2015 NFL Draft: Offensive Line

OT RANKINGS Brandon Scherff, Iowa La'el Collins, LSU Andrus Peat, Stanford Ereck Flowers, Miami DJ Humphries, Florida TJ Clemmings, Pitt Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas AM Jake Fisher, Oregon Ty Sambrailo, Colorado St. Darryl Williams, Oklahoma

The offensive line has always been a key piece to winning teams, but the value placed on talented linemen is at an all time high. The league continues to open up and continues to get faster, which means linemen need to be able to move as well. This year's draft looks a lot like the past two, with a Texas AM Aggie left tackle leading the way.

Cedric Ogbuehi follows Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews as elite prospects, and like both, will likely end up hearing his name called in the top ten. He has the natural athleticism and feet required to man the blind side tackle spot in the NFL and excel. Ogbuehi has tremendous mobility and can mirror a defenders moves in space. He changes direction well and is great in space, picking up a moving target with ease. Ogbuehi does a very good job sealing off defenders in the running game and can get out in space and pull. He is not overpowering at the point of attack, but added weight may aid him in this area. Ogbuehi has the classic tackle frame, feet, and athleticism and should be the first linemen selected in April.

Iowa's Brandon Scherff is a not the same type of linemen as Ogbuehi, but he is equally as dominant. Scherff has a powerful build at 6'5 320, and plays like it on the field. He stands out in the running game, using his size and strength to move defenders off the ball. Once he gets his hands on a defender, they very rarely are able to disengage. Scherff also has that old school mentality on the line, looking for contact and wanting to beat you up on the field. There may be some questions about his ability to play left tackle in the NFL, because Scherff is only a marginal athlete. He uses initial quickness and technique in pass protection, which is not a bad thing. Pure speed rushers can beat him off the edge however, so he may not be the ideal left tackle candidate on some boards. Scherff is a polished and well coached linemen, which combined with his toughness and strength should allow him be a solid linemen right away. The potential is there to be a solid left tackle, but an elite right tackle.

Andrus Peat of Stanford is not quite as experienced or polished as other tackles in this draft, but his potential is up there with any of them. He's the complete package from a physical standpoint. He is that prototype 6'7 315lb tackle with long arms that every team dreams of. He is a good athlete that can slide well laterally and get out and block in space. His natural strength and massive frame give him the ability to control defenders at the point of attack and drive them off the ball. Peat does need some more refinement in his game, however. He relies on those physical gifts too often, which sometimes causes problems. He can lunge at defenders and stop his feet at times, which for a 6'7 guy, leads to some balance issues. These are traits that he will develop with time, as Stanford does a great job developing linemen. He is a true junior that could return to school for another year, but he has the tools to be a premium draft pick whenever he decides to enter the draft.

La'el Collins of LSU could project at guard or right tackle in the NFL. He has a sturdy build, and plays with excellent strength at the point of attack. He consistently drives defenders back and plays with an aggressive attitude in run blocking. He has played left tackle but may lack the ideal athleticism and change of direction skills to play left tackle in the NFL. He has surprising initial quickness and does move well overall, but he lacks the side to side range to protect a quarterback's blind side. Collins' draft status is probably higher for teams grading him out as a tackle, but he ranks very highly as a guard as well.

Florida State's Cameron Erving is an intriguing option for teams looking for a player to mold. He is a former defensive tackle with very good athleticism and a great tackle frame at 6'6 300, but he lacks the refinement to be an elite pick. He made a quick transition to the offensive line and big things were expected, but his development has not happened as quickly as many had hoped. Erving is very inconsistent with his footwork which causes lapses in pass protection, but can also get him off balance in the running game. The natural athleticism stands out though, and with some added bulk and coaching, Erving is the type of linemen that could have more success in the NFL than he had in college.

G RANKINGS AJ Cann, South Carolina Tre Jackson, Florida St. Laken Tomlinson, Duke Ali Marpet, Hobart Jarvis Harrison, Texas AM Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah Josue Matias, Florida St. Robert Myers, Tennessee St. Mitch Morse, Missouri Jamil Douglas, Arizona St.

Spencer Drango has flown under the radar because he plays for Baylor, but he is a possible first round pick. He is one of the most well rounded and polished linemen available despite being a junior. He's solid physically acrossed the board, although nothing truly stands out as top notch. His dominance on the field does stand out though. He sets up in his stance very quick off the snap, and uses quick feet and strong hands to control the defender. While not an elite athlete, he does a great job in pass protection because he is rarely out of position and can keep his defender in front of him. Drango plays with a nasty streak in the running game, and will battle though the whistle. He has the ability to play both tackle spots in the NFL, as well as both guard spots, and has the intelligence to probably play center as well. Drango's value definitely is greater at tackle but he will be a coveted prospect by anyone searching for offensive line help.

Keep an eye on: Ereck Flowers(Miami), Corey Robinson(South Carolina), Tyrus Thompson(Oklahoma), and Ty Sambrallo(Colorado St) South Carolina's AJ Cann is the top guard available for this years draft. He has the traditional guard frame, standing a bit short and squatty. While not a great athlete, Cann does move well in a short area to block his man in pass protection. As a run blocker, he is rarely beaten by power. He has good natural strength and shows the ability to absorb a defender but also the ability to push them backwards. Hes quick to diagnose the action and does a good job adjusting on the move to pick up stunts and blitzes. The guard position is not a flashy position, and Cann doesn't blow anyone away physically. He should be a solid second round pick and help someone's running game right away.

Oregon's Hroniss Grasu is the draft's top center, although he may be limited to a zone blocking scheme. As expected for a Duck linemen, he is built to run and get out in space. Grasu is a very good natural athlete and has excellent quickness both off the snap and in getting out pulling to the second level. The mobility he plays with is top notch and makes him the ideal center for zone blocking. He does not project well to teams that rely on a power blocking scheme. He has decent strength and can control most interior linemen, but he is not going to generate any movement at the point of attack and has had trouble with bigger linemen pushing him around. Grasu could grade out very highly for zone blocking offenses but would rank much lower on other teams boards.

C RANKINGS Cameron Erving, Florida St. Hroniss Grasu, Oregon Reese Dismukes, Auburn Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech BJ Finney, Kansas St.

Auburn's Reese Dismukes is another quality center prospect. He's more of the throwback at the position, relying on his toughness and physicality as a blocker. He does not stand out physically, whether it be his frame, athleticism, or strength. Dismukes has great quickness off the snap, plays with great balance and technique, and really craves the idea of hitting people in the mouth. He is an overachiever that should continue to do so at the next level.

Keep an eye on: Josue Matias(G, Florida St.), Tre Jackson(G, Florida St), Jarvis Harrison(G, Texas AM), Isaac Seumalo(C, Oregon St), Max Tuerk(C, USC)

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