Now that we've reached the end of the 2015 NFL season, who was the best right tackle in the game? We're not talking about who made the Pro Bowl or even who got the All-Pro votes. Who was really, truly, the best? Forget reputation and how much money each player makes. We want the sort of cold, hard analysis that comes from watching the games and grading the players. 

That's what the B/R NFL 1000 is for, and it's back for another year. 

The B/R 1000 metric is based heavily on scouting each player and grading based on key criteria for each position. The criteria are weighted according to importance for a best possible score of 100.

Potential is not taken into consideration. Neither are career accomplishments.

Right tackles are judged on pass blocking (45 points), run blocking (45) and the overall value of the position relative to the other spots on the field (seven points). The maximum score for this position is 97.

In the case of ties, our team asked, "Which player would I rather have on my team?" and set the rankings accordingly.

Subjective? Yes. But ties are no fun.

Each player was scouted by a team of experienced evaluators (Dan Bazal, Luke Easterling, Cian Fahey, Duke Manyweather, Matt Miller and Marshal Miller) with these key criteria in mind. The following scouting reports and grades are the work of months of film study from our team. 

All statistics from Pro Football Focus. Players' heights, weights and seasons played from NFL.com.

35. Ricky Wagner, Baltimore Ravens

Pass Protection

Ravens right tackle Ricky Wagner shows an explosive vertical set that allows him to cover the ground needed to get to his spot and settle his feet to build his house. When he can keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and maintain half-man leverage with rushers, he exhibits the strike-zone recognition and punch timing to effectively stop the charge of defenders. 

Even if Wagner initially gets beaten in pass protection, he still displays the body control and balance to recover. Where he runs into issues, though, is when he has to expand his set points out against elite rushers. He almost never settles on his spot on these occasions and his hips swing open (turning his shoulders), causing him to get out over his toes trying to punch.

When Wagner goes off script, he's hit or miss. He struggles just to trace the hoop and run guys over the top of the pocket. He does play with good depth relationship, though, and he has the awareness to smoothly pass off line games. He also displays the mental processing and range to slide all the way out and pick up delayed edge pressure.

Run Blocking

Wagner is able to get good initial push on his angled drive blocks as he surges out of his stance, but you just don't see strength and sustained power out of him in the run game. Often, after engaging and controlling defenders, his feet and legs appear to be pumping in place, generating little movement to power through stalemates.

Wagner does a decent job of generating force on vertical double-teams with his guard, though, and is effective at executing "reach and overtake" concepts on zone blocks. Still, he really struggles with the targeting and footwork needed to cut off the backside in full flow when runs go away from his side.

Position Value 

Overall

34. Michael Schofield, Denver Broncos

Pass Protection

It’s fitting that the lead character from Prison Break shares his name with the Broncos right tackle, because any defense that played Denver ran jail-break blitzes right at him all game. Schofield struggles with timing and with his pad height in pass protection. Oftentimes, he looked overwhelmed right off the snap last year, especially in the Super Bowl when he surrendered three sacks.

Schofield has enough agility to move and slide with defenders but hasn’t learned to use his feet in connection with his punch to keep pass-rushers off his frame.

Run Blocking

Watch Schofield move in space, and you see he can be effective in the zone-blocking scheme. He has a strong leg drive and a mean streak to get into defenders and finish blocks. His leverage and pad height flash as being solid, if only a little inconsistent.

The biggest key to run-game improvement for Schofield will be learning to play with better body control and poise. He tends to reach to engage defenders early, which leads to lunging in the open field.

Position Value 

Overall

33. LaAdrian Waddle, New England Patriots

Pass Protection

The Detroit Lions rolled LaAdrian Waddle out for six starts in 2015, and he answered by allowing five sacks and 27 hurries in that time. He was thrown to the wolves, though, playing in games against Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay and Minnesota. Those teams each had a speedy, powerful pass-rusher off the left side of the defense coming right at him.

Speed-rushers highlight where Waddle struggles, given his lack of movement and poor use of length. He has the long arms and body to control defenders, but bad timing on his punch keeps him from having a consistent impact.

Run Blocking

Waddle had moments of brilliance in the run game in 2015, and with his size and power in the trenches, he can open holes and move the pile. But when asked to get outside his spot and make plays, his lack of flexibility to snap out of his stance shows up.

In a power-run scheme, Waddle could do well playing right tackle—so long as he’s not asked to move laterally to secure his initial block. He simply doesn't have enough mobility to be anything more than a power downhill blocker at this point.

Position Value 

Overall

32. Jah Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

Pass Protection

Jah Reid proved to be a valuable swing player on the Chiefs offensive line in 2015, starting at both right tackle and right guard. He’s a powerhouse off the ball and can handle a bull rush with his length and power. Speed off the edge will give Reid fits, though, as he struggles to time his kick slide to reach the upfield move of an edge player.

Where Reid does impress is in his ability to post up and take away inside moves after he counters an outside move. Still, in 760 snaps last season (playoffs included), Reid allowed 23 hurries and five sacks and consistently struggled against outside pass-rushers (3-4 outside linebackers or wide defensive ends) who forced him to work off his spot.

Run Blocking

Reid had bright moments in the run game last season, but he also played with inconsistent pad height and power in his first step. He executes well for a big man with limited mobility in the Chiefs’ zone scheme but can struggle at times to hit his landmarks on time.

Reid doesn’t mind playing hard or getting rough, and he’ll finish blocks when he gets there, but limited mobility makes him a better third offensive tackle than a starter.

