Since the NFL Draft has just concluded, our readers have been specifically interested in draft advice for Madden- specifically for offensive linemen. This just happens to be one of my strongest... if my ultimate strongest... point in coaching beginner and intermediate Madden players. Quality offensive linemen are some of the most important pieces of your football franchise, and they also are hard to find... unless you understand how to look for them. Here are a few tips on how to draft the most important position on the O-Line... your left tackle.
LEFT TACKLES
The first thing people need to understand is that there is a difference between right tackles and left tackles. If your quarterback is right-handed, as most quarterbacks are, your left tackle is going to be the anchor of your front five, and he will be responsible for protecting his quarterback's blindside. When scouting left tackles, you look for three things: Many bench press reps, a good cone drill, and an at least average shuttle (those three drills are prioritized in the order shown). Forget their projected round. Keep in mind, all offensive linemen are simply big men that you are throwing on a line to knock the other guy's lights out. Interview, 40 time, and vertical leap don't have anything to do with that. One thing I've learned from years of playing is that projected round is mostly a hoax. For example, look at the following draft board for left tackles (this is pick 14 of the 3rd round)
RIVERS, GRANT
Age: 22
College: Pittsburgh
Projected round: 2nd-3rd
Height: 6'2
Weight: 304
Pass blocking: Great
Run blocking: Good
40 time: 5.02
Shuttle: 4.33
Bench press reps: 28
Cone drill: 4.82
Vertical leap: 13 in.
Interview: Average
WITT, LONNIE
Age: 23
College: Utah
Projected round: 4th
Height: 6'4
Weight: 354
Pass blocking: Good
Run blocking: Good
40 time: 5.19
Shuttle: 4.42
Bench press reps: 31
Cone drill: 5.16
Vertical leap: 8 in
Interview: Good
BURNHAM, HILT
Age: 21
College: St. Mary's
Projected round: 5th-6th
Height: 6'7
Weight: 328
Pass blocking: Great
Run blocking: Below average
40 time: 4.94
Shuttle: 4.37
Bench press reps: 33
Cone drill: 5.20
Vertical leap: 8 in
Interview: Bad
After examining these three tackles, you need to evaluate who YOU think will fit best into your offense and ignore your scouting notes. Let's examine Grant Rivers. He has the best shuttle out of them all, which means he might be able to get on his feet against some of the quicker ends and outside linebackers better than Lonnie Witt or Hilt Burnham. He also has the best cone drill, which means he might be able to slide in the lane with more athletic defenders like a Dwight Freeney. But there are a couple issues with him. First, his size. You need... and I stress, need... your left tackle to be a big guy, preferably 6'5 or taller and over 315 pounds. You can get away with a guy who's 6'4, but generally you want your left tackle to be tall and big. Rivers stands only 6'2 and weighs 304... some guards are bigger than that. Although he is clearly the most athletic tackle on the board, he is also the weakest. Remember what I said earlier: The most important characteristics of a left tackle are bench press reps (strength), which is followed by the cone drill (agility), and lastly the shuttle (acceleration). Rivers only has 28 bench press reps, which will translate into a strength rating of between 84-87 going into training camp. Your left tackle should always have a minimum strength of 91, but preferably 94+. Rivers missing this requirement sadly. He's too small and too weak. Pass on him. Now, let's examine Witt. He is 354 pounds, and that kind of makes up for the missing inch on his height. He's stronger than Rivers (31 bench press reps translates into a strength of 89-91 going into training camp) and his shuttle isn't that much behind Rivers. His interview is also better than Rivers, so he obviously has a better head on his shoulders. He's not nearly as agile or athletic... he's kind of the stand-up-and-clog-the-lane type of tackle. I'd give him serious consideration. Now we get to Burnham. He has the best size of them all (6'7, 328 pounds) and his cone drill is only 0.01 seconds behind Witt's. But the real drill to observe here is his bench press reps. He has 33, which translates into a 92-94 strength rating going into training camp. You can always develop awareness and blocking ratings during training camp and constant snaps; one thing you can't really change is strength. Burnham has the best upside of all three, because he's the strongest, has the best size, and is roughly the same in shuttle. Therefore, the best value pick in this situation would be Burnham... despite the scouting notes and projected round.
Although Burnham has the most upside and is the best value pick, there are a few situations where Witt or Rivers might work better. Let's say you're the St. Louis Rams, and you just went 13-3 and made it to the NFC Championship game. You are a pass-heavy offense, and Orlando Pace has just retired. You need a tackle to plug in right away to maintain the functionality of your offense. Who do you pick? It can't be Burnham, because although he has the most upside, he's not the most NFL-ready. So your decision is narrowed to Witt and Rivers. Witt is obviously more of a run-blocking tackle. He's as wide as a house, very strong, but very non-athletic. Rivers is more of a pass-blocking tackle. He won't be the bulldozer in the trenches like Witt or Burnham, but he can slide around in the lane and get in front of those Freeneys and Jason Taylors... and that gives his quarterback that extra second to fire. Due to your gunslinger-oriented offense, and due to the fact that you just went 13-3 and have a good chance at making a serious Super Bowl campaign, I'd suggest taking Rivers. You sign him to a two-year deal with a very low salary, but make it up in his signing bonus. He is the most NFL-ready and the best fit in your type of offense. It's a risky selection, but that's why you only sign him to a two-year deal without a lot of guaranteed money. Plug him in the starting role and see if he can become a quality tackle. If he doesn't work out the first year, feel free to cut him (very easy to do since most of his salary is buried in his signing bonus) or trade him for a mid-round pick. Make sure you make your decision on what to do with him after year 1, because once he hits 24 years of age, his trade stock will begin to descend.
Stay tuned for analysis of the rest of the offensive line... and happy drafting!
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