Final mock drafts: Where will O'Cyrus Torrence go on draft night?
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence is generally thought to be the second Gator drafted but how long will he have to wait?
Torrence is considered by most to be the best interior lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, not many teams view plug-and-play offensive guards as first-round picks. While Torrence was a consensus All-American, that doesn’t mean he’ll be selected in the first round Thursday night.
“He has the measurables. He’s 6-foot-five, 335 pounds. Plays with tremendous power and length. Good in the run game, can move people, but has also been outstanding in protection. This is the opposite of Anthony Richardson. This guy has played close to 3500 snaps in his career,” Billy Napier said this week.
“There’s a huge sample size. Three years of group of five play, but now, a year against the best players in the country in the Southeastern Conference. This is a guy, in my opinion, can plug and play as a day one starter. The proof in the pudding. He’s not only proved it on film but in every measurable. I think the guy is off the charter. Cybo has been a pleasure to be around. I can’t complement his work ethic, his durability, his toughness. He has been a very consistent player and person for us throughout his career.”
Mel Kiper – ESPN
Kiper makes the same point we do. While Torrence may be the best guard in the draft, there aren’t many teams in the NFL that value that position in the first round. Kiper has Torrence going 38th overall to the Oakland Raiders, where he’ll be an instant starter.
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“Plug-and-play guards aren’t always valued in Round 1, but that’s exactly what Torrence is. He’s going to plow defenders in the run game and he’s going to pancake them in pass sets. He allowed just one sack in 2022, his first season at Florida after transferring from Louisiana, where he started at both left and right guard over three seasons. Torrence would be an easy upgrade for the Raiders’ interior O-line.”
Matt Miller – ESPN
Miller has Torrence sliding a little farther than his ESPN cohort but also views Torrence as a second-round pick.
“Plug-and-play guards aren’t always valued in Round 1, but that’s exactly what Torrence is. He’s going to plow defenders in the run game and he’s going to pancake them in pass sets. He allowed just one sack in 2022, his first season at Florida after transferring from Louisiana, where he started at both left and right guard over three seasons. Torrence would be an easy upgrade for the Raiders’ interior O-line.”
Walter Football
Waltefootball.com has been a pillar in the mock draft community for more than a decade. The site has Torrence sneaking into the first round with the 31st and final pick (the Miami Dolphins forfeited a first-round pick after tampering with Tom Brady prior to last season).