Position Value 

Overall

31. Erik Pears, San Francisco 49ers

Pass Protection

A 16-game starter between right tackle and right guard in 2015, Erik Pears had a hard time replacing the retired Anthony Davis at the end of the line. By allowing 10 sacks and 37 hurries, Pears made himself a replaceable player, especially if Davis does return to the 49ers.

Pears is a big, long player but doesn’t show the agility to move and mirror on the edge. There’s a lack of smoothness in his pass sets, as he too often looks clunky and unbalanced. That hitch in his movement is the only opening that speedy rushers need to get a jump on him and make his length (6'8") irrelevant.

Run Blocking

For all his struggles in the pass game, Pears was worse when the 49ers ran the ball last season. He’s too high out of his stance and doesn’t bring any pop with him as he engages defenders. He isn't a finisher and would too often look to move defenders instead of rolling over them. Poor flexibility in his hips and core keeps Pears from playing with the leverage to win at the point of attack.

Position Value 

Overall

30. Don Barclay, Green Bay Packers

Pass Protection

A reserve offensive tackle who was on the field when injuries hit the Green Bay Packers last season, Don Barclay struggled in pass protection. He allowed 30 quarterback hurries and nine sacks in just 430 snaps—the same number of sacks and three more hurries than he allowed in 1,043 snaps in 2013.

A lack of length and poor agility to move and slide with defenders keep Barclay from playing with the poise or balance to mirror on the edge. A move to guard would cover up some of his length issues.

Run Blocking

In the Packers’ zone-blocking scheme, Barclay struggles to work with leverage and timing in the open field. He does get off the ball quickly but doesn’t get the hand placement to control or move defenders off their landmarks.

Barclay does play with good pad height and violence in the run game, though, but he's behind other starter-caliber players in terms of athletic ability and technique.

Position Value 

Overall

29. Marshall Newhouse, New York Giants

Pass Protection

Marshall Newhouse was a serviceable right tackle last season when he exploded into his pass set, got to his landmark and played with patience, good punch timing and active hands.

Against the better pass-rushers he faced, though, it looked as if Newhouse panicked and tossed all technique out the window, rolling out of his stance and opening his hips. He would often fail to maintain half-man relationship with the defender, and as a result, he would mistime his punch, duck his head and miss with his hands altogether.

There were other times last season when Newhouse would get a good punch on a defenders and let his feet and hands go dead, which caused him to run into some trouble anchoring. In those instances, he would raise his pad level and leave himself out of position to recover when moved off his spot.

Run Blocking

Newhouse doesn't show the power or explosion to blow anyone off the ball in one-on-one run-blocking situations. Oftentimes, he just settles for position and stalemates.

Newhouse did have some epic combo blocks and double-teams when working next to Geoff Schwartz last season, though, which allowed him to climb to the second level and fit on linebackers or overtake and secure the line of scrimmage.

Position Value 

Overall

28. Cornelius Lucas, Detroit Lions

Pass Protection

Cornelius Lucas is a lengthy pass protector who covers a lot of ground when he explodes into his set. The issue is what happens after he settles his feet and gets to his spot. He simply plays too often without leverage and with uneven weight distribution, which makes it difficult for him to consistently execute key elements in pass protection (like delivering an on-target punch or anchoring against the bull rush).

Lucas’ lack of leverage and weight distribution make it hard for the massive offensive tackle (6'9", 328 lbs) to recover when moved off his spot or even to laterally mirror to stay in front of rushers. He lacks the nimbleness to utilize his length to run guys past the quarterback.

Run Blocking

Just like in pass protection, Lucas plays with no leverage in the run game. He lacks the functional power to consistently move the point of attack and often just settles for working to the fit. Even when he works to fit up and position-block defenders, his lack of leverage allows defenders to get under his pads and stack his block back. He also struggles to cut off the backside when runs go away from him, as he's often unable to lose enough ground to put him back on track to dig defenders out.

Position Value 

Overall

27. Cameron Fleming, New England Patriots

Pass Protection

Injuries on the New England Patriots’ offensive line forced Cameron Fleming, in just his second season out of Stanford, into action at right tackle and left tackle. He held his own, though, learning on the way while surrendering four sacks and 19 hurries.

Fleming is a strong, long-armed tackle with limited movement skills. He has the strong hands needed to fight with defenders but can struggle when asked to slide and mirror in the pocket.

Run Blocking

Flexibility is an issue for Fleming, who needs to work on rotating his hips through blocks in the run game. He’s aware and smart and has the instincts to bang with defenders in the run game, but he has to get a better jump off the ball to get defensive ends and outside linebackers out of the play. At Stanford, his balance was often an issue, and that showed up again in New England.

Position Value 

Overall

26. Marcus Cannon, New England Patriots

Pass Protection

Injuries forced Marcus Cannon, a solid swing tackle playing in his fifth NFL season, into starting action at both left and right tackle in 2015. He’s a stout, compact player with a strong punch, but poor timing and playing with shorter arms than he measures in at keep him from protecting the turn when edge-rushers get a jump on him off the snap.

Cannon is a good athlete with enough agility and balance to hold up in pass protection off either edge, but the lack of a well-timed, long-armed punch allows defenders to undercut and dip past him. He gave up six sacks, nine quarterback hits and 27 hurries in his 777 snaps (playoffs included) last season.

Run Blocking

The run game is where Cannon has always been more comfortable and more productive. He fires out low and can generate push off the ball with good leverage and a strong hook of defenders’ pads. At 6’5” and 335 pounds, he can road-grade a hole off the right side of the line and does work well to the second level, but he has to be much more consistent in sustaining blocks.

Position Value 

Overall

25. Byron Bell, Tennessee Titans

Pass Protection

A starter at left guard, left tackle and right tackle in 2015, Byron Bell is a savvy veteran and a valuable third tackle for any team. In pass protection, he allowed just six sacks in 16 games but did surrender 35 hurries of young quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Zach Mettenberger last season.

