Top 5 Interior Offensive Linemen in the 2014 NFL Draft
1. OG Zach Martin (Notre Dame)
Martin played tackle for the Fighting Irish, but his build should relegate him to guard duties in the NFL. That’s okay, though: Martin possesses the core strength and lateral agility needed to succeed on an NFL o-line. Teams that use a zone blocking system will be very interested.
2. OG Xavier Su’a Filo (UCLA)
During his 38 career starts at UCLA, Su’a Filo showed everything you want to see in an offensive guard: he anchors well against bull rushers, and he is also quick enough shadow defenders in pass protection. One of the Seattle Seahawk’s few weaknesses is their interior o-line, so don’t expect Su’a Filo to make it any further than the last pick of the first round.
3. C Weston Richburg (Colorado State)
For most of the months leading up to the draft, Marcus Martin was seen as the top center prospect. An excellent offseason has pushed Richburg into being the most likely center to be taken off the board first.
Richburg is another college veteran, having started 49 games in his career at Colorado State. Richburg has an excellent frame and also the football intelligence to know how to use it best to leverage defenders away from the play. He also has acute awareness, often bailing out his fellow linemen when they have lost their battle at the line of scrimmage.
4. OG Joel Bitonio (Nevada)
Like Zach Martin, Bitonio played tackle in college but his frame will incline teams to kick him to the inside. He has the nasty mean streak you look for in a lineman, seeming to take it personal when a pass rusher tries to get to his quarterback. Bitonio is fiercely competitive and never gives up on a play until the whistle is blown.
Although level of competition was a concern in the Mountain West Conference, in a game against UCLA he faced off against Anthony Barr, who is projected as a top-15 pick this year. Bitonio handled himself well, giving up no sacks.
5. C Marcus Martin (USC)
As I stated earlier, Martin’s stock has fallen, but not too far. He is still the second best center of the 2014 class. Martin is strong and quick, so he should be effective in both pass protection and run blocking. His technique is still a little raw, but this only gives him more upside. With a dose of good coaching Martin will become a quality starter in the NFL.
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