NFL Draft Odds: Favorites emerge for top offensive lineman selected in first round
There is an emerging NFL Draft story line. The defense will be shut out among the top 10 picks. Instead, it will be all about the quarterbacks, receivers and tackles.
Yes, the big guys will get their due early in the first round. But there is no consensus, as of now, on who will be the first off the board. But you can get a hint from where the money is going. FanDuel researched who the gamblers believe will go No. 1.
So let’s take a look at the candidates. Remember that last year, two offensive tackles were among the top 10 selections. They were Paris Johnson and Darnell Wright.
Joe Alt, Notre Dame (-195)
At least through mid-March, Joe Alt seems to be the consensus selection for No. 1 offensive lineman in the NFL Draft. And why not? His bloodlines, alone, suggest he has the right stuff. Dad was a Pro Bowler with the Kansas Chiefs Chiefs and older brother is in the NHL.
NFL.com suggests his best comparison is to Eric Fisher. the top pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State (+340)
Fuaga is versatile. He can line up at right tackle or slide inside to guard. He started two years for the Beavers, so he has the experience for the NFL. He also did not allow a sack last season.
At the NFL combine, he showed athleticism for a guy his size, running a 5.13 in the 40 and jumping 32 inches in the vertical.
J.C. Latham, Alabama (+750)
Latham reported to the NFL Combine at a lithe 345, which was twenty pounds lighter than his listed weight at Bama.
He is also a lineman destined for right tackle, where he started for two seasons. And, he also can move inside to guard. He probably is headed for the back half of the first round.
Troy Fautanu, Washington (+1600)
You don’t see this combo very often. In high school, Fautanu starred in both football and volleyball. And it all made him a terrific offensive lineman.
Fautanu was the left tackle for quarterback Michael Penix the past two seasons. That should be atop his draft resume.
Amarius Mims, Georgia (+2500)
Bulldog fans should keep a close eye on where Mims goes in the draft. If he does become a first rounder, he will be the fifth Bulldog offensive lineman taken in the first round over the past eight years. That would tie Alabama for the most during that time. Of course, the Crimson Tide would pull ahead if Latham goes amongst the top 32.
The knock on Mims is his lack of experience. He played in only six games last season and has seen action in only 21.
Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma (+7500)
Guyton was a defensive lineman in high school. He then focused on offensive line and H back when he played for TCU. However, he found his true self once he transferred to Oklahoma.
He is a mover through the first round of the NFL Draft after his impressive outing at the Senior Bowl, then at the NFL Combine. He is long and relatively lean, standing 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds. He ran a 5.19 in the 40-yard and posted a vertical of 34.5 inches.
So save the date. The NFL Draft goes live from Detroit from April 25-27. No doubt there will be a ton of attention on quarterbacks and receivers. But the big dudes in the trenches will get their time in the limelight.