Bell is a heavyweight with a strong punch, but he has poor timing when asked to mirror an edge defender and strike to keep him out of the backfield. Bell does settle down and handle a bull rush well, but any play that requires movement laterally can give him fits.

Run Blocking

Bell is an upright player, and because of that he loses a lot of pop in the run game. He has a bad habit of dropping his head when asked to pull or move and loses sight of where the play is going.

At this stage of his career, better conditioning and flexibility are the best bets to improve his lack of hip snap and lateral movement.

Position Value 

Overall

24. Seantrel Henderson, Buffalo Bills

Pass Protection

Seantrel Henderson is frustrating to watch in pass protection, mostly because of how inconsistent he is. On a play-to-play basis, he can explosively set, build his house, punch and anchor on some of the league’s best pass-rushers. On the next play, he can be slow into his set and lunge to strike rushers, allowing them to clear his hands and run the hoop.

Henderson is at his best when he decides to start fast, hit his landmark and wait patiently. Very rarely does he get beaten when he puts it together, but more times than not, he doesn't consistently put it all together. He shows good quickness and lateral agility when mirroring and posting down to take away the inside. He also possesses enough balance and body control to quickly recover if he is moved off his spot.

Run Blocking

Henderson is a strong run-blocker who plays with more square power than he does position and in-line angles. When he keeps his pad level low and plays with leverage, he's a force.

He possesses explosive upper-body strength and lower-body power that allows him to jolt defenders back and move the point of attack. His strong suit isn't to reach and hook the edge—he struggles there—but he can latch on and leverage with his hands, providing good movement on drive blocks.

Henderson uses quickness and brute strength to pin B-gap defenders at the line of scrimmage when his guard is pulling out to the perimeter, and he also shows he can completely collapse and widen the point of attack on true down blocks.

Position Value 

Overall

23. Jeremiah Poutasi, Tennessee Titans

Pass Protection

A seven-game starter at right tackle in his first season out of Utah, Jeremiah Poutasi showed potential with his strength, long arms and ability to be a powerful anchor in pass protection. While on the year he allowed seven sacks, seven quarterback hits and 12 hurries, four of those sacks came in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, and three came in Week 6 against Cameron Wake and the Miami Dolphins.

Poutasi’s numbers don’t look great, but when you recognize that it was just two bad games, you start to see the poise and balance that made him a third-round pick last spring.

Run Blocking

If you want power in the run game, Poutasi is your guy. He brings a good initial pop, but there are legitimate concerns on tape about how flexible he is. Can he get low enough to generate enough lower-body power to win the leverage game? It doesn’t show consistently on tape.

With 33 ⅞" arms, Poutasi can definitely reach outside linebackers and wide defensive ends, but he has to show more fire when coming out of his stance to sustain those reach blocks. Still, there's plenty to like about his run-blocking game, which will only get better with more NFL reps.

Position Value 

Overall

22. Jermey Parnell, Jacksonville Jaguars

Pass Protection

Jermey Parnell is an intriguing player in that he possesses many physical tools and the overall temperament to be a great offensive lineman. The issue with him at this point is that he is leaning on the previously mentioned traits to carry him through instead of digging into his tool box of fundamentals and technique.

Parnell is a rangy pass protector who has tremendous length and quick feet. He's at his best when he sets quickly and gets to his spot to punch and anchor. He struggles to consistently hit the proper set-point angles, though, and, as a result, finds himself out of position a lot.

Parnell is a fearless puncher, but this also gets him in trouble at times, as he tries to lunge out and kill rushers with his strike instead of being patient and delivering a blow when defenders enter his strike zone. When he feels like he is playing a rusher who can beat him with speed, he attempts to aggressively set his opponent flat, which either works out well or poorly for him.

Run Blocking

Parnell displays good power at the point of attack in the run game and the hip explosion to hit, lift and drive defenders downhill. He maintains a functionally powerful base to re-leverage his hips and power through stalemates, but at times defenders get under him and are able to leverage him at the point of attack.

Parnell shows the ability to lose ground with his first step and gain ground with his second step, using high hand technique to reach, hook and seal defenders. He can effortlessly cut off the backside when the run goes away from him.

The seven-year vet generates good force when double-teaming with his guard, oftentimes standing defenders up and driving them completely up the field. He's also able to widen and collapse the point of attack when down-blocking B-gap defenders.

Position Value 

Overall

21. Jordan Mills, Buffalo Bills

Pass Protection

Jordan Mills was at his best in pass protection last season when he could quickly short-set defenders and get his hands on them quickly, which allowed him to anchor immediately just past the line of scrimmage. He has good upper-body power when striking and shows the overall strength to leverage into his anchor.

He runs into trouble when he needs to expand his set points against rushers who challenge his edge with speed and active hands, though. He's also inconsistent when needing to set with more depth, and as a result, he is often out of position to make a stand.

Run Blocking

Mills fires off the ball and gains inside hand placement to control defenders right at the line of scrimmage in the run game. He also shows the ability to create leverage with his hands, allowing him to get under defenders and use square power through his base to consistently get movement at the point of attack. He maintains pad level well and can sustain and strain blocks to power through stalemates. 

Conversely, Mills gets himself in trouble when his pad level rises on his second step and defenders are able to leverage and get under him to stand him up. A loss of leverage is a loss of power.

He understands when he needs to be "heavy" on combo and double-team blocks and when he can overtake or slip off, but he doesn't always show the awareness to square up on opposing linebackers. He's often out of position and looks to have his eyes in the wrong spot. When runs go away from him, though, Mills is able to use crafty technique to cut off the backside in most cases.

