The left tackle is a linchpin-level position, a cornerstone component of a pro football team\u2019s roster. It\u2019s the most important position other than the quarterback, because no lineman more centrally protects the quarterback\u2019s health and safety throughout an NFL season. Let\u2019s examine the five best offensive tackles in the 2022 NFL draft, which is now upon us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 \u2013 Charles Cross, Mississippi State<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bulldogs\u2019 passing game was able to function at a reasonable level and carry MSU to a bowl game because Cross was relentlessly consistent. According to Pro Football Focus, Cross conceded a mere 16 quarterback pressures in 2021 on 719 snaps. That\u2019s a phenomenal display of dependability in the trenches at a high-stress, high-leverage position. If you\u2019re trying to do the math on that and project it out to a full game, that\u2019s one QB pressure every 45 snaps, which is basically under two pressures per game in most instances. NFL teams would absolutely love to see their starting tackle give up only two pressures per game, keeping in mind that pressures aren\u2019t as severe or problematic as sacks or hits. If a tackle is giving up two pressures per game, that probably means zero sacks in most games. If we were to map out a full season of 17 games, that would mean 34 pressures. From 34, the number of hits conceded would be even smaller, and from that smaller number, the amount of sacks would be still smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 \u2013 Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ekwonu provides value as a run-blocking tackle for an NFL team in need of one. Pro Football Focus research indicated that Ekwonu recorded 18 elite-level blocks, which translate to a pancake block which completely flattens an opposing defensive lineman or linebacker and takes that defensive player totally out of the play. That number \u2013 18 elite blocks \u2013 is seven more than other offensive lineman from the top conferences in college football as measured by PFF\u2019s own internal formula. That\u2019s pretty eye-popping as a measure of quality. North Carolina State had a solid 2021 season, and Ekwonu was in the middle of it. Teams which lacked a robust running game can take him on draft night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 Evan Neal, Alabama<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Crimson Tide made the College Football Playoff and the national championship game before losing to Georgia. That doesn\u2019t happen without a really solid offensive line. Neal is 350 pounds with agile footwork scouts love. He allowed just 22 quarterback pressures all season, which \u2013 for the sake of comparison and relevance \u2013 is only six more than top tackle prospect Charles Cross, who allowed just 16 as we noted earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4 \u2013 Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact that Northern Iowa is not part of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition should not be seen as a dent in Penning\u2019s resume or overall profile. This is a 6-7, 321-pound beast who is an athletic freak and can execute the techniques a tackle needs to master in order to have a strong pro career. He isn\u2019t slow, he isn\u2019t physically inferior, he has long arms, and he isn\u2019t carrying too many pounds, which will aid him in agility and physical recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5 \u2013 Zion Johnson, Boston College<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Boston College offense stalled in 2021, but that was because starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec got injured in September and missed most of the season. If Jurkovec had stayed healthy, Boston College would have thrived and the nation would have gotten a better understanding of why Johnson is a top prospect. Scouts are not going to hold a QB injury against Johnson. This is a good value pick in the draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The left tackle is a linchpin-level position, a cornerstone component of a pro football team\u2019s roster. 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