Utah tackle might be 'safest player' available

[The_Philster]

Overlooked once, Gross is now called low-risk pick
Forgive the scouts and coaches around the NFL for not getting too excited about Utah offensive tackle Jordan Gross, but there's really nothing to worry about.

''Safest player on the board,'' Green Bay offensive line coach Larry Beightol said. ``He's a great player, good kid, got all the intangibles . . . You never really know if a guy is going to make it, but you know what reduces the risks.''

In a year when the NFL draft, which will be held April 26-27, is loaded with intriguing players who are perceived to be risky prospects, such as quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Byron Leftwich, Gross typifies the other end of the spectrum....more

[The_Philster]

Athletic Gross seeks to live up to hype

Offensive linemen always talk about the pride they feel when their teammates who handle the football produce gaudy statistics.

If the so-called skilled players have the time and space to pile up yards and touchdowns, then that means the grunts up front are doing their jobs well.

But what sets linemen apart from each other? How can we tell the best from the rest?

A glimpse at the college career of offensive tackle
Jordan Gross from the University of Utah provides some clues....more