Welcome to draft season! This is the fifth of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL draft (April 27-29). Here are my top 10 offensive tackles:
— 1. Peter Skoronski (Jr., Northwestern, 6-foot-4, 313 pounds)
Skoronski took over for Rashawn Slater as a true freshman in 2020 and the offense didn't miss a beat. Some scouts may say his size and arm length better suits him to play guard, but they also said that about Slater, who was a second-team All-Pro tackle his rookie season. His measurables are almost identical to eight-time All-Pro guard Zack Martin. Regardless, guys like Skoronski, Slater and Martin can just play. It doesn't matter where you line them up. Projected: Top 15
— 2. Paris Johnson Jr. (Jr., Ohio State, 6-6, 313)
Johnson was the nation's top-ranked offensive tackle prospect in the 2020 recruiting class and has thrived at both left tackle and right guard for the Buckeyes. The consensus first team All-American is a gifted athlete who brings a cerebral approach to his game that is normally found with a top prospect at the center position. He is fluent in Mandarin and earned his journalism degree in three years. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. Projected: Top 15
— 3. Broderick Jones (So., Georgia, 6-5, 311)
Jones doesn't have the experience other prospects possess in this class — he's only started 19 games for the Bulldogs, all at left tackle — but his athleticism, intelligence and footwork pops when you watch him. It was all on clear display in Indy, where he ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.97 seconds) for an offensive lineman and glided across the field during on-field workouts, changing directions effortlessly. Projected: Top 15
— 4. Darnell Wright (Sr., Tennessee, 6-5, 333)
Wright's a four-year starter who has improved every season in Knoxville, where he played both tackle positions and right guard. Wright only allowed one pressure and no sacks when he faced off against Alabama's Will Anderson in a 52-49 Volunteers' victory last October and was consistently dominant throughout Senior Bowl practices. Projected: Round 1
— 5. Anton Harrison (Jr., Oklahoma, 6-4, 315)
Harrison features the prototypical movement skills of a starting left tackle in the NFL. He'll need to polish his technique (but he's already very good in pass protection) and buy-in to an NFL strength program in order to unlock the next level. Projected: Round 2
— 6. Dawand Jones (Sr., Ohio State, 6-8, 374)
Jones is a massive man with nimble feet (thanks to basketball) who dominated at right tackle for the Buckeyes his senior season — he allowed only five QB hurries, no hits and zero sacks in almost 800 snaps. Linebackers approached him with caution in the run game and were routinely eclipsed by Jones. He measured in with the longest wingspan (89 1/2 inches) in Senior Bowl history. Gaining some discipline (16 total penalties the last two seasons) and managing his weight will be priorities at the next level. Projected: Round 2
— 7. Matthew Bergeron (Sr., Syracuse, 6-5, 318)
The Quebec native features prototypical size and starting experience at both tackle spots. His first loves were hockey and soccer, before discovering basketball until hormones and a healthy appetite forced him to gravitate towards football. Bergeron was a four-year starter and team captain who became a proven dynamic run blocker at every level, but his feet betray him at times in pass protection. This might necessitate a move inside. Projected: Round 2
— 8. Tyler Steen (Sr., Alabama, 6-6, 321)
The three-star recruit originally committed to Vanderbilt to play defensive tackle, but he made 33 starts at right and left tackle, before transferring to Tuscaloosa in 2022 to protect Bryce Young's blindside. Steen struggles in space occasionally with average athleticism, but his powerful hands, size and durability (started 46 consecutive games) suggests a move inside could unlock his full potential. Projected: Rounds 3-5
— 9. Braeden Daniels (Sr., Utah, 6-3, 294)
This three-star recruit also threw javelin, discus and earned all-district honors in the shot put growing up in Texas. He finished with double-digit starts at both tackle positions and left guard for the Utes. It wouldn't surprise me if an NFL team gave him a shot at center. Daniels is undersized, but uber-athletic, intelligent and carries around two defibrillator paddles for hands. Projected: Rounds 2-4
— 10. Blake Freeland (Sr., BYU, 6-7, 302)
Freeland is a skyscraper who can afford to add some weight and muscle to his frame. His 37-inch vertical was the best ever for an offensive lineman at the combine and he features all-around athleticism while being a four-year starter at both tackle positions and team captain. Despite the experience, his technique remains rudimentary. Projected: Rounds 3-5
— BONUS: Jaelyn Duncan (Sr., Maryland, 6-5, 306)
Duncan is a former four-star recruit and four-year starter at left tackle with impressive movement skills. With this much experience at the position though, I expect a more polished technique. A good O-line coach will have a lot to work with here, and should be able to make the necessary fixes. Projected: Rounds 3-5
— BONUS: Wanya Morris (Sr., Oklahoma, 6-5, 307)
As a five-star recruit, Morris committed to Tennessee in 2019, but entered the transfer portal after coach Jeremy Pruitt was fired due to recruiting violations. He initially served as Anton Harrison's backup at left tackle before becoming a starter at right tackle in 2022. Morris features prototypical athleticism and size, but has struggled with consistency and technique. Projected: Rounds 3-5
— BONUS: John Ojuwku (Sr., Boise State, 6-5, 309)
There are athletic limitations, but Ojuwku is a five-year starter (team captain) with experience at both tackle positions, prototypical size and the power to hold his own at the point of attack. Projected: Rounds 6-7
— BONUS: Jake Witt (Sr., Northern Michigan, 6-7, 302)
Witt was a no-star recruit who was named Upper Peninsula Mr. Basketball as a senior and decided to play hoops at Michigan Tech, a school known for its engineering department. He transferred to Northern Michigan the following year with no intentions of playing a sport, until he was convinced to join the football team in the spring of 2020, but the season was canceled due to COVID-19. A rash of injuries forced coaches to move him from tight end to right tackle late in the 2021 season, and he entered 2022 as the Wildcats' starting left tackle, where he started all 11 games. Witt's pro day performance on the campus of Central Michigan proved revelatory. His 40-yard dash (4.89) would've been tops at the combine for offensive linemen. His vertical jump (37 inches) would've tied BYU's Blake Freeland for the top spot and his broad jump (10 feet, 3 inches) would have ranked the best among all offensive linemen at the combine over the last 10 years. He's blue rare (for all those steak aficionados out there), but he'll have an opportunity to further his journey, whether it be through the draft or as a priority free agent. Projected: Round 7-PFA
