2017 NFL Draft Top 5 OL
#5 Antonio Garcia
(AP Photo: Michael Conroy)
School: Troy
Height: 6’6
Weight: 302 lbs
Arms: 33 ⅜ inches
40 Yard Dash: 5.15 sec
Antonio Garcia is an athlete and built like the prototypical NFL offensive lineman. As a high school basketball player, Garcia developed impressively quick feet and is surprisingly flexible. The problem I have with Garcia is that he’s underdeveloped when it comes to his technique, which is a problem that his athleticism won’t be able to mask. Also, while Garcia has proven he can block within a set scheme, he doesn’t seem to have the natural instincts to be able to find a block to make when the play breaks down. I believe it's going to take at least three years in the NFL for Garcia to develop into a capable offensive lineman, which is an investment few teams are willing to make. Garcia will get a shot in the NFL, but I’m not convinced that when his time comes that he’ll be able to take advantage of it.
#4 Forrest Lamp
(AP Photo: Gregory Payan)
School: Western Kentucky
Height: 6’4 40
Weight: 309 lbs
Arms: 32 ¼ inches
Yard Dash: 5.00 sec
Forrest Lamp is a dependable offensive lineman, who has had four years of experience as a collegiate starter. Lamp is shockingly fast and an outstanding run blocker, who can make multiple down field blocks. That being said, he’s a below average pass blocker with slow feet. Quicker defensive ends seem to beat Lamp around the edge too often. For this reason I see him becoming an interior offensive lineman in the NFL. That being said, once Lamp makes that transition I believe he will become a solid guard and a worthwhile selection for whichever team decides to take him.
#3 Garett Bolles
(AP Photo: David J Phillip)
School: Utah
Height: 6’5 40
Weight: 297 lbs
Arms: 34 inches
Yard Dash: 4.95
Garett Bolles has jaw dropping speed and is impressively mobile for his size. Bolles’ long arms also allow him to keep stronger defensive linemen at bay. However, the moment Bolles is drafted he needs to shake the commissioner's hand, put away his jersey and take his new team’s private plane straight to wherever their weight room is located, as he isn’t strong enough yet to be an effective blocker. On top of that, he struggles with consistently winning the leverage battle, which is something he’ll need to improve upon as his current strength cannot make up for technical flaws. However, I have always believed it's easier for an offensive lineman to get stronger than it is for him to become quicker, and for that reason Bolles’ natural talent will be good enough to eventually land him a starting job at the next level.
#2 Cam Robinson
(AP Photo: Michael Conroy)
School: Alabama
Height: 6’6 40
Weight: 322 lbs
Arms: 35 ½ inches
Yard Dash: 5.15 sec
Cam Robinson is arguably the most physically intimidating lineman available. He is built like a tank and seems to posses superhuman-like strength. I found the downside to Robinson's game in his technique, a problem that seems to plague a lot of prospects this year. Robinson seems to struggle with squatting down into the proper position, which can lead to losing the leverage battle at the line of scrimmage. He needs to stretch more, perhaps enroll in yoga classes and do whatever else can help him to improve his hip flexibility. Robinson could also improve upon his footwork as he seems to inexplicably lose his balance from time to time. All of that being said, Robinson’s athletic ability is extremely rare and all of his technical problems can be corrected with the proper coaching. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what Robinson becomes in the NFL.
#1 Ryan Ramczyk
(AP Photo: David J Phillip)
School: Wisconsin
Height: 6’6 40
Weight: 310 lbs
Arms: 33 ¾” inches
Yard Dash: N/A
“Wow”, is the first word that comes to my mind when describing Ryan Ramczyk’s game. His technique is flawless and his athletic ability is outstanding. Those two factors alone make Ramczyk a daunting task for any defensive lineman. Unfortunately for NFL defenses, my praise doesn’t stop there. Ramczyk has also proven to be a mentally tough leader as well as a consistently balanced blocker. Honestly, I could go on and on about why Ramczyk is the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft class, but I won’t waste your time doing that. Instead I’ll just wait for him to become the multiple Pro Bowl offensive lineman that he is destined to become and then wait for your tweets saying how I was “spot on” with my prediction of Ramczyk’s career. (@Reed_Horner)
