| April 14, 2007 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 12:00 AM |
With Melvin Fowler at center, the Buffalo Bills have their starter for 2007. However, depth is a concern. After spending $75 million in free agency on offensive line, the best they can come up with behind Fowler on the depth chart is journeyman and "Jack of all trades" Jason Whittle, followed by second year man Aaron Merz. This draft is a bit weak with natural centers- but has a number of day 2 selections that teams love- versatile lineman that can be plugged in at OG or OT in a pinch.
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Kalil anchored the line for some dominant Trojan offenses as a three-year starter at USC. One of the most polished centers in the country. Makes the offensive line calls, and is rarely wrong, on blitz pickups and blocking assignments. Plays with good leverage, and shows nice footwork. He's got a very balanced skill set, appearing to be just as solid in pass protection, as he is run blocking. He is a very good pass blocker who rarely gives up a sack. His athleticism allows him to get to the second level and hit a moving target in the running game. Ryan lacks ideal size for a center and he may get overpowered by bigger, stronger defensive tackles at times.Shows a ton of room for growth and potential. Doesn't have the strength at the point of attack, to handle nose tackles, and needs help in many blocking situation. He would benefit from bulking up and increasing his strength. Ryan Kalil is one of the best centers in the nation and should be a first day pick in the 2007 NFL draft. His father , Frank Kalil, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1982. In 1984, he was Jim Kelly's center for the USFL's Houston Gamblers.
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Satele has been a standout since his freshman season, playing a variety of roles for Hawaii, starting at both left tackle and left guard before moving to center. During that time he has proven to be a very durable player who simply doesn't miss time due to injury. He is an intelligent player who also displays the "mean streak" you like to see in an offensive lineman. He is a great pass protector who uses his hands well and only gave up a handful of sacks in his career. That said, he is not the typical lineman from a pass-happy system. He is a very strong and well-built Center prospect and scouts love the tenacity he shows as a run-blocker. Satele does not possess massive size to engulf bigger two-gap NT's in the NFL. He comes from a pass-heavy offense in college, which could set him back when transitioning to a more balanced, pro-style scheme in the NFL. He also lacks ideal mobility and experience as a run blocker. In our opinion, Satele is a bit of a project but he has enough upside to warrant consideration late on Day 1.
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atish fits the mold of recent Ohio State offensive linemen who have entered the NFL -- versatile, strong and aggressive. The consummate team player, Datish has played every position on the OSU front wall during his career. He is an intelligent player and an extremely hard worker. He has the "mean streak" you like to see in an offensive lineman. He is a quick, athletic lineman who is able to pull and hit moving targets. He has solid size, and shows the athleticism to move his feet laterally, along with getting out and blocking on the move. Datish will finish his blocks and drive his man into the ground at every opportunity. Very smart and experienced player, and shows his leadership, making the o-line calls for the Buckeyes. If there is a knock- it's his experience playing the center position. Really only has one season at center, and for some systems, may be better suited to play guard. Not the most athletic guy, and like most players, will need to get bigger and stronger to sustain the level of physical play, in the NFL. Datish doesn't have great explosiveness but he has the versatility, frame, quickness and tenacity to develop into a solid starting center in the NFL. He has continued to make significant strides as a senior, which is why Datish's draft stock has improved to the third-or-fourth round range of the 2007 class.
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Versatility may be the best trait Harris brings to the table. He has more experience at center, but has the talent to move to guard in the NFL. He is a good athlete and plays with good short area quickness. Leroy is a tough, strong player with a good work ethic. He does have the "mean streak" you like to see in an offensive lineman. He is powerful at the point of attack and will drive defenders off the line of scrimmage. He plays until the whistle is blown and does a good job of finishing his blocks. Leroy is one of the few interior offensive line prospects who is good in both run and pass blocking. Lacks ideal agility. Will struggle versus quicker defensive linemen. The more space he's in the less effective he becomes. Lacks the speed to be effective pulling in space, making him a better center prospect than guard -tends to leave his feet in attempts to make second-level blocks. Leroy is a versatile player who could project as a guard or center at the next level and he could possibly play both for a team, and that may be the true selling point in selecting him in April. He projects to be a n early day 2 selection.