Position Value 

Overall

20. Ja'Wuan James, Miami Dolphins

Pass Protection 

Ja’Wuan James drives into his pass set and is adept at building his house to anchor. Speed doesn't scare him, as he plays with good patience and body control.

The second-year tackle out of Tennessee displays good strike-zone recognition and punch timing to effectively stop the charge of defenders and is able to leverage his hips to anchor. James maintains an outstanding base with even weight distribution and shows good ability to recover when he is moved off his spot. He has the quickness and efficiency with his footwork to "cut grass," maintaining contact with the ground to mirror and take away the inside.

James also has the ability to quickly firm-set and punch as a switch up to stone defenders on the line of scrimmage. He maintains good depth relationship with his guard and shows the awareness and mental processing to smoothly pass off line games.

Run Blocking

James comes off the ball and quickly engages in the run game, putting forth explosive power to jolt defenders off the ball. He maintains a powerful base and drives through his insteps to get push at the point of attack on base or angled drive blocks. He also shows the strength and hip mobility to re-leverage to strain and break stalemates on the line of scrimmage.

James plays with rangy suddenness, efficient footwork and good hand placement to reach, seal and hook edge defenders. He also generates decent vertical movement on combos and shows that he can collapse and secure the line of scrimmage when asked to work with his guard.

Position Value 

Overall

19. Michael Ola, Detroit Lions

Pass Protection

Michael Ola plays with explosiveness in his set, allowing him to maintain half-man leverage on defenders. When he gets to his spot and settles his feet, he shows good strike-zone recognition and punch timing, allowing him to deliver a quick, heavy-handed strike to gain control. He can be effective taking chances in short-setting or jump-setting, delivering a quick strike to stonewall defenders immediately.

When Ola is moved off his spot and has to adjust, though, he sometimes misses wide with his hands and, despite his long arms, allows defenders into his frame, standing him up and walking him back to prevent him from anchoring. He has the foot quickness and balance to mirror defenders and cut off the inside, though, and shows the mental processing and awareness to be on the same level as his guard to collide and pass off line games or slide to pick up blitz pressures.

Run Blocking

Ola does a good job of working the in-line angles needed to position and drive in zone concepts and also plays with the square power needed to get movement at the point of attack in the downhill run game. He's able to work through his base to re-leverage his hips and rework his hands to power through stalemates.

He works well with his guard on combo blocks and double-teams, knowing exactly when to keep pushing vertical, overtake the block or slip off to pick up a linebacker. He's decent when climbing and tracking to the second level as well, showing the ability to fit and accelerate once he engages linebackers, but at times he gets frozen in space when a defender suddenly moves.

Ola is better suited to angle-drive block than seal the edge and is better at keeping defenders flat down the line when needing to cut off the backside when runs go away from him.

Position Value 

Overall

18. Austin Howard, Oakland Raiders

Pass Protection

Austin Howard shows a smooth pass set, gaining vertical depth while maintaining the leverage needed to cover up edge-rushers. He plays with good balance, body control and lateral agility for a man with his mass (6'7", 330 lbs), which allows him to quickly change directions and smoothly recover if moved off his spot.

Howard has excellent strength that gives him an above-average anchor. His overall hand usage is above average as well, as he often uses independent hands to keep rushers off balance. He also does a nice job of using his length to his advantage.

There are times, though, when he is slow to react to movement crossing his face and has to battle to cover up his edge. He also gets on different levels than his offensive linemen sometimes, forcing him to man line games instead of smoothly passing them off.

Run Blocking

Howard plays with good square power in the run game, which allows him to effectively move the point of attack on angle-drive and base blocks. However, there are times he loses leverage and defenders are able to get into his frame and stalemate him.

Howard works well with his guard on “deuce” block double-teams, pushing 3-technique defensive tackles vertical and off the line of scrimmage. He shows good short-area quickness and tremendous power when down-blocking and collapsing B-gap defenders to widen the lane on power plays. When runs go away from him, he displays good footwork in cutting off the backside and is able to dig defenders out of the gap, sealing them on the backside.

Position Value 

Overall

17. Joe Reitz, Indianapolis Colts

Pass Protection

Joe Reitz shows good range in pass protection when setting and maintains even weight distribution and half-man leverage on defenders working to his landmark. He also demonstrates solid patience, timing, strike-zone recognition and explosive upper-body power when punching and is good overall with his hands.

Reitz uses his firm set to strike and anchor against defenders on the line of scrimmage but runs into issues when he plays too aggressively. Doing so sometimes leaves him susceptible to quick countermoves when defenders see him playing into the line of scrimmage.

The eight-year vet plays with a functional base and shows good overall strength, power and mobility when anchoring. He also has good foot quickness and lateral agility when mirroring defenders, which allows easy change of direction without shifting weight distribution. With good balance and recovery skills, Reitz is able to post down to take away the inside. 

Run Blocking

Reitz fires off the ball in the run game, gaining inside hand placement to control defenders and maintaining enough power through his base to drive through his insteps to create leverage and move the point of attack. He creates vertical push on double-teams by closely stepping hip to hip with his guard while keeping his shoulders square to come off on linebackers.

Reitz shows the targeting and footwork to reach on the play side to get proper hand placement and allow his hips to work around to hook and seal defenders. He can also strain to cut off the backside when runs go away from him. However, he doesn't always sustain blocks, often letting defenders slip off to impact the play.

Position Value 

Overall

16. Mike Remmers, Carolina Panthers

Pass Protection

Mike Remmers plays with some explosion in pass protection, but he also has a tendency to be overly inconsistent.

