Say what you will about this draft class, but there's plenty to like about the talent on the offensive line.
Jeremiah: Top 50 draft prospects
How do the best players in the 2013 draft stack up against each other? Daniel Jeremiah presents his definitive top 50. **More ...**
When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn recently asked a group of 16 personnel men to order this year's linemen from top to bottom, their No. 1 prospect -- Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel -- was no surprise.
Central Michigan tackle Eric Fisher (No. 2), Oklahoma tackle Lane Johnson (No. 3) and North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper (No. 4) followed, dropping Alabama guard Chance Warmack -- who NFL Network's Mike Mayock called the "best player I've seen on tape" -- to No. 5, according to scouts.
"He can't play more than one position and you have to be careful in games what kind of adjustments you make," one source told McGinn. "He kind of reminds me of (Seattle's James) Carpenter. For me, a guard has to be perfect to take in the first round because how much difference is there in that guy and a guy you take in the fourth round? I know everybody loves him, but he scares the hell out of me."
That's a surprising assessment for a player certain to go in the first round, if not the top 10. Here's what else we learned:
» On Joeckel: "There are times he gets rag-dolled," one scout told McGinn. "But you also have a pretty sure bet. What you see is what you get. He will start at left tackle and be real good." Another scout discussed the bookend's upbringing in Fort Worth, Texas, saying, "Joeckel comes from a well-to-do family so he doesn't have that hunger that a lot of people have. He's not a flat-out, Walter Jones type, but he's every bit as good as Joe Thomas is. He's not a Hall of Famer, but he's really good."
» On Fisher: "He wasn't perfect at the Senior Bowl, but he was impressive. He looks like a pro," said former Browns general manager Phil Savage, now the executive director of the Senior Bowl. "I think he's a little more ready to play today than Joeckel as far as the strength factor."
» On Johnson: "Built like a basketball player," one scout told McGinn. "He's got narrow hips, and those are the guys I usually don't like. But he has power. I don't know where he gets it from. I'm just amazed at what the guy is." Another scout was less forgiving: "I think he's a fraud. He can't run block. I don't think he plays strong. I don't think he moves guys."
» On Cooper: "Long arms (33), good power, good strength (35 reps on the bench) and good leverage. Unbelievable puller. Balance and body control," one scout said. "Tough guy. Smart guy (Wonderlic of 34). Great in the locker room. He does it all."
» On Travis Frederick: The Wisconsin prospect is set to become the slowest center drafted in 20 years, according to McGinn. Said one scout: "I'm enthralled with him. He's a first-rounder to me. If people don't like him they're crazy. He's better than (Peter) Konz and (Kevin) Zeitler from last year. ... He's a bull. Smart. He's better than (David) DeCastro." A second scout has concerns: "I didn't think he was a very good athlete. He's a great leader. Tough as nails. But I don't think he can play center and guard at a rate that makes me feel he will become a starter any time soon."
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
