2021 NFL Draft: Offensive tackles the Washington Football Team could pick.
The 2021 NFL Draft is just days away. The biggest remaining event of the NFL offseason will be one of the most exciting ones, as a strong draft class is set to enter the league.
The Washington Football Team is still building their team into a potential contender and has plenty of holes to fill. Luckily for them, the 2021 draft class is pretty well-stocked at their biggest positions of need on offense.
Quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end all have some quality options for the team to target. But the offensive tackle position might be the deepest of all.
As many as seven or eight offensive tackles could go in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. That’s not an exaggeration. With the increased importance of offensive line play across the league — just look at what happened to the Chiefs without their top tackles in the Super Bowl — NFL teams will want to get in on this strong tackle class early and often.
That could include the Washington Football Team. They certainly could use a long-term answer at left tackle even despite Cornelius Lucas’ solid play at the position last year. He’s entering his 30s and is set to be a free agent after the season. Morgan Moses is in the same boat, so don’t be surprised to see the team invest an early pick, perhaps their Round 1 selection, at the position.
That said, no matter where the WFT selects a tackle, they will have a chance to land a solid one that could blossom into a starter. So, we figured we’d take a look at the 10 best tackles in this class that the team could realistically land and see which ones might be the best fit in our nation’s capital.
For the purposes of this exercise, we’re not including players that are highly likely to be gone by the time that Washington picks. Sure, players do often suffer unexpected falls, and Washington could trade up, but it’s better now to focus on realistic targets.
For now, that’s limited to two tackles, so we’ll start off by taking an abbreviated look at those prospects.
Tackles that Washington Football Team is unlikely to land
Penei Sewell, Oregon. Sewell is the best offensive tackle in this year’s draft class and may be the best non-quarterback of the group. He dominated the Pac-12 as a 19-year-old the last time he was on the field, and though he sat out last season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he still figures to be a sure-fire top-10 pick.
At the moment, it seems highly likely that the Cincinnati Bengals (5) or Miami Dolphins (6) will take Sewell if the Atlanta Falcons don’t grab him at four. Frankly, Sewell’s floor should be around the seventh or eighth selection so unless Washington absolutely loves Sewell and is willing to make a big move to get him, they’ll have no shot at him.
Rashawn Slater, Northwestern. Like Sewell, Slater checks a lot of boxes. His experience blocking in the Big Ten is great, and the tape he produced is stellar. Additionally, he is versatile and can play every position on the offensive line. So, even if he weren’t to work at the tackle spot, he could be a stud producer at left guard in a pinch.
That said, Slater seems to be the consensus No. 2 tackle in this class, and it seems probable that he will be gone by the time Washington is picking. Stranger things have happened, and our own Jacob Troutman recently ran a mock draft simulation that saw Slater fall to No. 19 overall, but more likely than not, his floor will be the Los Angeles Chargers’ No. 13 overall pick.
Maybe Washington will get lucky and Slater will fall to them, or maybe they’ll trade up for one of the top-two tackles in this class. But more likely than not, Ron Rivera and Co. will stay put and the team will have to consider other tackle options around the No. 19 pick.
10. Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa
According to Kent Lee Platte’s Relative Athletic Score measure (RAS), Spencer Brown is one of the most athletic tackles in NFL Draft history. He measured at 6-foot-8, 311 pounds and posted a 4.94 in the 40-yard dash while also posting an absurd 6.96-second time in the 3-cone drill.
If those numbers and Brown’s size don’t have you drooling over the possibility of adding him as a developmental tackle, I don’t know what will.
Aside from his testing numbers, Brown has shown a solid skillset on tape at the FCS level. His athletic ability shows up in his explosiveness off the line and he does a great job getting to his man because of that. He routinely uses his bigger frame to envelop smaller players and as a result, he did an excellent job opening up running lanes for his backs.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
Additionally, Brown has solid hands and generates power when he makes his block. Once he engages, it’s hard for players to shake free, especially if he’s coming downhill on them.
Brown plays very hard and he certainly can be described as a willing blocker. His biggest issue is that he’s raw. He didn’t play the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic but still got a chance to play at the Senior Bowl. While there, his athletic ability was on display, but he had trouble staying with higher-level talents.