He plays with an explosive vertical set, maintaining even weight distribution to get to his spot and settle his feet. With patience, he's then able to drop his hips to anchor versus the bull rush and build his house. In doing so, he's often on target with his initial punch.

Remmers is at his best when he can aggressively jump-set and maul tight edge-rushers on the line, but he shows average overall footwork when needing to expand his set points out versus elite speed. Inconsistent set points lead to his hand usage being erratic, and he's often late with his hands altogether and off target with his punch. All of this makes him susceptible to hand swipes and dip-and-rip techniques, which was evident in Super Bowl 50.

Run Blocking

Though he has some shortcomings in pass protection, Remmers gets after it in the run game. He quickly gets off the ball to engage and knock defenders back and plays with a powerful base, which allows him to get push at the point of attack.  

Remmers is able to reach defenders and gain the hand placement needed to work his hips around to seal but is better suited to take defenders down the middle to angle-drive block. He also shows the fight to sustain and strain to power through stalemates, although there are times he gets thrown off blocks when his pads rise up. 

Position Value 

Overall

15. Andre Smith, Cincinnati Bengals

Pass Protection

Andre Smith is smooth in pass protection and quickly gets into his set, maintaining even weight distribution while working to his landmark to settle on his spot. He displays good hand usage and punch timing and also has explosive upper-body power to violently deliver a strike and gain control to anchor.

Despite his mass (6'4", 325 lbs), Smith still has the foot quickness, body control and mobility to recover when defenders move him off his spot. He also smoothly changes directions to post down as well, using a strong inside hand to take away inside counters.

There were times in 2015 when Smith gave a little too much space without making a stand, though, which allowed defenders with elite explosion to gain momentum and jolt him back with a bull rush. 

Run Blocking

Smith generates good power at the point of attack in the run game, quickly engaging and lifting defenders to leverage and drive them off the line of scrimmage. He maintains a powerful base that allows him to sustain power and break stalemates, and he shows good foot quickness for his size.

Smith is able to scoop and combo-block with his guard and knows exactly when to overtake or to slip off to the second level. When uncovered, he's able to shift to the B-gap and climb up to linebackers who are flowing over the top toward the ball-carrier. He also consistently collapses the point of attack on down blocks.

Position Value 

Overall

14. Rob Havenstein, St. Louis Rams

Pass Protection

Rob Havenstein doesn't wow with athleticism, but he understands how to use what he has and is remarkably steady in pass protection. He's efficient with his movements, quickly getting to necessary set points based on his opponent. He runs into some issues, though, when he keeps kicking and fails to settle his feet to anchor.

When Havenstein does get to his spot, he shows a quick punch and the strength to strain through pressure, allowing him to anchor. There are times when he is off target with his hands, though, and they slip to the outside of defenders, allowing his opponent into his frame to leverage him back. He also lacks the awareness to maintain depth relationship with his guard at times, causing pressure when passing off line games.

Run Blocking

Havenstein is a solid run-blocker who possesses just enough of everything to get the job done. He understands the angles and footwork necessary to be effective in the zone-blocking scheme and certainly seems better suited for inside-zone concepts. Reaching and hooking the edge or ripping and running to cut off the backside on outside-zone runs aren't his strong suits.

Havenstein shows a powerful angle-drive block and is often able to power through stalemates. He generates good vertical movement on “deuce” block double-teams and is also effective at leveraging and overtaking zone combos.

Position Value 

Overall

13. Kyle Long, Chicago Bears

Pass Protection

Kyle Long had a rough start to the 2015 season in terms of pass protection after changing positions. Starting the season at right tackle, he gave up three sacks in the Bears' first three games. Long's landmarks and set points were off, which threw off the timing of his hands as well—all things to be expected when a player moves out to tackle after making the Pro Bowl at guard in each of his first two seasons.

As the season went on, however, Long made progress and started to settle into the right tackle spot a bit. He managed not to surrender a sack Week 4 through Week 13 and only gave up three quarterback hits during that time.

Long shows a smooth pass set that allowed him to work to expanded set points and to maintain leverage on edge-rushers, and he's effective at punching and anchoring. Where Long ran into trouble at times last season, though, was when he faced defenders who kept him out of sync with stop-and-go, off-speed rushes. He often hesitated to make a stand versus these off-speed rushers, and, as a result, his weight distribution was off and so were his hands.

Run Blocking

Long's run blocking came a little more natural to him in the position change. Last season, he consistently generated force on his base blocks to knock defenders off the ball and played with a powerful base that allowed him to sustain and drive through stalemates, although there were times his hand placement would slip outside his frame and he would lose leverage as a result.

Long does a tremendous job when he's the post man on "deuce" block double-teams with his guard, collapsing and pushing the 3-technique defensive tackle vertical. He also does well standing up defenders by stepping hip to hip on "trey" double-team blocks with this tight end and is able to square up and come off linebackers after pushing the double-team vertical.

Long is good at cutting off the backside when runs go away from him, doing it with quickness and craftiness. He often uses "box out" techniques to create a crease if there are defenders stacked in the gap, or he will use a "slingshot" technique to go behind the defender and quickly pull him to the backside and swim him to seal. 

Position Value 

Overall

12. Doug Free, Dallas Cowboys

Pass Protection

Doug Free is one of the top right tackles in the NFL—and yet he's nowhere close to being the best offensive lineman on his team. That's in no way an insult to Free. Dallas' offensive line is just that good.

In pass protection, he has the range to vertically set and hit his landmark to anchor against most edge players in the NFL. He shows the ability to establish and maintain a strong inside hand and post foot to take away the inside when defenders attempt to counter. He seems to be at his best when he can catch defenders off guard with switching to a jump set or short set to get his hands on tighter-shaded edge players. 

