March
2013 NFL Draft Preview: Ranking Packers Offensive Tackle Prospects
Texas A&M LT Luke Joeckel
Offensive tackle is one of the the deepest positions in the top-half of the first round. Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel is the No. 1 player on my draft board and looks like a lock to be selected in the top five.
One of the most humorous parts of the time leading up to draft day is when offensive linemen are forced to run the 40-yard dash. Terron Armstead (4.71) and Lane Johnson (4.72) ran well, and for that reason, many people are moving them up their draft rankings.
Joeckel didn’t test particularly well athletically at the combine, but fortunately for him, he’s a really, really good football player.
The top three offensive tackles are all worthy of top-ten selections: Joeckel, Johnson and Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher. Alabama mammoth offensive tackle D.J. Fluker figures to be a in the mix in the latter portion of round one.
At this point, it looks like as many as five offensive tackles could be selected in round one.
Florida State tackle Melenik Watson is an interesting prospect that could crack the first round and develop into a franchise left tackle. But this class is deeper than the first-round prospects; there are a handful of players at the position that could help out an NFL team as rookies.
1. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M (6-6 306)
- Draft stock: Top five
- 225-pound bench: 27 reps, Arm length: 34.28, 10-yard split: 1.81
