2011 Top O-Lineman

TwentyTwo

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According to this article by NFL.com's Pat Kirwan...the NFL's Best three O-Lineman are Nick Mangold, Joe Thomas and Ryan Kahlil..when adding Group "A" Jake Long & Jordan Gross...5 of the Top 6 are white...and the complete list of 25 has 16 white +4 of 6 on watch list for Future = 20 out of 31..not bad considering the NFL is 67-70% black?? This is good to see that things are still going strong at this position; not to mention many of the players mentioned are young and just entering their primes...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8205178d/article/protect-and-serve-nfls-best-olinemen-come-in-all-forms?module=News_CP

Nick Mangold (27) Ohio State
Joe Thomas (26) Wisconsin
Jake Long (26) Michigan
Jordan Gross (31) Utah
Ryan Kahlil (26) USC
Jahri Evans
D'Brickashaw Ferguson
Michael Roos (28) Eastern Washington
Chris Snee (29) Boston College
Carl Nicks
Logan Mankins (29) Fresno State
Andrew Whitworth (29) LSU
Marcus McNeil
Ryan Clady
Maurkice Pouncey
Jeff Saturday (36) North Carolina
Nick Hardwick (29) Purdue
Andre Gurode
Josh Sitton (25) Central Florida
Brian Waters
Steve Hutchinson (33) Michigan /via Florida
Tyson Clabo (29) Wake Forest
Chad Clifton (35) Tennessee
Kris Deilman (30) Indiana
Jason Peters

Troy Mack (25) California
Kyle Cook (28) Michigan State
Russell Okung
Sebastian Vollmer (27) Houston /via Germany
Roger Saffold
Eric Winston (27) Miami (Fla)
 

Deadlift

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Most of the blacks on the "list of 25" are way-overrated (Jahri Evans, Nicks, Gurode, Waters, Peters)..

Marcus McNeil is inconsistent and can be lumbering.. Ryan Clady may already be "fading".. Right now, I'd say that the jury is still out on Pouncey, it's really too soon to annoint him...

That leaves only D'Brick as the only afflete that has performed well for the last few years IMO.Edited by: Deadlift
 

Don Wassall

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Deadlift said:
Most of the blacks on the "list of 25" are way-overrated (Jahri Evans, Nicks, Gurode, Waters, Peters)..

Marcus McNeil is inconsistent and can be lumbering.. Ryan Clady may already be "fading".. Right now, I'd say that the jury is still out on Pouncey, it's really too soon to annoint him...

That leaves only D'Brick as the only afflete that has performed well for the last few years IMO.



In addition to the over-rated blacks on the list, notably missing are the large number of sumos drafted in the first round in recent years. Yet the NFL, as with every other position except quarterback, persists in pursuing extreme affirmative action policies when it comes to the offensive line.
 

whiteathlete33

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Anyone remember Aaron Gibson? When he was drafted he was close to 400lbs and supposedly super athletic and talented. He has to be one of the biggest busts in the history of the draft. I'm sure he's well north of 400lbs these days and probably bankrupt as well.
 

TwentyTwo

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Thanks for the feedback...I feel most of the black O-Lineman on that list are over-rated too!







Wondered how Gurode was on list when hecould lose his job with inconsisent play and poor snaps out of shot-gun; maybe league worst!

The Steelers didn't seem to miss a beat w/ Legursky playing for Pouncey.

Sure do remember the 400lb Aaron Gibson...ouuch!

The fact that only 4 OT's out of the 17 or 19 in the past draft was disturbing...yet 3 of those were 1st Round Picks... Costanzo, Solder & Carimi.

Whitworth is a bad azz; the fight with big John Henderson was epic!

49ers OT- Joe Staley could have easily made the list if he could stay healthy...Stienbach & David Stewart could have easily made this list too!Edited by: TwentyTwo
 

DixieDestroyer

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IMO, Stephen Neal was one of the best OLs (Guards) in the NFL & most athletic (beat Brock Lesnar for the NCAA HW wrestling title in 1999). However, big Steve retired. Jake Long's the best OL in the NFL IMO.
 

snow

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I think Joe Thomas is slightly better than Jake Long, both are top in the NFL despite them constantly trying to make Left Tackle a black position.

Steinbach is really good I would say THE most athletic guard in the league, when they have him pull it is almost always a big run play, he is so athletic in space. They say he struggled with bigger linemen earlier in his career but I didn't see a problem with that last year when I actually watched him play, yet some dwfs still insist hes too small. What I don't understand is why they stopped running plays with him in space, they started running more behind the two on the right, when the RG pulled half the time he couldn't even stay on his feet, he would just fall to the ground trying to get to a defender to block, if he didn't trip he would struggle to block him.

but...I dont want to give any Browns offensive linemen too much credit, because you know the media will blabber on about how Hillis owes it all to them when he repeats his success next year even though you won't hear it for teams like the Jets with an aging LT and Shonn Greene who had holes you could drive a truck through. Greene's longest rush was 23 yards, and the only run he had over 20 yards, on almost 200 carries. I think LT's longest was 31. Yes we are supposed to believe that LT's resurgene was from a "change of scenery" from 223 carries averaging 3.3 ypc to 219 attempts with 4.2, almost a yard more per carry.

Hopefully the Browns can get a starting quality RG/RT, it will make Peyton's life so much easier,especially when going against the Steelers and Ravens twice a year. Toss left.......toss right/zone blocking pulling guard, Shanahan run it a ton, especially with Terrel Davis, Hillis looks equally effective when they run this play to the left, they just need to be able to run it to the right with consistency. It shouldn't be that hard to find some underatted guards and tackles that are backups. Zach Strief is a LT/RT and has played on a high level every time hes gotten to start. With the weird lockout thing there are alot of guys not signed, including him, theres gotta be some underrated guards as well, guys like Legursky who is a C/G who showed he could play.


Edited by: snow
 
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