Mayock breaks down tackle draft options
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Mayock breaks down tackle draft options
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
The fact that the Eagles brought Demetrius Bell in for a visit this weekend would seem to be a pretty clear indication that they have decided free agency — and not the draft — is the best way to go as far as addressing their current left tackle crisis.
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock wholeheartedly agrees with that thinking.
Mayock’s five top-rated offensive tackles at the moment are USC’s Matt Kalil, Iowa’s Riley Reiff, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin, Ohio State’s Mike Adams and Georgia’s Cordy Glenn.
The only one of that group that Mayock is convinced can be a Day 1 starter at either left or right tackle is Kalil, and Kalil will be long gone by the time the Eagles are on the clock.
“Kalil is far and away the best tackle prospect in this draft,” Mayock said. “He’s a gifted foot athlete. He’s got long arms (34 1/2 inches). He needs to develop his core strength, which is typical for a lot of these guys. But he’s a special athlete. He’ll be a plug-and-play left tackle for the Vikings \[who own the third pick\] if they don’t trade out.”
Mayock isn't sure any of the other four tackles in his top five will be able to start as rookies, at least on the left side. Even though Reiff has been mentioned as a potential top-12 pick by some, Mayock feels he, Martin, Adams and Glenn all would be reaches at 15, which is where the Eagles currently are scheduled to pick in the first round.
“Reiff, Martin and Adams, all three of those guys should be drafted in the 20s, not 15,”' Mayock said. “I would struggle drafting any of them at 15.”
Mayock has a second-round grade on the 6-5 3/4, 345-pound Glenn.
On Reif: “To me, he's a little bit overvalued right now. You keep seeing him in the top 10 in a lot of mocks. I don’t see that. I feel much more comfortable taking him somewhere in the 20s.
“I think he’s a good player who’s a right tackle to start with, and ultimately, 2-3 years down the road, could develop into a left tackle. But I don’t see him as a guy you could plug in at left tackle Day 1 and say, ‘We’re good.’”
On Martin: “I think he's more of a right tackle and I think he's a little bit soft. I’m not a big Jonathan Martin fan. I think he goes later in the first round. Twenty to 32. For the Eagles to draft him and plug him in on the left side Day 1 would scare me.”
On Adams: “There’s a lot of mixed opinion on him. He could play left tackle. Would I want to take him at 15? Probably not. But he’s a left tackle. He’s long (6-7 ¼, 323, 34-inch arms). He’s a pretty good pass protector. He’s a pretty good run guy.”
The knock on Adams has less to do with talent and more to do with work ethic. Then again, that also has been the knock on Jason Peters at times during his career, and he developed into the best left tackle in the league before his injury.
Said Mayock: “I don’t think [Adams’] issues are crazy. It’s not like he’s been in all sorts of bad trouble. If he was in a good locker room surrounded by veterans who pushed him and he had a coach like [the Eagles’] Howard Mudd, I think he'd be fine.”
On Glenn: “You're talking about a kid whose 6-5 3/4, and 345 pounds and his arms are like vines. He’s got 35 1/2-inch arms. When you start talking about girth and length, he’s huge. Now, some people are getting a little carried away with projections. I'm seeing him all over the place in first-round mock drafts. I don't see that.
“He ran way better than he should have [at the scouting combine] for his size. But I don’t see him as a left tackle. He’s not a foot athlete. I’m not even sure I see him as a right tackle. But that’s where I have him right now. I have him as a solid second-round right tackle. However, if he can’t survive at right tackle, I think he’s got the size, girth and demeanor to be a potential All-Pro guard.”
**
For more on Bell's visit, click here.
I agree too many possibilities or scenarios. The Point is we will have a great player that can help our team at pick 15. If Michael Floyd is there you have to consider that he has the skill set to become our number1 receiver. 6'3 220 ran a 4.4 - Hopefully no one trades up to get him but that seems possible since he's 6'3 and blackmon is 6'1. Our offense needs a physical threat. That can only help Desean and maclin make more plays down the field. Keeping our Top 10 defense fresh. But the more experts talk about Floyd the more it seems someone will trade up to get him. So COX or Barron would be 2nd choice for the number15 pick. Barron is the best Safety on the board. If we pick Defense 1 i hope we trade up for Fleener in round 2 the best TE on the board. He's 6'6 240 - This was Andrew Lucks TE in college. Taking Cox and Fleener would make me a happy eagles fan. Addressing two major needs through the Draft.— Yes_General- Yes_General I like your thinking the thing about this years draft, there is great depth at DT and at 15 when the Eagles pick Brockers, Cox, Coples could be there... at WR... Floyd could be there. A player like Fleener will definitely be there. Four picks in the first three rounds. We should have at least 1 starting caliber player and some quality players that add depth. Glad to see the Front Office being patient and not over-reacting to the loss of Jason Peters. We shall see.— trinieagle
- How about we trade for Ryan Clady from the Broncos— Ace-Philadelphia
- still neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee a QB!— osi is hurt boohoo
- The Eagles needed to add depth to the O-Line before Peters went down. Just like LB where we added a veteran via trade/free agency and will draft a second LB in the first 3 rounds of the draft, we need to acquire an experienced Left Tackle through free agency then draft a prospect in rounds 2-4. I am glad they locked down Dunlop as the insurance policy. I want them to bring in Reggie McKenzie from the Giants. He will add veteran Experience and vast knowledge of the Giant's Offensive System.— garcia7
- *UPDATE*
ESPN is reporting that Andy Reid has reached out to Ryan Leaf, after Leaf was bailed out.— DreamTeamWeaver - LONEWOLF go away please, become a giants fan or cowboys fan....because your no eagles fan......JUST GO AWAY !.....YOU NEVER HAVE ANYTHING POSSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS TEAM !— bigpaulie
- FUHGEDDABOUD gettin a tackle in the draft. We need IMMEDIATE help there. This a no-brainer: sign free agent Kareem McKenzie of the Giants. He's 6'6", 330 and has played 161 games in 10 years. Yes, he's a RT but that's Vick's blindside and Kareem has kept Eli Manning upright long enough to win a Super Bowl. We can move Herremanns back to LT and not have to relive the failed experiment of last year with King Dunlap.— 1republican
- “Reiff, Martin and Adams, all three of those guys should be drafted in the 20s, not 15”. That being said by Mayock, Rosebud and Arrogant Andy will trade up from 15 to get one of those guys. Too bad none are Canadian, 27 Yrs old and or coming off an ACL injury, he would be a lock! Birds are crazy if they select a QB or OL with the 15th pick. They need QUALITY Defensive Players starting with DT, LB and Safety/CB. Cox or Brockers at 15 and moving up to get Hightower or Stefon Gilmore in late 1st or early 2nd. Quality not Quantity!!! Stop stocking the Roster with Special Teamers!
— younged - The Eagles do not have to draft a Tackle until the Forth or Fifth Round. None of the Tackle available are worth reaching and wasting a pick, none of them will be able to deliver for two or three years, the absolute best Tackle in the Draft couldn't give you what Peters gives.
The Eagles offense for 2012 has changed with Peters injury. Mudd worked magic last year finding two linemen to step in and learn the position, there no reason to doubt Mudd's capabilities to work out something just as special this year.
All short of signing Miami's Jake Long, there's not a Tackle in Football who could come in and replace Peters.— Dexter
