Offensive lineman drafted in the 1st round.

[eacantdraft]

Debate on another board I'm on. Are offensive lineman worth taking in the 1st round or are do they take away from other needs and can be gotten in later rounds?

Since recent Super Bowl teams have at least one first round stud on their offensive line while teams who draft offensive line low (Cleveland, Dallas, Houston) tend to struggle despite the talent they have at the skilled positions.

[Splat]

They are for sure worth taking in the first but I must say my Chiefs have had alot of luck finding them in later rounds but they are worth the risk for sure.

[bigbluedefense]

Absolutely. Id draft linemen the first 3 rounds and build my skill positions in rounds 4-6. Skill position players are overrated. It all starts with the lines. I draft dline and linebackers on d in the first 3 rounds, and oline and qb in the first 3 rounds on offense. WRs, CBs, S, RBs can all be had in the later rounds with great value.

[yourfavestoner]

Originally Posted by eacantdraft

Debate on another board I'm on. Are offensive lineman worth taking in the 1st round or are do they take away from other needs and can be gotten in later rounds?

Since recent Super Bowl teams have at least one first round stud on their offensive line while teams who draft offensive line low (Cleveland, Dallas, Houston) tend to struggle despite the talent they have at the skilled positions.

There are only so many big guys in every draft, and they go quickly. If you're in the top 10 and a quality big guy is available, you better take him. Six-foot, 190-pound wide receivers are a dime a dozen, but 6-6, 320-pound men who are athletic and can run are rare.

[AlexDown]

The game is won in the trenches.

[njx9]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Absolutely. Id draft linemen the first 3 rounds and build my skill positions in rounds 4-6. Skill position players are overrated. It all starts with the lines. I draft dline and linebackers on d in the first 3 rounds, and oline and qb in the first 3 rounds on offense. WRs, CBs, S, RBs can all be had in the later rounds with great value.

QFT but with a caveat. if i'm running a system like denver's or atlanta's that's based on speed, i'll take my tackles in the first, but i'll wait on interior linemen.

if i'm on a traditional team, line is the absolute first priority no matter what.

[Zim3031]

I don't see why they wouldn't be worth first round value. I hate to use cliches` but games are won in the trenches.

Although Bill Parcells did pretty well for himself and he never took any linemen early in the draft if I remember.

[draftguru151]

IMO for OL only OTs and absolute monster guards are first rounder worthy.

[bsaza2358]

The Eagles have taken offensive linemen at various stages in the draft. All of their current starters are homegrown, except for Runyan, who they signed in 2000.

Line:

LT: William Thomas (First Round, 1998)
LG: Todd Herremens (4th Round, 2005)
C: Jamaal Jackson (Undrafted, 2003)
RG: Shawn Andrews (First Round, 2004)
RT: John Runyan (Free Agent, 2000, former first day pick)

Backups:

Scott Young (5th Round, 2004), Winston Justice (2nd Round, 2006), Max Jean-Gilles (4th Round, 2006), Pat McCoy (Undrafted, 2006), Nick Cole (Undrafted, 2006)

[bsaza2358]

But yes, it is worth it to draft the right players for OLine in the first round. There are franchise players at pretty much every position. Some positions require more ability to become first round grade (K, P, OG, S), but if a guy can play, he should be taken where he is valued. Linemen go in round 1 every year. It's just the way things go. Many pan out and a few bust. Same with every position. Linemen get less attention, so people remember overhyped players from other positions more.

[draftguru151]

The Eagles OL kinda shows what I am saying, OT and absolute monster guard, aka Shawn Andrews, Justin Blalock.

[bsaza2358]

Originally Posted by draftguru151

The Eagles OL kinda shows what I am saying, OT and absolute monster guard, aka Shawn Andrews, Justin Blalock.

They also got a second tier (but very solid) OT in Tra Thomas back in the day. His replacement, Winston Justice, was an early second rounder and could have gone in the first...

[Staubach12]

I think you can get linemen all over the place. I think in some drafts, the o-linemen who you think you can turn into somebody are all rated very high. SAometimes you see a guy down later that you think you can make into a good player. You need to do some of both IMO. Wherever the guys you want are, take 'em there. For example, this year, Dallas got a guy named Pat McQuistan in the 7th round. They liked him, and got him where he was supposed to be. This year in camp, he impressed, and now there are talks that he might be the future at LT.

[bsaza2358]

Hall of Famers at every position can come in any round. Sometimes it's a clear cut situation (Walter Jones, Ogden), and sometimes it's a later round choice that pays off (Larry Allen).

[Number 10]

Games are won and lost in the trenches.

[Ravens1991]

yes

[Splat]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

Hall of Famers at every position can come in any round. Sometimes it's a clear cut situation (Walter Jones, Ogden), and sometimes it's a later round choice that pays off (Larry Allen).

Will Shields was a 3rd round pick can you say steal and Brain Waters was undrafted. :shock:

[draftguru151]

Originally Posted by Splat420

Will Shields was a 3rd round pick can you say steal and Brain Waters was undrafted. :shock:

Didn't Waters used to play RB?

[Pokeys]

Well Ill be apart of the small minority here. I wouldnt draft an O-lineman in the first round unless he is a sure fire pick like Brickshaw Ferguson. I think you get great O-lineman later in the draft.

[effthiskid11]

Originally Posted by draftguru151

Didn't Waters used to play RB?

FB at North Texas, Dallas brought him in as a UDFA, released him, we picked him up, put some weight on him and he went to NFL europe for a season, now he's the best LG in the NFL

[Staubach12]

Originally Posted by effthiskid11

FB at North Texas, Dallas brought him in as a UDFA, released him, we picked him up, put some weight on him and he went to NFL europe for a season, now he's the best LG in the NFL

It's because he was in Dallas

[PalmerToCJ]

The Bengals have found great success taking OL's early in the draft.

We have three of the better OL in the league in Levi Jones (10th pick), Willie Anderson (10th pick) and Eric Steinbach (1st pick of second round).

So I'm a believe in taking them early... 2nd round is a great spot. Without a Oline your team WILL struggle, regardless of who you have at the other positions (see Bengals current situation).

[jackalope]

O-lineman are worth 1st round picks, but's it's not hard to find on in the later rounds. the Packers have 2 very good 7th round starting linemen (Mark Tauscher, Scott Wells)

[M.O.T.H.]

Mike Williams, Leonard Davis, and Robert Gallery anyone?

Aaron Gibson, the list goes on.

[Pokeys]

Originally Posted by M.O.T.H.

Mike Williams, Leonard Davis, and Robert Gallery anyone?

Aaron Gibson, the list goes on.

UT Players ... Well two of those are. Good point though, exactly...