Just as the 1983 draft became known as the “Quarterback Class of 1983” because of the six quarterbacks taken in the first round, perhaps this year's draft will become the “Tackle Class of 2008.” Since 1980 the draft has averaged three tackles a year in the first round and never has there been more than five taken (1992 and 1995). However, including Branden Albert — who had played most of his career to that point as a guard — the 2008 first round contained 8 tackles. That's startling enough on it's own but given the way rookie offensive tackles often struggle, the way the majority of these guys are performing is equally impressive.
Jake Long — First selection to Miami (games analyzed: W1 vs. NYJ, W2 @ Arz, W7 vs. Bal, W9 @ Den and W12 vs. NE)
We spoke about how well Long was playing in our AFC Key Performances article a couple of weeks ago, so we won't dwell too long on the ex-Wolverine. Since then we've looked at another game (the Patriots in Week 12) which, ironically, turned out to be the worst of his outings we've graded to date. His pass blocking was less assured and although he didn't give up a sack, he surrendered 2 hits and a pressure in the 35 pass plays he was in (Long missed 10 dropbacks and two running plays due to injury). This may not seem a lot, but that's more of an indication of the excellence in his previous displays. His run blocking was once again average but sharing the points in a confrontation with the rejuvenated Richard Seymour is hard to fault.
The bottom line for Long is that he's made a great start to his NFL career, starting every game, with an emphasis on superb pass protection and solid if relatively unremarkable run blocking.
Ryan Clady — 12th selection to Denver (Games analyzed: W1 @ Oak, W2 vs. SD, W9 vs. Mia, W10 @ Cle and W13 @ NYJ)
Before I get into a debate about “sack statistics,” I'd like to make it clear that I think Clady already is an excellent player and may well turn out to be the best of a superb group of tackles. That said, if I get sack statistics quoted at me in isolation any more regarding Clady, I think I'll lose the will to live. So far he's listed by Stats, Inc. as giving up 0.5 of a sack. Unfortunately, this is the best shot at quantifying his ability for the average hack writing about him. The relevance of half as a measure within sacks notwithstanding (I have no idea why anyone should lose half the credit — or debit — for a sack because of the coincidence that someone else happened to do something similar at the same time), it takes no account of the hits or pressures he's given up.
Last year Tony Ugoh giving up 1.5 sacks was used by many to “show” how well he'd performed in pass protection, when in fact this was far more a function of Peyton Manning's uncanny ability to sense pressure and get rid of the ball at the last moment. In the six games we viewed, Ugoh's protection statistics of 1 sack, 8 hits and 13 pressures given up is a far more accurate measure of his performance.
On a similar basis, in the five games listed above for Clady we've noted no sacks, 3 hits and 11 pressures. Given that's from an average of 44 pass plays per game it represents a very solid, though not exceptional, body of work. It's really only when you combine that with a generally positive display of run blocking and a low penalty count and the fact that he has started since Week 1 that the true picture begins to emerge. Clady is a superb athlete who, injury aside, should man the LT position for the Broncos for 5-10 years. However, in pass protection, he's been just above average for an NFL starter and the 0.5 sack statistic is at best misleading.
Chris Williams — 14th selection to Chicago
I'll be honest with you, I haven't seen Williams' final-five-play appearance at LT in garbage time in the Bears' drubbing from the Packers. I've got the game tape but the relevance of those plays in that particular circumstance is limited at best. That said, when he initially underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc before the season started, IR appeared more likely to me than considering digging out a handful of inconsequential plays.
With the Bears still heavily in playoff contention, it's unlikely we'll get to review Williams properly before next year and that's a real shame, given incumbent John St. Clair has been extremely poor and a clear weakness whenever we've looked at the Bears' offensive line.
Branden Albert — 15th selection to Kansas City (Games analyzed: W1 @ NE, W2 vs. Oak, W7 vs. Ten, W11 vs. NO and W13 @ Oak)
No team has struggled more at tackle than the Chiefs over the past few years, so to get a rookie to start immediately and perform anything over and above a tackle dummy would be an upgrade. While based on current showings Albert isn't likely to make anyone forget Willie Roaf, he should make the names of Jordan Black, Will Svitek, etc. fade quickly from the memory of the KC faithful.
As with Long, Albert is currently more skilled and consistent in his pass protection than his run blocking and again, that's counter intuitive given he's played the vast majority of his career at guard. In the games we've watched, his pass blocking is consistently average for an NFL tackle, giving away just over 2.5 sacks, hits or pressures combined per game. However his discipline has been excellent — he's yet to give up any form of penalty which, if maintained, may well be a record for a rookie.
His run blocking, while not at that level of his pass pro, is far from disastrous and if he can avoid games like the Week 13 encounter with Oakland (where he struggled to contain Jay Richardson), he will make what many felt was a boom-or-bust pick very much the former.
Gosder Cherilus — 17th selection to Detroit (Games analyzed: W2 vs. GB, W5 vs. Chi and W9 @ Chi)
For a week and a half the Lions had me worried, as I thought that they had potentially chosen a worse RT than George Foster with the 17th selection in the draft, something that many (myself included) would have deemed impossible. The Lions started Foster in the first two games but luckily for both the Lions and Cherilus, Foster never flattered to deceive and performed as we knew he probably would. He gave up 2 sacks, 1 hit and 4 pressures in 64 pass plays before being yanked at the start of the third quarter of Week 2.
