he wants to do it he’ll be a good player.” From Grayson, Ga.

10. TYLER STEEN, Alabama (6-6, 321, no 40, 4-5): Backup defensive lineman at Vanderbilt in 2018. Was the Commodores’ starting RT in 2019 and their LT in 2020-’21. When Alabama sought him to replace Evan Neal at LT in 2022, he jumped and started all 13 games in Tuscaloosa. “He has a lot of ability but I wish he would play harder all the time,” said one scout. “Get a little fire in his ass.” Led all tackles in the bench press with 31 reps. Has big hands (10 ½) but short arms (32 ¾). “We got him at guard but he could play right tackle,” said a second scout. “He’s good enough feet and bend. Fourth round.” Scored 26 on the Wonderlic. “He has decent initial movement but he has no clue,” said a third scout. “No idea, no anticipation, no feel. His hands are wide. ‘Dude, just put your hands up and block.’ That’s why guys get into his chest all the time. His footwork, he's crossing all over the place. Falling all over the place. That poor little quarterback (Bryce Young), this guy’s in his lap all the time because he gets walked back. I’d put him at guard just to try to salvage him.” From Miami.

OTHERS: Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland; Ryan Hayes, Michigan; Warren McClendon, Georgia; Henry Bainivalu, Washington; Earl Bostick, Kansas; John Ojukwu, Boise State; Sala Aumavae-Laulu, Oregon; Richard Gouraige, Florida; Jake Witt, Northern Michigan; Luke Haggard, Indiana.

GUARDS

1. PETER SKORONSKI, Northwestern (6-4, 312, 5.14, 1): Third-year junior with 33 games played at LT and 33 games started at LT. “I think he’s the safest (pick at the position) because he has the perfect mix of character and talent,” said one scout. “There really are no holes. He has two-position versatility at a starting level and he’s a kick-ass person. He works his butt off. He’s a leader.” Led the guards in the vertical jump (34 ½) and broad jump (9-7), and bench-pressed 30 times to tie for second. “He probably belongs in the top 10,” said a second scout. “He’s more ideal for guard but he could play tackle. There’s no risk with the person. I don’t think he’s great, but he’s really good. He might not dominate things but he’s certainly going to support the runner and prevent the passer from getting hit.” His Wonderlic score of 29 tied for the best among guards. “I didn’t think he was a (tough guy) early but it got better,” said a third scout. “You probably want a little more (rugged play) but I think he’s got it in him. I wrote him at guard but I could see him playing tackle and he’s smart enough to play center if you wanted to cover up the length that way. He also could get bigger and play guard. He’s a really smooth player. Does everything good.” His arm length (32 ¼) was the shortest of the top 17 guards. “He’s a really good, solid player,” a fourth scout said. “You can see the lineage running through him.” His grandfather, Bob, was the Packers’ LT during their five-championship run in the 1960s. “I’m not sold on him,” a fifth scout said. “Lack of arm length would be the first reason (he’d fail). He’s a technician. He is what he is, and I don’t know if he can translate it to the NFL.” From Park Ridge, Ill.

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2. O’CYRUS TORRENCE, Florida (6-5 ½, 331, 5.34, 1-2): Started 36 games from 2019-’21 at Louisiana. In the last three drafts, the Ragin’ Cajuns had three offensive linemen drafted and get off to successful starts: guard Kevin Dotson (fourth round) in Pittsburgh, guard Robert Hunt (second round) in Miami and tackle Max Mitchell (fourth round) with the Jets. “Is he the best of the four? He probably is,” one scout said. “But he helped himself by going to Florida.” Played his final season in Gainesville, starting at RG. “Good player, not a great player,” that same scout said. “He was a gap-scheme guard all the way.” Largest hands among the guards (11 ¼), arms were 33 7/8. “When I watched his pro-day stuff, is he a better athlete than I ever expected,” said a second scout. “I’m not talking good. I’m talking really good.” Scored 18 on the Wonderlic. “He is a power-oriented guard but he doesn’t move bad for a big guy,” a third scout said. “Really strong, can anchor. Plays on his feet. Really heavy-handed. Needs to work on his hand use as far as placement and maximizing his length. But if he hits you he’s got a powerful punch. His (negative) is technique-oriented. He’s a good second-round player on talent, particularly if you run a power scheme.” From Greensburg, La.

