NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It's next to impossible for a team to enter an NFL Draft feeling completely comfortable with the personnel throughout their offensive line. The level of need varies per team, but each organization is always looking to add quality and depth to the position.
Some teams have free agent departures that leave holes to fill; others want to improve the talent level. Some teams just need one player to complete their starting lineup; others will look to fill multiple positions.
The Titans could use the upcoming draft to fill the void left by the departure of injured offensive tackle Michael Oher. That's not to say Tennessee will spend its second overall pick on a tackle, but it's worth knowing who the best player at the position is.
That man, according to most, is Brandon Scherff from Iowa.
Bleacher Report's NFL Draft Lead Writer has Scherff going fifth overall to the Washington Redskins. ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both say he's going ninth to the Giants. All three draft experts have Scherff as the first offensive lineman off the board.
Brandon Scherff, OT (Iowa)
Overview:
Scherff started all 26 games at left tackle during his junior and senior campaigns and owns 36 career starts at Iowa. His senior year honors included the Outland Trophy, a consensus All-American selection, Big-Ten Lineman of the Year and first team All-Big Ten.
Much like Leonard Williams on the defensive side of the ball, Scherff's draft stock has a lot to do with his ability to play all over the offensive line. Tackle or guard, right side or left side, it doesn't matter. Scherff is expected to be a dominant NFL lineman wherever his team puts him.
Strengths: A Jack of All Trades
Miller: "I think Brandon Scherff is definitely the top tackle in the draft. I also think he could play guard and be an All-Pro. He's just very, very good. He has unreal athleticism. I don't think that showed up on film this year because he went through a knee injury that he had scoped earlier in the year. I think that held him back a bit. He is phenomenally explosive and uses his hands well.
"In the running game, he's powerful, he's a finisher and he can get mean. In the passing game if you go back to 2013, he was very fluid and very smooth. He understands angles and hand placement. I think if he was put at left guard, he'd be one of the best in the NFL in a few years. He's that good in the run game and he's athletic enough."
Needs to Show: Does he have the length to play left tackle?
Miller: "The biggest question mark is that he doesn't have the prototypically long arms or the big height that would make a team think he could play left tackle. His question mark may just be where he is going to play at the next level."
NFL Comparison: Zach Martin (Cowboys)
Miller: "I think Scherff could be a Zach Martin type of player that just walks in and becomes a star in his first year. That's a solid comparison for him, a guy who can play all over the offensive line and really hold his own at nearly every position."
