IOL: Tier 1 - Immediate Starter with All Pro Potential

Tyler Linderbaum

Tyler Smtih

Kenyon Green

Zion Johnson

Tier 2 - Good production and bad traits/bad production and good traits

Jamaree Salyer

Dylan Parham

Sean Rhyan

Darian Kinnard

Cam Jurgens

Ed Ingram

Tier 3 - Fringe Starter

Cole Strange

Marquis Hayes

Luke Fortner

Tier 4 - All traits with zero technique or vise versa

Joshua Ezeadu

Cade Mays

Donhoven West

Thayer Munford

Justin Shaffer

Cade Mays

Tier 5 - Depth

Alec Lindstrom

Tyrese Robinson

Doug Kramer

Nick Ford

Luke Wattenberg

Josh Rivas

Analysis: Tier 1 features the always controversial Tyler Linderbaum along with Kenyon Green, Tyler Smith, and Zion Johnson. Want to get a scout fired up: Ask about Tyler Linderbaum. Some are in the camp of “top 5 talent in the draft, just bad positional value” while others are in the “too small to play offensive lineman” camp and don’t see him as a first rounder. Full disclaimer: it is an absolute travesty if Linderbaum isn’t a first rounder, he is an elite technician in the trenches. As for Green and Johnson, they both will start day one and can win consistently against most to all interior rushers. Tyler Smith has also been skyrocketing up boards as of late and can start anywhere on the o-line. Tier 2 features six guys that are likely 2nd to 4th round picks. I’d say 4-5 will be serviceable NFL starters with 1 being a pro bowler and a separate guy being a bust. Overall though, I would feel comfortable with these guys as your first backup interior lineman or as a starter. Tier 3 is where things get spicy as Hayes, Strange, and Fortner all could be good NFL players, and I wouldn’t be surprised, and on the other hand, they could never get real playing time and I wouldn’t be surprised. These three are solid if needed but shouldn’t be counted on as a big part of a team’s offensive line’s future. Tier 4 is another tier of all traits and no production or vise versa where the team drafting them is just hoping they hit. Tier 5 is our practice squad/barely making the roster club. The best value is probably in that Tier 4 as I actually really would love taking any of those guys in the 5th or 6th round like most mocks have them going. It’s rare to find a starter in those rounds, but if you were going to in this draft, interior offensive lineman is the position it would be at. The worst value is probably at Tier 5 as I feel like there is a big dropoff in Tier 4 to Tier 5.