At the next level, Brown will need to work on his technique and footwork to become a starter. It would behoove him to add some extra weight to his massive 6-foot-8 frame as well, as that could afford him a better chance to deal with some of the more powerful NFL pass rushers.
Washington could consider adding Brown on Day 2 as a swing tackle with immense upside. He has a similar frame to Cornelius Lucas, but Brown’s potential at this point in his career is higher than that of Lucas. Brown may be better suited to man the right tackle spot, but with Morgan Moses entering the final year of his contract, Brown could be added as a potential heir apparent there if the team likes his skillset enough.
Given how well John Matsko did with the talent Washington had last year, going after Brown could work. He’s not as sure of a thing as some of the other guys on this list, but the upside is there, and you can’t coach size and athleticism.
That said, Washington may want someone who can fight for a starting job this year. If that’s the case, then Brown probably wouldn’t fit the bill. That’s why he checks in at No. 10 on this list.
9. Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
Another FCS tackle the Washington Football Team could consider is Dillon Radunz. During the draft process, Radunz’s stock has been on the rise and he can largely thank a terrific showing at the Senior Bowl for that.
In Mobile, Alabama, Radunz was a force to be reckoned with in practice. During the event, Radunz was tough to get past. He showed good footwork and movement skills to stay in front of the player that he was trying to block. He also showed good functional strength in one-on-ones and rarely let anyone get past him.
That combination is part of what earned Radunz the Senior Bowl’s Practice Player of the Week award. In 2020, the recipient of that award was quarterback Justin Herbert. He went on to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Radunz will necessarily do as well as Herbert out of the gate, but it did demonstrate that he has top-notch skills and practice habits. That should help him make the jump from the FCS to the NFL, as difficult as that may be.
It’s worth noting that Radunz’s performance in Mobile lined up largely with what he showed on tape at North Dakota. He’s rock-solid, steady, and finds ways to win by using good technique and staying square to the player that he’s blocking.
If Radunz had played at a bigger school, he may have had a chance to be higher on these rankings. Unfortunately, the postponement of the FCS season didn’t give him a chance to showcase improvements in 2020. His Senior Bowl performance did give him a nice stock up, though, and it seems likely that he’ll come off the board in the second round at the latest.
Radunz could end up being a solid value at the 51st pick if he’s available for the Washington Football Team. He could either learn for a year behind Lucas and Moses or replace Lucas as a starter if he’s ready to do so in ’21.
Either way, Washington would be getting a hard worker to create some competition. That’s something that Ron Rivera loves.
Of all the tackles on this list, Mayfield is among the least experienced. He has only appeared in 18 career games with 15 starts, all of which came at the right tackle spot.
However, Mayfield’s upside is sky-high. He shows off good athleticism on tape, which made it all the more surprising that he didn’t post good testing numbers ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft. That makes for a tough evaluation considering his lack of experience and the inconsistencies between his tape and performance.
Still, what is clear is that Mayfield is agile enough to find success in the run game. He moves well on the field and did a solid job of opening up running lanes in Michigan’s offense. He has good strength and quickness, and that should help him find a home as a starting tackle at the NFL level.
Washington fans will probably like the sound of this next point. Of all the competition that Chase Young faced during his college days, Mayfield may have been the best against him. He at least held his own despite being a first-year starter against one of the best players in college football, and Mayfield did that as a 19-year-old during the 2019 season.
The problem with Mayfield is that he may need some time to develop at the next level. He won’t turn 21 until May, so he may be a bit of a project. Washington can afford to select him as such and let him serve as a swing tackle behind Lucas and Moses for a year, but the question is, how high will Mayfield go because of his upside?
If Mayfield is on the board in the second round, he well may be the best player on the board for Washington. However, there are other safer options that have just as much upside as Mayfield. And if he ends up drawing Round 1 consideration, then Washington is certainly better served to look elsewhere.