Free is able to walk most defensive ends up the field to widen them when they attempt to run the hoop, but he does struggle against some of the NFL's elite pass-rushers who have explosive burst to gain ground and are able to dip and rip, running the hoop with great body control to get to the quarterback. Free specifically has issues tracing the hoop to run those elite guys over the top and is inconsistent in transitioning his anchor versus elite speed-to-power players.

Run Blocking

Free brings toughness and intensity to Dallas' run game. Plain and simple, he's a mauler, and it is evident in many one-on-one situations with angled drive blocks and tight reach blocks. He gets off the ball with bad intentions.

Free shows the ability to lose ground on his first step and gain ground on his second step, gaining leverage to work his hips around to reach, hook and seal the edge. He also displays the targeting, body control and footwork needed to quickly cut off backside defenders when runs go away from him, but he does struggle at times with backside cutoff against 3-techniques who jet up the field. He could also do a better job of reaching and winning the edge versus wider-aligned edge players who keep outside leverage with their perimeter shoulder free.

Position Value 

Overall

11. Chris Clark, Houston Texans

Pass Protection

Chris Clark is at his best when he can get to his spot and punch-recoil-punch to stop the charge of a defender and eventually create leverage with his hands to drop his hips to anchor. He does a good job of taking advantage of his length in pass protection, using his inside arm to widen defenders up the field.

Clark has the foot quickness, balance and mobility to quickly recover and take away inside countermoves, but he struggles when a defender is able to keep his feet going and move him off his spot, attacking his upfield shoulder and running the hoop. He is late with his hands at times, which forces him to lunge to make contact with his punch. This allows rushers to clear his hands and force him to cross his feet over, making it hard for him to trace the hoop to run guys over the top and past the quarterback.

Run Blocking

Clark is a physical run-blocker who understands the nuances of the zone-blocking scheme. He shows the proper footwork and hand placement to reach and hook defenders on the edge, and if defenders keep him out-leveraged to his upfield shoulder, he is able to adjust and angle-drive block them.

Clark has great short-area quickness when straining to cut off the backside, and he understands when he needs to throw a cut block to get defenders down and out of pursuit. He also takes good angles to the second level and is violent when blocking linebackers.

Position Value 

Overall

10. Joe Barksdale, San Diego Chargers

Pass Protection

Joe Barksdale started every game for the Chargers in 2015—the only San Diego offensive lineman to do so. He was steady in pass protection, providing much-needed consistency within a unit that was a mess all season.

He wastes little movement in pass protection, efficiently setting vertically to maintain half-man leverage and create space against defenders who attack his edge. He also has no issues setting firm versus powerful defenders and displays a functional base with his insteps firmly dug into the ground, allowing him to slide in either direction or quickly brace, dig in and anchor.

The five-year vet keeps excellent weight distribution and body control in his pass-protection demeanor, allowing him to waste little movement if needing to recover. He displays patience and solid punch timing when delivering an explosive blow and shows the hand placement, strength and mobility to quickly anchor.

Barksdale’s set points can be a bit inconsistent when facing rushers who challenge his edge with speed, though, and there are times he over-sets and makes himself susceptible to inside countermoves.

Run Blocking

Barksdale is a strong run-blocker who generates great power through his base at the point of attack in the downhill run game, yet he shows the footwork, leverage and hand placement to step, latch and gain control of defenders in the zone-blocking scheme. Still, there are times when he struggles to win the edge when needing to hook defenders.

He has the strength and power to sustain and strain blocks and is able to work zone combos, knowing exactly when to keep pushing, overtake or slip off on a linebacker. When uncovered, Barksdale takes good angles when climbing up to the second level and is able to track moving defenders and execute blocks well.

Position Value 

Overall

9. Zach Strief, New Orleans Saints

Pass Protection

At this point in Zach Strief's career, pass protection doesn't come easy. He has to be efficient with his pass-protection technique to have consistent success against the NFL's dynamic pass-rushers.

Strief is at his best when he can set firm and get his hands on defenders to end the fight early, but he can expand his set points and get to his landmark to punch and anchor rushers who are attempting to get upfield. Where he struggles is in facing wide edge-rushers with an elite first step, as it puts constant strain on him to get vertical and set his feet.

Strief still shows the patience and punch timing to deliver a violent strike and the overall strength to consistently anchor, though. He does a good job of maintaining depth relationship to pass off line games and displays the mental processing and awareness to sort through pressures.

Run Blocking

Even at 32, Strief is still a mauler in the run game and plays with good physicality. He has great square power and generally explodes out of his stance, quickly engaging to hit, lift and drive defenders off the point of attack on base blocks or angled drive blocks. There are times, though, when he plays with too much weight forward and stops his feet, resulting in him falling off blocks.

Strief violently collapses 3-techniques on deuce blocks when he is the post man and is able to stand defenders up on combo and duo double-teams. He does a good job of climbing to the second level and fitting up on linebackers as well. His biggest issue on film is in cutting off the backside when runs go away from him.

Position Value 

Overall

8. Morgan Moses, Washington Redskins

Pass Protection

Morgan Moses really snaps into his set with urgency in pass protection and is able to kick and create space to hit his landmark and build his house to deliver a violent punch. He looks smooth and natural when kick-sliding and shows enough lower- and upper-body strength to anchor against the bull rush.

The second-year tackle displays good punch timing and shows the ability to gain inside hand placement to control and lock out defenders. He shows flashes of being able to use his arm length, strength and a quick set to neutralize edge-rushers when setting firm as a switch up.

