Andre Dillard, Washington State
Rotoworld’s Josh Norris has been extolling the virtue of a specific number – a low 20-yard shuttle for an offensive lineman has usually resulted in success; 19 of the top 22 times have led to draft picks and of those picks, those 19 players started 85% of games. Andre Dillard made the list in 2019 with a 4.40 20-yard shuttle, the only lineman to break 4.50 seconds. That alone won’t make him a star, but his quality tape – even though he didn’t do a ton of run blocking at Washington State – should outweigh his mediocre performance in the mirror drill in Indianapolis. Dillard is a natural left tackle, an elite pass blocker and would be an option to step in Week 1 and start opposite Taylor Moton if the team decides to move on from Matt Kalil.
“The mental part of the game is just as important, if not more, than the physical part. When I’m studying NFL tackles, I look at pretty much everything they’re doing, from their stance to where their eyes are, to what angled they set on depending on where the defender is, how fast they move their feet, their hand placement, everything. I liked Tyron Smith’s demonstration of all those things the most, so I kind of stuck with watching him. It has helped me a lot. I watch for those things when I’m watching tackles, all the little details.”
Cody Ford, Oklahoma
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Ford started his career at Oklahoma at right guard before kicking out to right tackle – he could play either position at the next level so he could be a temporary solution at left guard or even become the tackle of the future; at this point he’s more likely to be a guard in the NFL. He certainly looks the part from a size and athleticism standpoint – his legs are huge and he performed well during lineman drills.
“For me, the toughest transition with that might just be getting in a stance every play. Playing at Oklahoma, I’m in the two-point every play. Especially on third downs, sometimes you might be in the three-point, but at Oklahoma we’re always in the two. I think the stance for me would be the biggest transition from tackle to guard.”
Greg Little, Mississippi
At 6-5, 310 pounds, Little has the prototypical body type to project as a left tackle at the NFL level, but his foot speed and overall footwork left something to be desired – he didn’t look as good as some of the other tackles during drills, but his ability in a zone-blocking scheme and coachability might help him excel once he gets to the NFL – his lateral quickness is excellent.
“They say can you come in and be our guy Day One? Yes sir. I love football, I love competing. I’m so competitive that my goals are to come in and be All Pro Year 1 or at least by Year 2. I want to be offensive rookie of the year, and I want to dominate my first year and earn respect from the older guys.”