When looking at Jackson Carman, there’s a lot to like about him, especially from a size perspective. The Clemson Tigers blindside blocker has an NFL-ready 6-foot-5, 335-pound frame that should allow him to hold up at tackle or be an effective guard if a team were to consider him as an interior player.
Additionally, Carman checks the boxes in terms of experience. He played 40 games during his college career and started 27 of them. He was the starting left tackle for the last two seasons at Clemson and did well protecting Trevor Lawrence. That type of experience protecting a top-tier tackle will come in handy at the NFL level.
On tape, Carman shows an ability to use his frame well. He’s powerful and is particularly good and using his hands to punch off the line of scrimmage to hit edge players early and knock them off their path.
More from Commanders Draft News
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
So, what’s not to like about Carman? Well, there are some concerns about his overall athletic ability. Some believe he’ll have to move to guard at the next level while some believe he can remain at tackle. For that reason, he’s a bit of a polarizing prospect.
Carman also plays a bit off-balance at times. While he’s good with his hands, he can get a bit too aggressive in attempting to hit pass rushers out of the gate. That opens up opportunities for faster rushers to get by him while he resets, so that could prove to be a problem at the NFL level. Cleaning up his technique will go a long way toward helping Carman succeed.
But even if he does that, there are concerns about just how athletic he is. He may only be decent, and if that turns out to be the case, he may be limited to playing right tackle or guard at the next level.
If Washington is looking for a road-grader in the run game on the right side of the line, Carman would fit the bill. As such, Carman certainly wouldn’t be a bad selection, as he could emerge as a good-sized heir apparent to Morgan Moses or Brandon Scherff if they think he’s more of a guard.
That said, there are other likely top-50 picks that have better potential than Carman.
In truth, the next four tackles in these rankings — the Nos. 3 to 6 players that Washington could consider — could be ranked in any order. They are all tightly bound together and each has their strengths and weaknesses.
Jenkins is surely a nice prospect for the Washington Football Team to consider. He has been described as a bully with a mean streak on the field. He also possesses strong athletic ability and a 6-foot-6, 317-pound frame.
On tape, Jenkins looks like a very good right tackle. He blows open running lanes and uses power well to beat his opponents. He has the potential to be a mauler, and it could be hard for stronger players to blow through him.
That said, Jenkins’ arms are rather short for a tackle and despite his athleticism, he did, at times, have issues with speed rushers off the edge in college. That’s surely something to watch the next level, as that could cause him to have to move inside to guard, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein pointed out.
"Jenkins has good tackle tape, but his short arms and average range in pass sets could be something to keep an eye on. Whether it is at tackle or guard, Jenkins has the talent to become an early starter and a successful pro."
The comparison that Zierlein had for Jenkins was Joe Thuney, and that would make sense. Thuney is a versatile lineman and one of the league’s best guards, but he plays inside largely because of his arm length. Could he hold up at tackle? Sure. But he’s better at guard.
That could be the case for Jenkins, but he deserves a shot at tackle because his tape on the right side is good. That said, he’s probably best served to be a right tackle and won’t play on the left side against longer, more athletic pass rushers.
As such, that limits Jenkins’ potential for the Washington Football Team. They still may need a right tackle of the future, but if they take a tackle prospect early in this year’s draft, they’ll hopefully find one that can play either position to give them maximum flexibility moving forward.
Still, you could make a case for Jenkins going above any of the next few prospects. As mentioned, the 3-to-6 range on this tackle board is highly subjective.
Notre Dame has long been a factory for quality offensive linemen. Liam Eichenberg is the latest to come out of the school, and he looked like a sure bet to be a solid starter at the next level.
Eichenberg was a three-year starter at left tackle for Notre Dame and held up very well for the Fighting Irish. In his final two years of action, he didn’t allow a single sack in 951 pass-blocking opportunities. This came despite battling top-tier talent like Clemson and Alabama in the 2020 ACC Title Game and College Football Playoff, so needless to say, that’s impressive.
On tape, Eichenberg shows off excellent fundamentals and squares up players on the edge very well. He’s not the most athletic tackle in the world, but he has a big 6-foot-6, 306-pound frame and does well to largely keep players in front of him.