3. CODY MAUCH, North Dakota State (6-5, 302, 5.06, 2): Walked on as a 220-pound defensive end in 2017 before gaining weight and moving to the offensive line in spring 2018. “He’d be a zone-scheme guard,” one scout said. “He’s no powerhouse guy but he’s pretty athletic. People are projecting him to guard because he played left tackle. If the (small-school) guys can just break even during the one-on-one’s at the Senior Bowl that’s a pretty good indicator they’re going to make it, and this guy did that. He’ll be a starter.” Hardly saw the field in 2018-’19 before making 37 starts at LT and two at RT in 2020-’22. Took snaps at every line position in the Senior Bowl game. “He’s the only true five-position player in the draft,” another scout said. “He helped himself immensely by playing center at the Senior Bowl. Made it look easy on FCS tape. Truly nasty. He tested off the charts. Incredible interview.” His Wonderlic of 29 shared the position lead. Turned 24 in January. “He’s highly competitive,” said a third scout. “He needs some work, but you’d want to work with him. He’s older, so I don’t know how much better he’s going to get. He’s not bad. He’ll end up being one (a starter).” Arms were 32 3/8. “His success will come down to whether or not he’s strong enough,” said a fourth scout. “He’ll be a starter. Great kid. The athleticism is what stands out.” From Hankinson, N.D.

4. STEVE AVILA, Texas Christian (6-3 ½, 332, 5.19, 2-3): Started 17 games at center, 15 at LG, two at RT and one at RG. “If he ends up going to the Pro Bowl one day as a guard that wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” one scout said. “Love the kid. He can play center but I think his best position is guard. But between him and Mauch, I wouldn’t even hesitate to take Mauch.” Posted a 20 on the Wonderlic. “I don’t think he’s smart enough to play center,” a second scout said. “He’s a third-round guy at guard. He’s a little overweight. He should lose about 15. He’s better in a zone scheme.” From Arlington, Texas. “He doesn’t look great on the hoof,” said a third scout. “TCU is not a lean mass team so whatever you show up at, that’s your playing weight. They like ‘em bigger a little bit. He probably needs to get his body right. He was dominant in Senior Bowl one-on-one’s. No one could move him.” Arm length was a pedestrian 33. “Typical guy that plays in the league,” said a fourth scout. “Not much difference between him and all those other guys. He does everything you want. Not nimble or anything like that. The way this is stacking up he’ll be picked in the second or third. There’s nobody.”

5. JOE TIPPMANN, Wisconsin (6-6, 313, no 40, 2-3): Worked in practice at guard in 2019-’20 before moving into the lineup at center in 2021-’22. Guard would be a projection partially because his height might be an impediment at center. “He’s a player,” one scout said. “Nothing really special, but this is the kind of guy you can win games with.” Has had surgery on each of his shoulders. “He walks into a room,” said a second scout. “He’s 6-6, he talks like a pro, walks like a pro. You watch the tape and he’s OK. He wasn’t as good as I thought he was going to be. He’s leggy and ends up on the ground. Remember Mike Flanagan? He’s probably a little bigger, better version of Mike Flanagan. He’s a taller pivot man.” Arms were just 32 ¾. Large hands (10 ¾). “He’s got a little more movement than typical Wisconsin guys,” said a third scout. “Real efficient. Has plenty of functional strength. He’ll get after you every so often. Second round.” From Fort Wayne, Ind.

6. CHANDLER ZAVALA, North Carolina State (6-3 ½, 316, 5.22, 3-4): Sixth-year senior. “His dad (Demetrio) is a Food Channel celebrity,” said one scout. “He can cook like a maniac so the kid has problems with his weight. Two years ago, before he got hurt, he was playing right next to the first-round pick that Carolina took (Ikem Ekwonu) and they were killing people. They were frigging moving the shit out of people. It was awesome. Prototypical guard body. Little bit of a waist-bender. He’s a baseline athlete. But he’s got to pass somebody’s physical first. The back issue is a serious one.” Missed the last seven games of 2021 with a back injury that required surgery. Returned to the lineup at LG in 2022. “Athletic enough to seal a wide-3 (technique), strong enough to anchor down on a hard-1 (technique) and his hands are good in pass sets,” a second scout said. “He’s got upside. Displays competitiveness, power, determination and a will to win.” Played three years at Division II Fairmont State (W.Va.), starting at LG in 2018-’19. Transferred to NC State when Fairmont State didn’t play in 2020 because of the pandemic. “He’s tough, a good kid,” said a third scout. “Realistically, he’s a guard only, which hurts him.” From Boynton Beach, Fla.