There were times last year, however, when Moses under-set and let his feet go dead, struggling to run edge-rushers over the top and past the pocket. In some cases, he turned to yanking defenders, which led to some holding calls when he faced explosive edge-rushers. There were other times that he over-set and his post foot was not in position to cut off the inside, which opened him up for inside countermoves.

Run Blocking

Moses shows toughness and physicality in the run game and does not hesitate to finish off defenders when he has the chance. He plays with adequate strength, power and hip explosion at the point of attack, which allows him to knock defenders off the line and get push.

He maintains an ideal base in the run game and has the feet and hand placement to reach and keep edge defenders flat. He also understands when he needs to lock on and turn his reach into an angled drive block if he can't hook the defender.

The Virginia product combos with his guard or tight end, keeping his shoulders square, which allows him to smoothly come off linebackers. He also takes good angles to the second level when uncovered, often latching and engulfing linebackers.

For a guy his size (6'6", 318 lbs), Moses displays the short-area quickness needed to pull and get out on the perimeter. There are times when his feet get going in one direction and he struggles when he needs to quickly redirect, though, which often leads to him falling forward when trying to make contact on a moving defender. 

Position Value 

Overall

7. Derek Newton, Houston Texans

Pass Protection

Derek Newton is steady, though not spectacular, as a pass protector. He shows good balance and patience and outstanding punch timing. He also generally maintains half-man leverage on edge defenders while setting to expanded set points. He has the overall strength to anchor but at times struggles to transition from his kick to his anchor versus elite speed-to-power players.

Newton can recover when he loses position or is moved off his spot, and he has enough range to use his length, body control and athleticism to trace the hoop and run rushers past the quarterback if they attack his edge. There were times last season when Newton's mental processing and awareness just were not there, though, as he let loopers cross his face during line games and failed to slide out to pick up edge-rushers, leaving them a clear path to the quarterback.

Run Blocking

Newton has the feet, tracking, hip explosion and upper-body power to hit, lift and completely widen defenders on angled drive blocks. He shows the ability to leverage the outside shoulder of defenders and work his hips around to reach, hook and seal the edge effectively. He also has the targeting, body control and footwork needed to quickly cut off backside defenders when runs go away from him.

The five-year vet collapses and widens the point of attack on down blocks and can quickly pin the point of attack to allow his guard to pull. He generates great movement on double-teams and combo blocks with his guard and is able to slip off to fit on linebackers if his block is overtaken.

Position Value 

Overall

6. Ryan Schraeder, Atlanta Falcons

Pass Protection

Ryan Schraeder's best attribute in pass protection is the way he keeps rushers guessing by switching up his approach. He can quickly drive vertically into his set and is able to get to his spot and settle his feet, be patient and drop his hips to anchor versus the bull rush when he builds his house and is on target with his punch.

He also shows the ability to flash into his pass set, inviting rushers upfield and quickly cutting to slow their rush and get their hands down. He may be at his best when he can aggressively jump-set and maul tight edge-rushers on the line or short-set and use independent hands to slow defenders.

Schraeder shows decent overall footwork, but his hand usage is inconsistent, and he's often late with his hands and off target with his punch. This sometimes leaves him out of position and makes him susceptible to hand swipes. He does show he can recover when he misses with his hands, though.

Run Blocking

Schraeder doesn't always blow people off the ball with power in the run game, but he does show a physical mindset to get after defenders at the point of attack. He fires out of his stance to engage and knock defenders off the ball and attempts to finish defenders every chance he gets if he happens to overwhelm them with initial contact.

Schraeder maintains a powerful base to sustain and the strain at the point of attack, but he doesn't get much vertical movement, instead fighting to keep positional leverage. He's able to quickly reach the edge, turning and hooking defenders and keeping them flat down the line if they attempt to play through his outside shoulder.

Position Value 

Overall

5. Bobby Massie, Arizona Cardinals

Pass Protection

Bobby Massie possesses rare physical traits that only a few offensive linemen in the NFL have, and those offensive linemen are some of the game's elite left tackles. He has one of the best-looking and most efficient pass sets in the league.

The four-year vet showed good overall hand usage last year, which was a big improvement from his 2014 campaign. He's often able to keep rushers off balance by using independent hands to punch.

Once Massie reaches his landmark, he shows an above-average anchor. Where he gets into trouble, however, is with his mental processing and awareness to decipher elaborate pressure looks. Still, he has good body control and balance, which allows him to recover when moved off his spot.

Run Blocking

Massie is a fit for any run-blocking scheme. He plays with the power in his base to strain and power through the point of attack and can drive through stalemates with ease. He also has the footwork and range to quickly reach and seal the edge and can angle-drive those who keep him out-leveraged.

Massie is able to rip and run to cut off the backside when runs go away from him, and he does a nice job of using his hands to create leverage and control. He's also able to replace his hands when defenders initially win the hand-placement battle.

Massie works "scoops" with the guard, overtaking on the backside, and does a great job of “galloping” and high-legging 3-techniques on “deuce” block double-teams with his guard, although there are times when he could stand to stay heavier on the block. 

Position Value 

Overall

4. Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers

Pass Protection

Bryan Bulaga is as steady as any right tackle in the league in pass protection. He sets vertically, expands to settle his feet and anchor and shows good patience and punch timing. He also possesses great overall play strength to anchor against the bull rush.

Bulaga gets into trouble when facing speed-rushers with active hands, though, as they are able to clear his hands when he flashes them while they keep gaining ground upfield to run the hoop. When he is healthy, he does show the body control and balance to recover quickly.