In the running game, Eichenberg is excellent. He does very well when moving downhill and leverages his opponents well to blast open running lanes. He has good strength but has the size needed to add more weight — provided that it doesn’t impact his movement skills.
That’s an area that Eichenberg will need to work to improve. He can struggle with getting outside against quicker players, so he’ll have to work on getting out quicker in pass protection to make sure that he doesn’t get run around or beat back inside. He does show good recovery skills, which is a positive, so if he continues to work on his first step and his hand placement, he should only get better.
Eichenberg has a high floor and should be a starter at either left or right tackle at the NFL. For Washington, he could be an ideal fit, as he could begin his career as a swing tackle and then either replace Moses or Lucas depending on which player Washington keeps in 2022 free agency.
The only question is, will they be in range for Eichenberg? Taking him at 19 would qualify as a reach, but he could sneak into the end of Round 1, so seeing him get to 51 would be a surprise. Perhaps they could trade down and pick Eichenberg depending on how the board falls — or they could consider trading up to get him if they go in a different direction with the 19th pick.
If you’re looking for a marriage of athletic ability, and upside, Samuel Cosmi could be your guy. The Texas product could be a nice pickup for Washington and could develop into a great left tackle at the next level.
For the Longhorns, Cosmi flashed at times on tape. He has a decent 6-foot-5, 314-pound frame and has explosive athletic ability. That’s part of why he logged a 9.99 RAS this offseason, the second-highest mark in this draft class behind only Spencer Brown.
Cosmi’s best skills come in pass protection. Because of his athletic ability and fluid movement skills, he can keep up with even the best speed rushers. He shows off good quickness getting into his set and is strong at the point of attack.
Washington Commanders
Against the run, Cosmi is solid as well. He has good functional strength and takes good angles to get to blockers downfield. And at the point of attack, Cosmi generates some push and at the very least, tends to stalemate the defenders he latches onto.
So, what’s Cosmi’s problem? It’s inconsistency, and I like the way Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline described Cosmi’s NFL prospects.
"Since his freshman season, Cosmi has displayed flashes of next-level ability and the potential to be an early-round pick. His play was up and down the past two years, and while Cosmi looks great at times, there are also instances when he looks rather pedestrian. He possesses an enormous amount of upside and could wind up as a starting left tackle in the league, or Cosmi could be an underachiever who bounces from team to team and never realizes the expectations scouts have of him."
Cosmi also needs to improve his technique, as that will help him better leverage his athletic ability. If he can’t though, it could hinder his potential NFL success.
Cosmi is a high-ceiling, low-floor prospect. He’s certainly worth taking a chance on, especially given the success Matsko has had developing offensive linemen, but he will have to check the boxes for Washington in any interviews/meetings that they held with him.
The positives should outweigh the negatives with Cosmi though. He’s athletic and experienced, so there’s a good chance that he will end up going in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. If not, he shouldn’t last long on Day 2 barring a surprise.
In any other draft class, Alex Leatherwood would probably be a shoo-in to be one of the top three tackles off the board. But in this strong class, he has flown a bit under the radar.
During his three-year run as a starter, Leatherwood saw action at right guard before spending the final two years at left tackle. He was arguably the best left tackle to play during the 2020 college football season. That’s why he was able to take home the Outland Trophy, awarded to the best blocker in the sport.
Leatherwood was a key cog in Alabama’s top-ranked offensive line and surrendered just two total sacks on the season along with just four total pressures. Those numbers demonstrate his strong abilities as a pass protector, and the tape matches it. Often, Leatherwood is able to get in front of the pass rushers he is blocking, and his athleticism and smooth footwork allow him to stay with him and give the quarterback time to complete his throws.
He may not always generate big-time push on these edge rushers, but he gets to them efficiently and at least stalemates them.
As a run blocker, the results are a bit more mixed. At times, Leatherwood looks powerful and shows an ability to create space by pushing defenders around, especially when coming downhill. Other times, he doesn’t come in with enough power or lacks the proper hand placement needed to make an impact. But the size (6-foot-5, 312 pounds) is there for him to continue to develop in that area.
