2020 NFL Draft Offensive Line Rankings – Top 5 OL Prospects: I’ve already previewed the top prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft at the skill positions, and while quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers garner a lot of the headlines and are the darlings of the fantasy football world, offensive linemen are busy doing to the dirty work. Strong play in the trenches gives QBs time to pick apart defenses and creates holes for RBs to rip off big gains, and on the flip side, poor offensive line play can sabotage even the most talented offenses. Looking at this year’s class, there are several players with the chance to become franchise tackles.
2020 NFL Draft Offensive Line Rankings: Top 5 OL Prospects
1. Tristan Wirfs, OT/OG, Iowa Hawkeyes
It is not often that a potential guard is selected ahead of the top tackles, Wirfs has the physical tools and skills to play either tackle or along the interior. He absolutely lit up the athletic testing at the Scouting Combine, and the former wrestler was already regarded as having the best hands and balance among the elite offensive line prospects. Wirfs checks all the boxes that a team looks for in a lineman, and his versatility is an added bonus. He is my pick to be the first player at his position off the board in April, potentially headed to the New York Giants at No. 4 overall.
2. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama Crimson Tide
Wills was a rock at right tackle for the Crimson Tide the past two seasons, protecting the blind side of Tua Tagovailoa. He’s a nasty finisher in the run game with the quickness to pull and make plays at the second level. More importantly, Wills might be the most fundamentally sound lineman in this class, possessing the footwork and technique to handle the top pass-rushers he will face at the next level. His high floor should have him off the board with in the top-10 picks, especially with teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns selecting early.
3. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Cardinals
There are big human beings, and then there is Becton. Standing 6-7 and 364 pounds, his freakish size and strength allowed him to dominate the line of scrimmage in the run game. Granted, he was criticized for inconsistent technique in pass protection, but after showing off surprising speed and agility at the Scouting Combine for someone his size, Becton left no doubt that he at least has the physical tools to become a franchise left tackle. After the safest options, Wirfs and Wills, are off the board, I expect teams will want to take a chance on Becton’s enormous ceiling. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was the first or second lineman to hear his name called.
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4. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Bulldogs
Thomas was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs, and with his massive, 6-5 frame, it is no surprise that he was dominant at the point of attack in the run game. He certainly has the length, strength and athleticism to become an anchor at left tackle at the next level, but in Georgia’s run-heavy offense, Thomas didn’t exactly have a ton of opportunities to show he can hold up in the pass game against elite competition. He will be tested early and often in today’s NFL, and while he has as much upside as any lineman in this class, the small question mark bumps him down the ranks a bit.
5. Josh Jones, OT, Houston Cougars
Jones has the size and strength to thrive at the next level, and his raw athleticism gives him as much upside as any of the top offensive line prospects in this class. However, he also has one of the lower floors among the top options. Not only did he not face elite competition week-to-week while playing in the AAC, but Jones is sloppier in terms of fundamentals (footwork, balance, etc.) than the players ranked above him on this list.
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