While Cherilus has had poor days (he looked well out of his depth in the Thanksgiving Day massacre by the Titans and was benched in Week 6 at the Vikings), he's been acceptable in the games we've graded. Make no mistake — acceptable play at RT for the Lions is a vast improvement. Similarly to the others mentioned above, his pass blocking is ahead of his run blocking at this stage, but for a tackle that's not the worst place to be.
So, if the Lions can shore up something that was shipping water at the rate of their starting right tackle berth, it leaves them hope for the dozen or so others that they need to resolve.
Jeff Otah — 19th Selection to Carolina (Games analyzed: W1 @ SD, W2 vs. Chi and W10 vs. Oak)
Otah was in the lineup at RT in Week 1 and, but for a high ankle sprain that kept him out for all four games in October, would have been another of the 2008 tackles to start every game to date. For Otah, though, unlike the others, the Panthers did have real options and could easily have left Travelle Wharton at LT and Jordan Gross at RT if he'd been less than proficient. However, by the time Otah went down, the Panthers were settled enough to simply replace him with Jeremy Bridges and wait for his recovery.
In the three games we've seen, whilst his run blocking is fine (as expected), his pass protection isn't that far behind. Although the fact he's only given up two sacks and three pressures in those games is partially indicative, it should be noted that this is offset slightly by the fact he had more than 30 dropbacks per game and the Panthers kept their TE in to block on his side more than most teams.
Sam Baker — 21st selection to Atlanta (Games analyzed: W1 @ Det, W2 @ SF and W6 vs. Chi)
With the cries of “reach” coming from many draft analysts, Baker had done everything in his power to impress those who wait for the real action. He'd made the starting LT job his own from the first preseason game and had successfully negotiated his first five quarters of NFL regular-season action when, during the second quarter of the Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers, he got a knee to the head during a cut block and was held out for the rest of the day. He returned the following week against the Chiefs but didn't play after half-time with flu-like symptoms including nausea and dizziness. This then kept him out against the Panthers in Week 4 before he returned in the Week 5 victory at Lambeau Field.
After playing every snap during the Week 6 epic with the Bears, Baker then went down with a “hip injury” and was held out of the game against Philadelphia before specialists examined him and diagnosed a herniated disc that was subsequently removed. Sam could be back anytime soon but to date he's only played in three full games, of which we've analyzed two.
The Falcons emphasis on the run somewhat distorts the fact he's given up only 1 hit and 3 pressures, but for the number of pass plays he's been in, that's bang-on average. To say that he was instrumental in the resurgence of running game in Week 1 (as I've seen in some reports) is pushing things as he did an acceptable job but no more. The real push came from the middle of the line and tight ends Justin Peelle and Ben Hartsock. However, unless the run of injuries turns out to be a trend rather than a coincidence, Baker looks to be a worthy member of the Tackle Class of 2008.
Duane Brown — 26th selection to Houston (Games analyzed: W1 @ Pit, W4 @ Jax, W8 vs. Cin, W11 @ Ind and W13 vs. Jac)
Of all the 2008 tackles that've played, Brown is the one whose struggles have been most obvious. He's started all 13 games to date but is still sharing time with Ephraim Salaam (something akin to being benched for George Foster) and they've also given him help on occasion from TEs and backs. It's against this background his pass protection statistics need to be considered. Stats, Inc. has him giving up 10.5 sacks to date, of which we've noted 4 in the five games we've analyzed, together with 7 pressures. Poor numbers are exacerbated by the reduced number of plays he's faced and the help he's been given.
So is he the odd man out in the “Tackle Class of 2008”? The Todd Blackledge in among Dan Marino, John Elway and Jim Kelly (not that anyone is suggesting that Ryan Clady and Jake Long are Hall of Fame-bound just yet)? I, for one, wouldn't go that far for three reasons:
1. He's a decent enough run blocker; not great, not dominating just yet but certainly good enough to get by in the NFL.
2. He's improving. Over the games I've analyzed, I've seen a significant improvement in his pass protection and I think it's no coincidence that the Texans are much better now than at the start of the year. It was Salaam who had problems against Jacksonville on Monday Night Football, not Brown.
3. Of the other NFL linemen you can compare him to, he's really not that bad. Given what I've seen to date I'd probably take him over Levi Brown (who's shown no real sign of improvement over a poor rookie year) and Joe Staley (who, if anything, looks more lost now than he did in 2007).
I feel under the wing of Alex Gibbs, if he can continue to progress, he may make the grade and not end up as the bust many Texans fans believed he‘d be when he was drafted.
In Summary
Of the eight tackles taken in the first round, six started in Week 1 and four have played in every game. Two look like future Pro Bowlers, with another three already as good as most NFL tackles. Of the remaining three, one has been injured and the other two are showing signs of improvement after less than auspicious starts. That's a great showing in position that's notoriously difficult for rookies to handle. “The Tackle Class of 2008?” We'll see.
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