The Iowa product also does a nice job of working with his guard to smoothly pass off line games, and he shows the awareness and mental processing needed to sort through pressures, even showing he can slide all the way out to pick up delayed edge pressure.

Run Blocking

The Packers demand that their offensive linemen are versatile in terms of run-blocking technique, and Bulaga does enough of the necessary things well to be an adequate run-blocker. He generates force by maintaining a powerful base and driving through to get push at the point of attack on base or angled drive blocks and looks to jolt defenders back on initial contact. He also shows the strength and hip mobility to re-leverage and strain to break stalemates on the line of scrimmage.

Bulaga gets good vertical movement on combos and shows he can collapse and secure the line of scrimmage when asked to work with his guard. He can also pin B-gap players at the point of attack, allowing his guard to get out and pull.

Position Value 

Overall

3. Marcus Gilbert, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pass Protection

Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert explodes into his pass set to gain vertical depth and is able to expand his set points while maintaining even weight distribution and half-man leverage. He has good punch timing and explosive upper-body power to violently deliver a strike and anchor versus elite talent. There are times when he gets too far overextended when attempting to set aggressively at the line, though, which leads to defenders quickly going to countermoves to clear his hands and get up the field.

Even when Gilbert allows rushers into his frame, his size and strength allow him to absorb and withstand, although he's had issues cutting off spin moves when defenders have gotten into his frame. Still, Gilbert displays the foot quickness, body control and mobility to recover when defenders move him off his spot.

Run Blocking

Gilbert comes off the ball with a purpose and quickly engages in the run game, outputting explosive power to jolt defenders off the point of attack. He generates force through the ground by maintaining a powerful base and driving through his insteps to get push at the point of attack on base or angled drive blocks and shows the strength and hip mobility to re-leverage and strain to break stalemates.

The former Florida Gator has sudden initial quickness, efficient footwork, hand placement and the hips to reach, seal and hook edge defenders. He does not generate much vertical movement on "deuce" blocks but displays enough sound technique to keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage to allow himself to generate force with his lead leg. This collapses the 3-technique down and allows his guard to secure and get movement off the line of scrimmage.

Position Value 

Overall

2. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Pass Protection

Lane Johnson has been a major positive for Philadelphia since being drafted fourth overall in 2013. He may not be a household name, but he's proved to be an exceptional piece of the Eagles' ever-shifting offensive puzzle.

Johnson shows an explosive vertical set that covers the necessary ground to get him to his landmarks so he can settle his feet and build his house. He's also effective at short-setting firmly to the line of scrimmage, getting his hands on defenders to keep rushers off balance as a changeup. He always appears to be comfortable in pass protection and plays with patience, strike-zone recognition and good punch timing. 

The converted college tight end possesses the instincts and athleticism that help him to get out of situations where other offensive linemen would get beaten. He has terrific body control, balance, weight distribution and overall mobility to recover and re-anchor on defenders who may have him initially out-leveraged and shows nimbleness to run speed-rushers over the top of the pocket and past the quarterback.

Run Blocking

Johnson has the strength, power and explosiveness at the point of attack to knock defenders off the ball when asked to base block or angle-drive block. He generates force from the ground by driving through his insteps to strain and drive defenders when moving the point of attack or breaking stalemates. He rarely wastes any movement in the run game due to his exceptional footwork.

The Oklahoma product explodes off the ball and displays the targeting and footwork necessary to reach and drive defenders and the hips and hand placement to either hook or keep defenders flat down the line of scrimmage. Johnson is an effective blocker at the second level and shows the ability to pull to the perimeter and execute blocks in space.

Position Value 

Overall

1. Mitchell Schwartz, Cleveland Browns

Pass Protection

Mitchell Schwartz has established himself as the best right tackle in the NFL, and he was one the most sought-after offensive linemen in free agency this year. He had several signature performances in 2015, including shutting out Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller. That performance alone shined a spotlight on just how good Schwartz is. It also doesn't hurt that he gave up just three sacks all season.

Schwartz shows a smooth vertical set that allows him to set the depth of the pocket. He has good range and is able to expand set points if needed. He also does a great job of explosively punching and recoiling to slow defenders and keep them out of his frame, although there are times his hands are off target and defenders are able to get hand placement into his frame and walk him back.

Schwartz uses his length and foot quickness to trace the hoop to run defenders past the quarterback and does a decent job of mirroring the inside with his strong inside-hand usage. Still, he was caught with an inside spin move a time or two last season.

With body control and reflexes to recover when defenders moved him off his spot, Schwartz often battled to latch on and drive guys out of pursuit. There were times last season when he could have been just a bit firmer when transitioning his kick to settle and anchor versus speed-to-power players, though, and at times he allowed too much space before settling his feet.

Run Blocking

Schwartz has become a steady run-blocker, especially in zone schemes. He understands the nuances of the scheme (in-line angles, landmark timing and leverage) and is able to quickly get off the ball and gain inside hand placement to control defenders. He maintains power through his base and creates movement at the point of attack.

Schwartz has the footwork, targeting and hand placement to reach, hook and work his hips around to seal edge defenders and knows when to angle-drive block players when they have him out-leveraged. He also displays the targeting, body control and footwork needed to quickly strain through and cut off backside defenders when runs go away from him.

Still, there are times when he loses some of his power when trying to re-leverage because he brings his feet too close together. In those cases, his pad level rises and defenders are able to get under him and keep him out-leveraged.

Schwartz generates good force to get vertical push and collapse B-gap players on double-teams while effectively executing "reach and overtake" concepts on outside zone plays. He also shows the footwork, targeting, upper-body explosion and hand usage to deliver a violent blow when collapsing and widening the point of attack on down blocks for power plays.

Position Value 

Overall