NFL draft preview: top offensive linemen
Brandon Scherff is the latest NFL-ready offensive lineman to come out of Iowa.
In the last 12 years, Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz has sent more than 20 offensive linemen to the NFL and had more than a dozen drafted - six in the last five years. Three were first-rounders: Riley Reiff (2012), Bryan Bulaga (2010) and Robert Gallery (2004), in addition to second-rounder Eric Steinbach (2003) and third-round Marshall Yanda (2007), a four-time Pro Bowl pick.
Scherff, who succeeded Reiff at left tackle, will become the fourth Iowa first-round O-lineman produced by Ferentz.
"(He's a) top 10 pick, at worst top 12," said ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper. "A guy that could play right tackle very effectively; at worst could be a Zach Martin-type guard. Immediate hole-filler; plug-and-play guy."
Martin was drafted 16th overall a year ago by Dallas after starting at left tackle for three years at Notre Dame. He moved to guard in Dallas and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
Scherff already has a reputation for versatility. He played five sports at Denison High School in Iowa, including three concurrently in the spring his freshman year. Besides football and basketball, Scherff played baseball, track and tennis.
"I went from track practice to tennis practice to baseball practice," he said. "I'd go to a track meet one day, then tennis the other day, so I'd flip flop."
Last season, Scherff also played in a game four days after having his knee scoped. He practiced the day after Tuesday surgery.
"I owe something to my team," he said. "If I was able to play, I was going to play."
Even if six or seven offensive tackles go in the first round, as expected, there will be plenty of tackle talent remaining on Day Two for the second and third rounds. Teams seeking help inside at guard or center won't have as much to choose from, although several tackles will wind up moving inside where length and athleticism aren't as much of a concern.
On Day Two, no one would blame the Bears if they used the 39th overall pick on Oregon offensive tackle Jake Fisher. The Bears hit the jackpot with former Ducks guard Kyle Long, their first-round pick in 2013. Long has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons after starting just four games in his only season in Eugene.
Fisher actually started six more games on the Oregon O-line in 2012 than Long, and then he had 25 more starts.
Long and Fisher have a lot of similarities, starting with elite athleticism for men their size. Both are 6-foot-6; Fisher weighs 306, Long 313, but they can move. Long's 4.94-second 40-time at the 2013 Combine was the fastest of the guards and third best among all offensive linemen. Fisher ran 5.01.
There might not be another third-day prospect (Rounds 4-7) more accomplished than another Duck, center Hroniss Grasu. The 52-game starter was born in California nine years after his parents emigrated from Romania and opened a pizza restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard.
"He's one of the most selfless people I've ever met," Fisher said of his linemate. "Hroniss has been probably the most influential peer that I've had. He's a guy that has always held me to high expectations and helped me succeed and see things with a different light, open-minded.
"The guy has helped out every teammate we've ever had. I'll never have any bad words to say about the guy."
Grasu is a bit undersized and underpowered at 6-feett-3, 297 pounds, but he's smart, athletic, tough and competitive - not a bad mix of assets for a late-round pick.
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NFL draft primer: offensive line
Bob LeGere breaks down the top college linemen in the NFL draft.
Player, college Ht. Wt. 40
OT Andrus Peat, Stanford 6-7 313 5.18
Prototypical size-strength-athleticism for LT. Just 21 years old
OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa 6-5 319 5.05
3-year starter at OLT but could be better suited to RT or OG.
OT La'El Collins, LSU 6-4 305 5.12
Powerful run blocker, 2-year starter at LT projects to RT or OG.
OT Eric Flowers, Miami 6-6 329 5.31
Very good athlete for such massive size and could remain at LT.
OT T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh 6-5 309 5.14
Raw with upside. Played OL just 2 yrs. after conversion from DL.
C Cam Erving, Florida State 6-5 313 5.15
Versatile. LT starter for 2 yrs., then made seamless transition to C.
OT Jake Fisher, Oregon 6-6 306 5.01
Rare athlete for LT. Technician who needs to get bigger and stronger.
OT D.J. Humphries, Florida 6-5 307 5.12
Exceptional athlete. Raw and needs to be developed but has high upside.
OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M 6-5 306 N/A*
1st-round lock before torn ACL in bowl game. Versatile and athletic.
OG Tre Jackson, Florida State 6-4 330 5.52
Road grader in run game needs to be in better shape to maximize talent.
* Suffered torn ACL in bowl game and has no official 40-time.