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7. BRAEDEN DANIELS, Utah (6-3 1/2, 300, 5.04, 3-4): Three-year starter. “He won’t ever be an elite guy but he can start for most teams,” said one scout. “I see him more as a guard. He can more than get you out of a game at right tackle.” Started at LT in 2022, RT in ’21 and LG in ’19. Reserve in ’20. “My concern with him at guard is the power — the core power and strength,” said a second scout. “At tackle, there are some things he could clear up but as far as the athlete he has tackle athleticism. He just needs to get stronger. He does not have ideal length (33 arms).” His Wonderlic score of 10 was the lowest among the leading 25 guards. From Carrollton, Texas.

8. ANTHONY BRADFORD, Louisiana State (6-4, 335, 5.05, 4): Fourth-year junior, 17-game starter. “Kind of an interesting guy,” said one scout. “He’s a big guy that runs well. Big body with strength. He had a nice strength match vs. (Georgia’s Jalen) Carter. He matched strength against him. Most of the time Carter just grabs the guard and would throw him aside. Adequate movement and quickness. Has body control and balance. With that size and speed he’s probably up to the fourth round.” Redshirted in 2019, backup in ’20, four-game starter at LT in ’21 and 11-game starter at RG in ’22. His 34 reps on the bench press topped the 20 leading guards. “He could (start) in the right scheme,” a second scout said. “He’s more of a gap-scheme player. Early-to-mid Day 3.” From Muskegon, Mich.

9. NICK SALDIVERI, Old Dominion (6-6, 321, 5.28, 4): Made 34 starts at RT. “His best position may end up being center,” said one scout. “He played center at the Senior Bowl and did a pretty good job. He can play four positions; I don’t think he can play left tackle. He has high intangibles. He’s a real dude. He’s a worker. He’s tough. He’ll probably end up starting. Whatever you think his ceiling is, he probably will exceed it. He’s a better football player than actual talent.” Tested well athletically and scored 24 on the Wonderlic. “He’s just too stiff to play on the edge,” a second scout said. “Chronic waist-bender. Can’t bend to leverage. I can see somebody taking him late because he’s smart, he’s instinctive. Problem is, once he latches on to a target he has a problem staying on it because he’s so fricking stiff. He has to (move inside) because he won’t be able to handle a speed rusher.” From Waxhaw, N.C.

10. ASIM RICHARDS, North Carolina (6-4, 307, 5.18, 4): Three-year starter at LT. “I projected him to guard,” said one scout. “He’s just a tough guy. Nasty, strong, tough and a good athlete. Fourth round, maybe.” His 34-inch arms were the longest among the top 15 guards. His 13 reps on the bench were the fewest. “He’s got to improve his upper-body power,” said one scout. “He came in as a basketball player. Had never been to a weight room until he got to North Carolina. They begged him to come back (for 2023) but he didn’t. Everything is in front of him, but he has to get it done in the weight room.” From Philadelphia. “Probably should have gone back to school,” said a third scout. “He definitely looks and moves like he can play guard. They tried to sell him to come back to school so he’d play center. I’d take him in the fourth all day. I think he can play all five positions. He’s going to end up starting.”

OTHERS: Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan; Emil Ekiyor, Alabama; Atonio Mafi, UCLA; Jordan McFadden, Clemson; Jon Gaines, UCLA; Nick Broeker, Mississippi; McClendon Curtis, Tennessee-Chattanooga; Spencer Anderson, Maryland; T.J. Bass, Oregon; Jaxson Kirkland, Washington; Joey Fisher, Shepherd; Mark Evans, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Andrew Vorhees, Southern California.

