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- Jackson Slater – Sacramento State
Slater is a left guard with an explosive first step, nasty climbing ability to the second level and natural puller skills. His pass protection technique is sound and he absorbs contact well. Slater’s processing speed makes him versatile and the extra juice he plays with adds to his game. His arm length is average, hand placement gets high and he lacks the ideal NFL frame. He did suffer a significant knee injury which will not help with his ability to recover if he initially takes a miss step versus a defender.
Player Comparisons: Cody Whitehair / Jordan Meredith
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Patriots, Colts, 49ers (Wild Card – Giants)
- Jonah Monheim – USC
Monheim is an interior offensive lineman with versatility between center and guard. He is a plus athlete, technician in pass protection and can anchor well. Not only is his versatility an asset, but so is his field awareness, smooth kick slide and natural knee bender qualities. He is a dependable prospect but his lack of ideal bulk, lags in run blocking and vulnerability to inside counters are areas of improvement. His power is not elite but he should be able to hold up just fine.
Player Comparisons: Tanor Bortollini / Beaux Limmer
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Seahawks, Eagles, Lions (Wild Card – Jaguars)
- Luke Kandra – Cincinnati
Kandra is a true right guard with drive as a blocker, toughness and a brick wall quality in pass protection. His lateral agility is decent and he can cleanup plays quite well. His football IQ pairs well with his explosive first step and intensity. He can struggle to redirect big defensive tackles and his hands sometimes drift outside of the frame. When he loses patience, he does tend to lunge and he will play too high at times. His lack of versatility hinders his value, but for a team that needs a right guard, he is a good option.
Player Comparisons: Wyatt Davis / Wyatt Teller
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Bengals, Colts, Bears (Wild Card – 49ers)
- Jared Wilson – Georgia
Wilson is a center with agility, the ability to get to the second level quickly and some quick leverage gained right from the snap. He is a twist and stunt stopper with his head always on a swivel. Wilson is smooth in transition, shows nice body control and can detach cleanly. His arm length is not ideal and his grip strength is also inconsistent. Wilson is sometimes vulnerable versus explosive power rushers and lacks true power. Occasionally, he will get a bit flat-footed but he is a solid center prospect.
Player Comparisons: Zach Frazier / Olu Oluwatimi
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Buccaneers, Packers, Chargers (Wild Card – Falcons)
- Seth McLaughlin – Ohio State
McLaughlin had a bounce back year with the Buckeyes one year after having some struggles at the end of Alabama’s season. Unfortunately for McLaughlin, his season was cut short due to an Achilles tear right before Ohio State’s run to a National Championship. The center has an extremely high IQ with quick processing ability and impressive lateral quickness. His recovery skills are elite and he is also a finisher in both pass protection and run blocking. McLaughlin can play in either a gap or power scheme. His high effort and agility should translate well to the NFL. Sometimes McLaughlin will get caught lunging and his hands or pad level will get a bit high. Hopefully he can absorb bull rushes a bit better even after he returns from injury.
Player Comparisons: Juice Scruggs / Ted Karras
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Falcons, Bears, Panthers (Wild Card – Buccaneers)
- Jake Majors – Texas
Majors is a true center who happens to be elite in pass protection, naturally bends at the knees and plays poised with the mental approach of a veteran. His technique is great and his pre-snap recognition pairs well with his lateral agility. Majors lacks raw power and has limited torque, likely due to his length limitations. At times, he is an inconsistent finisher and can be vulnerable in space. Majors should fill a major need for a center needy team.
Player Comparisons: Zach Tom / Jackson Powers-Johnson
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Chargers, Jaguars, Colts (Wild Card – Falcons)
- Dylan Fairchild – Georgia
Fairchild is built to remain at left guard in the NFL as a tougher player in pass protection than as a run blocker. He has some explosive hip drive, good footwork and has great spatial awareness. Fairchild displays precise hand strikes, great recovery speed and plays in a controlled fashion. His pre-snap skills and screen mobility will be appreciated in the NFL. Fairchild can get walked back too easily by large defensive tackles making it difficult to maintain his inside position. When he loses patience he will overextend. Fairchild needs to coordinate better with his center but that will come with chemistry once on his new team.
Player Comparisons: Joe Thuney / Christian Mahogany
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: 49ers, Eagles, Vikings (Wild Card – Lions)
- Charles Grant – William & Mary
Grant was an offensive tackle in college but needs to transition to guard in the NFL. He is quick and a great puller, surgical as a zone blocker and disciplined. Grant’s competitiveness, recovery speed, body control and precise timing as a blocker makes him a solid prospect. His processing speed is sufficient and he can latch without issue. His smaller frame and questionable anchor ability rules out tackle play. Grant has some jerky footwork and his hand placement also needs refinement. This will be a big jump for Grant but there are qualities that are really positive and promising.
Player Comparison: Mason McCormick / Dan Feeney
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Giants, Cowboys, Colts (Wild Card – Jaguars)
- Tate Ratledge – Georgia
Ratledge is a nasty right guard with power, anchor ability and a knack for combo blocks. His natural leverage, recovery ability and awareness should result in him being successful in the NFL. Ratledge does a nice job latching with strong grip. He lacks versatility and probably only fits at right guard. Ratledge tends to be overaggressive and can struggle versus linebackers with speed. There are some concerns about his wide hand placement and injury history.
Player Comparisons: Zak Zinter / Sam Cosmi
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Dolphins, Bengals, Ravens (Wild Card – Browns)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