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Kyle Young has tons of experience, having started the past four seasons at center for Fresno State. He has rare size and strength for the center position and holds his ground well against the bull rush. He's also capable of dominating smaller opponents and opening holes for the running game. He is a hard worker with a motor that does not stop. He is a good all-around center who is equally effective at both pass and run blocking. He is strong at the point of attack, does a good job of sustaining his blocks, and can dominate opposing defensive linemen at times. He shows good athleticism for an interior offensive lineman--He has the ablility to block on the move and can get to the second level in the running game. Young lacks ideal mobility and he is not an overly explosive blocker. In fact, he is a bit of an overrated prospect that won't be able to overcome his physical limitations in the NFL nearly as much as he does at the collegiate level. Nonetheless, he is a late-round prospect with great size, experience, toughness and durability. He struggled in the classroom but his "football intelligence" is proven to be above average. Young may wind up becoming a better guard than center in the NFL.
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Lucas is a typical center -- tough, consistent, strong and plays with little fanfare. The three-year starter plays with an aggressive nature and shows the initial quickness and the ability to get out and block on the move in the running game. He uses his hands well to pop the defender off of the snap and settles back in pass protection easily. Takes adequate angles to blocks and flashes the ability to get into position at the second level. Keeps head up, shows good awareness and can adjust to line stunts and blitzes. Puts good zip on shotgun snaps and rarely makes quarterback adjust to the ball. In addition to starting three seasons at center, Lucas also has experience at right offensive guard. An iron man, of sorts, Lucas also performed on the punt/field goal/PAT units. Plays out of control at times, can get caught lunging in the open field and has some problems adjusting to the moving target at the second level. Lacks ideal lower body strength and is going to have problems pushing the pile in short-yardage situations. Plays too high at times, lacks elite size and is going to have some problems anchoring against effective bull rushers. Lucas lacks ideal bulk and he will struggle to consistently drive two-gap defenders off the ball. However, he generally gets into good position, he never stops working and he has enough natural ability to continue to emerge as a contributor in the NFL. Lucas projects as a fourth or fifth round pick.
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Dan Mozes brings the versatility to play anywhere on the inside of the offensive line. He moves very well for an interior lineman, and is successful pulling and blocking on the move. He is an intelligent player who understands blocking schemes and makes all the proper line calls. Most of Mozes' experience is at guard, but he projects better as a center. He sets up quickly and puts himself in position to move his man in any direction he wants. Mozes is very intelligent, on and off the field. It shows on the field, as he is always in the right position, and reads the defense very well. He has a quick first step but lacks great athleticism and has trouble getting to the second level at times. He lacks ideal size and strength for an interior offensive lineman. He isn't very strong at the point of attack and he will struggle against bigger, stronger defensive linemen at times. Few prospects play the game with as much intensity, toughness and instincts, which is why Mozes has been able to maximize his physical tools to this point. However, his lack of ideal size and strength give us cause for concern. Mozes should make for a reliable and versatile reserve interior offensive lineman in the NFL but his physical limitations may prevent him from ever emerging as a solid starter. He will only fit well in a zone-blocking scheme that values mobility over size. A system player with value in the later rounds.
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Fry is a bit of a late-blooming prospect. He did not emerge as a starter until his junior season but he has started every game since and has shown significant improvement during the two-year span. Fry has made it a habit of putting defenders on their pants, registering 171 knockdowns while manning the pivot. Fry possesses the size and power to possibly contribute in the NFL. Also adding to Fry's value is his versatility as an interior offensive lineman that could potentially serve as a backup at center and both guard positions. With his low center of gravity, girth and squat frame, Possesses adequate-to-good height for an interior lineman and he also is a massive wide-body type. He is a workout warrior with tremendous overall test results in the weight room. Shows adequate lower body strength and explosive upper body power. Does a good job of firing out of his stance and shows the initial pop to knock defenders back. He lacks ideal agility at the position and he's still somewhat of a work in progress from a technique standpoint. However, Fry warrants late-round consideration in the 2007 draft.
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Fenton is an experienced leader of the Buffaloes offensive line. He's probably the best pass blocking center in the nation, with only one sack allowed in 3 years. Good enough, that on many passing downs, teams simply don't send a rusher over him. A physical center prospect with good height, adequate bulk and room on his frame to get bigger. Is tough and aggressive. At his best as a run blocker. Fires out of his stance with good leverage and has learned to take solid angles as a space blocker. Fenton is a strong and physical center prospect. His lack of ideal athleticism limits his potential and his injury as a senior was a setback in his development. However, Fenton displays enough physical tools to possibly contribute in the NFL, most likely as a reserve interior lineman that can provide quality depth at center and both guard positions. Fenton could get a look in the late rounds of the 2007 draft but it's more likely he will need to make a roster as a free agent after missing the majority of his senior season due to injury.
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