CENTERS

1. JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ, Minnesota (6-3 ½, 303, 5.31, 2): Sixth-year senior. “I have him ahead of Tippmann,” one scout said. “He’s my best center. Has a wrestling background. Very tough. Big and physical. He reminded me some of that kid that came out of Wisconsin, Travis Frederick. Has some athletic limitations but I think he can fit in both a gap and a zone scheme. He’s a good enough athlete. He’s played a lot of football. He’s a plug-and-play, Day 1 starter.” After redshirting in 2017, seldom getting on the field in ’18 and starting four games in ’19, he started all 31 games at center from 2020-’22. “Plays on his feet, works to finish, solid in the run game and pass pro,” a second scout said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he starts right away. He has guard flex potentially, which is a big thing.” Wonderlic of 22. “More fun to watch than he is talented,” a third scout said. “We have him later in the draft. Center only. He’s stiff and bends at the waist. Balance and body control are an issue. He’s on the ground too much. Now, he is a prick. He’ll try to kill you on every play. But plays out of control.” Arms were 32 5/8, hands were 9 ½. “Heart and hustle,” said a fourth scout. “Gets in the way but nothing overly athletic about him. Just a smart, tough, heady player. He’ll start.” From Flossmoor, Ill.

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2. JUICE SCRUGGS, Penn State (6-6, 303, 5.28, 3-4): Redshirted in 2018, missed ’19 after damaging lumbar vertebra in a car accident that spring and, after rehabbing without surgery, got in seven games as a backup in ’20. “Like him,” said one scout. “Pretty good athlete. Little bit sawed-off but he’s thick, strong and tough as nails. Great kid. His intelligence is good, not great. He’s not ideal center intelligent but he’ll work his ass off to get it. If you need a center you would draft him in the third.” In 2021, he made nine starts at RG and four at center. In ’22, he started 13 games at center. “I kind of like him in the third, fourth or fifth more than those guys (Tippmann, Schmitz) in the second,” said another scout. “But there’s no guarantee you’re going to make that happen. His value is pretty good. I liked his interview. He’s smart enough to play center and guard.” Wonderlic of 28. Has longest arms (33 ¼) of the five top centers. “Smart, just not a killer,” said a third scout. “He’s a cover-up center-guard. I never saw him as a guy who could move people around. He tested OK. That (5.28) isn’t horrible. I can see him being a backup for somebody.” From Ashtabula, Ohio.

3. ALEX FORSYTH, Oregon (6-4, 303, no 40, 4-5): Tragedy befell his family in December 2012 when his father, Steve, was one of two victims shot and killed by an assailant with an assault rifle at a mall in Oregon. “This (year) was the first time he’s ever really talked about it to the team,” one scout said. “I’m, like, ‘This guy’s a winner.’ You hear all the things they say about his work ethic, the intelligence, the professional approach. He’s either in the weight room, the film room or drinkin’ water. He can be in the same neighborhood as Tippmann and Schmitz two years from now when it all shakes out. I hear scouts say, ‘That body, blah-blah-blah.’ He’s got a long torso but he’s not leggy. He has a base and stays on his feet.” A sixth-year senior, he didn’t make the first of his 28 starts at center until 2020. “A lot of people like him,” said a second scout. “He was one of the better players on the West Coast.” Scored 23 on the Wonderlic. Worked out poorly. Arms were 32 ¾. “I like him, I really do,” a third scout said. “The concern is some injury stuff. Talent-wise, I like him. He has a chance to start.” From West Linn, Ore.

4. OLU OLUWATIMI, Michigan (6-2 ½, 312, 5.39, 4-5): He didn’t win the Heisman Trophy but just about everything else: the Outland Trophy, the Rimington Award and consensus All-America honors. “I don’t know how he got the award as best lineman,” one scout said. “That was wild to me. He’s an undersized center only. Average athlete, quickness, strength and instincts. Lacks power and finish. He does a lot of good things but you wouldn’t want him out there full-time.” Began his career in 2017 at Air Force and redshirted. Spent 2018-’21 at Virginia, starting 35 games at center his last three seasons. Moved to Michigan in ’22. “I’m not sure if there is a lot of love for him out there but he can play,” a second scout said. “It seems people either really like him or they hate him. I’d take him over Schmitz. He’s athletic enough. He’s strong, plays hard, plays smart.” His 29 on the Wonderlic paced the top six centers. “I’ve seen him at Virginia and Michigan,” said a third scout. “He’s got high pad level. He’s got no strength. Doesn’t know how to use his hands. He does have some quickness and can get to the second level. He plays so high and they just push him all over. I didn’t like the guy.” Arms were 32 5/8, hands a minuscule 8 5/8. “He’s going to go on Day 2,” a fourth scout said. “He crushed the interview process. He’s not like a wow-you athlete but more than athletic enough. Smart as shit. He's a great communicator. He kicked ass at the Senior Bowl. He’s going to start next year.”