In general, if Leatherwood can work on his hands and punch at the line of scrimmage — in both the run and pass games — he should turn into a rock-solid starting tackle at the next level. After all, he posted a 4.96 time in the 40-yard dash, logged nearly a 10-foot broad jump, and posted a surprising 34.5-inch vertical jump. That was good for a 9.68 Relative Athletic Score, good for the seventh-best among tackles in this class.
Beyond that, Leatherwood has good length, so he should be able to leverage that against NFL-caliber athletes. He also could play guard if he needs to; he does have experience there.
There’s a lot to like about Leatherwood. From his experience to his athletic profile to his versatility, Washington could certainly find a way to use him. Would they be willing to take him at 19 or wait to see if he could slide all the way to 51? That remains unseen, but he surely is a guy that should be on the team’s radar.
Leatherwood should be a plug-and-play starter at some position up front. And more likely than not, it will be at left tackle.
Alijah Vera-Tucker should probably be mentioned more in conjunction with the Washington Football Team’s pick than he has been. Perhaps some don’t expect him to be on the board at 19, but if he is, he will be one of the top options for the team to consider.
Vera-Tucker comes with a lot of experience. He was a three-year starter at USC. He also is versatile and should be able to play any position along the offensive front, and that includes the tackle spot.
In a recent article, our own Ian Cummings explained why Vera-Tucker is among the most underrated options for the Washington Football Team with the No. 19 pick. Here’s what he said about the USC product.
"Vera-Tucker is a very good athlete at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds. He has a 1.77 10-yard split (84th percentile), a 32-inch vertical, and a 106-inch broad jump. On top of that, he logged 36 bench reps at his pro day, speaking to his strength and power. Beyond his athletic traits, Vera-Tucker’s profile still holds strong. The USC offensive lineman is well-leveraged and fluid with his blocking sets, and he has a feel for proper mechanics. Additionally, Vera-Tucker has a mauler mentality, especially when blocking on running plays. He’s not shy about imposing his will, and his shorter, stockier tackle frame allows him to have an easier time maintaining leverage."
Strength. Athleticism. Good tape. Vera-Tucker almost has it all. The only thing he’s missing is a bit of size. His 6-foot-4, 308-pound frame is below-average and that’s why some view him as a guard.
Still, it seems more likely that Vera-Tucker will be drafted as a tackle and then kicked inside if things don’t work outside. That tends to be how things go on the offensive line.
So, if Washington ends up with Vera-Tucker, get excited. He could end up being a solid left tackle. And if not, they’ll certainly be able to use him as a quality starter.
At this point, Christian Darrisaw should be considered one of the favorites for the Washington Football Team’s No. 19 overall selection. That is if he’s available there.
The Hokies tackle is a very athletic prospect that found a lot of success during his final seasons at Virginia Tech. He moves better than any of the tackles on this list and should have a great chance to succeed in all facets of the game at the pro level.
In the run game, Darrisaw shows strong hands and is able to generate some push. He usually is able to get to his man with his athletic ability and could be a threat in the power game as a pulling tackle. Generally, things look good for him in that area.
Darrisaw has no problems keeping pace with speed rushers on the end. The 2020 second-team Associated Press All-American closes them out with ease and his 6-foot-5, 322-pound frame gives him the needed size and length to keep up with all players on the edge.
There are few concerns with Darrisaw overall. He should work to hone his technique a bit, as he may have a bit more difficulty relying on his athleticism to carry him against NFL-level players. But as far as his ability to pass block, it’s there.
The No. 1 area he needs to improve is his ability to finish his blocks. That’s less of a problem with strength though and more of a discipline thing. Safe to say, a coach at the NFL level should help to clean that up.
Darrisaw has the tools needed to be an elite left tackle. If some of his shortcomings show through or he doesn’t give a full effort, that’s what will hold him back. But if he gives it his all and improves his technique, his athletic ability could make him an eventual top-10 tackle in the NFL.
Many teams could consider taking Darrisaw before Washington, including the Chargers, Vikings, Patriots, and Raiders. That said, if teams go in other directions or different linemen come off the board, Washington could have a shot at Darrisaw. That would be a dream come true.