Doug Datish was a standout guard and tackle his first three seasons at Ohio St. Now that center Nick Mangold has left after being a first round pick of the Jets, Datish has moved inside to the center position.
Datish has shown the ability to standout at every spot along the offensive line. His first two seasons in college, he played well at guard, but as a junior was shifted to left tackle and more than held his own. This season he has moved inside to guard to fill the big shoes of Nick Mangold. He has solid size, and shows the athleticism to move his feet laterally, along with getting out and blocking on the move. Datish will finish his blocks and drive his man into the ground at every opportunity.
The only issue with Datish is that he may need to pack on a few pounds and get stronger at the next level. He lacks the power to drive players off the ball, and the pure bulk to be able to stand a 16 game schedule.
Most of his experience has come at positions other than center, but that is the position he projects best at in the NFL. His lack of power at the point of attack isn’t as great at center, but his ability to pull and block on the move is ideal for the spot. He is not as highly regarded as Mangold was a year ago, but he is one of the top centers available in this years draft.