5. LUKE WYPLER, Ohio State (6-2 ½, 302, 5.08, 5-6): Third-year junior. “Some of our guys really like him and some of them don’t,” said one scout. “He’s not real big, but what he can do is run … when you see him pull.” Backed up Josh Myers in 2020 and moved into the lineup in ’21 when Harry Miller was injured. “I was surprised he came out,” a second scout said. “I don’t think he was on their radar to come out but he’s done a good job and the athletic ability shows up. He’s got a high ceiling. Myers was more of a sure thing coming out. He played longer at Ohio State. Myers is more physically strong, has more power to his game.” Started all 26 games the past two seasons. “Big-time overachiever,” a third scout said. “Seventh round or free agent.” Wonderlic of 26. Arm length of 31 5/8 was the shortest of the top seven centers. “You know what?” a fourth scout said. “He is what he is. He’s not going to get any bigger. He plays like a little pumped-up soft guy. There’s a degree of tightness to his movement skill. He’s not a fluid athlete. But he’s (very) smart and he’s got great toughness and intangibles. He won’t be like (Corey) Linsley.” From Montvale. N.J. “Saw nothing there,” a fifth scout said. “Competitive guy, smart, but very limited athletically. No pop. Struggles to move. A get-in-the-way guy. This guy isn’t even as good as Myers.”

OTHERS: Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas; Jake Andrews, Troy; Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame; Corey Luciano, Washington; Alan Ali, Texas Christian; Matt Weiman, St. Thomas (Minn.); Jovaughn Gwyn, South Carolina.

THE SKINNY

UNSUNG HERO

Jake Witt, T, Northern Michigan: His superlative workout numbers almost guarantee a free-agent contract and could get him drafted. At 6-7 and 302, he ran 4.89 with a 37-inch vertical jump. His score of 30 on the Wonderlic test was higher than that of the top 20 tackles. The downtrodden Division II Wildcats haven’t had a player drafted since 1991. Witt, who began his collegiate journey playing basketball at Michigan Tech, hails from the tiny Upper Peninsula hamlet of Bruce Crossing and attended nearby Ewen-Trout Creek High School. “If you look at the tape, it’s tough,” said an AFC personnel man. “It looks like high school. But he has some size and growth potential. Maybe a team takes a flier on him late with a seventh-round compensatory pick so they don’t have to deal with the craziness of free agency.” The last U.P. native on an NFL roster was Eagles DE Joe Ostman of St. Ignace High School.

SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE

Jaelyn Duncan, T, Maryland: It seems every year tackles are at a premium, and this year is no exception. Duncan, with 39 starts at left tackle in the Big Ten and exceptional ability, should be in high demand. Instead, because of behavioral issues, weight fluctuation and immaturity, Duncan’s draft status is in limbo. “Talent? He’s got as much as damn near anyone,” an NFL scout said. “He’s exactly what you want in a pass-pro left tackle. But he has a lot of shit going on. He doesn’t get it. But there comes a point where you’re, like, ‘Hey, this guy has too much talent. You’ve got to take him.’”

SCOUT TO REMEMBER

Mark Hatley: The Packers were devastated on the eve of training camp in 2004 when Hatley, their personable and respected vice president of football operations, died of a heart attack at his Green Bay townhouse. He was 54. “For a man that young and vigorous … it’s a terrible, terrible shock,” team president Bob Harlan said. “I guess when God’s ready, he’s ready.” Known by just about everyone as “Hat,” he grew up as the son of an oil-field worker in Phillips, Texas. Bum Phillips brought Hatley into the NFL in New Orleans, and watched him advance to more prominent positions with the Chiefs, Bears and Packers. “He was a thorough football man,” said Phillips. “As a scout, I don’t believe there was anyone better. He was not only a good judge of talent, he was a good judge of people. He was the life of anything he was around.”

QUOTE TO NOTE

NFL executive in personnel: “If you can stay in front of somebody for half a second or a second, you’re a starter in the NFL.”