Former Texas A&M offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi's first and only season at left tackle came to mixed reviews, but Ogbuehi is confident he can handle the left edge at the NFL level.
After a pre-draft visit to the Detroit Lions on Monday, he believes he can do it for Matthew Stafford.
"I'll be a guy that can come in and protect (Matthew) Stafford," Ogbuehi told DetroitLions.com. "That's the No. 1 goal, protect the quarterback. I can be here for a long time."
Teams will have to determine whether Ogbuehi is a better fit on the left or right side, and Detroit is asking similar questions about its incumbent at left tackle, Riley Reiff.
"It really depends on where we think (Reiff is) best suited for us at this stage, so we'll take a look at it, see where we are," coach Jim Caldwell said last week. "He can play left (tackle) for us and he played it very well, have no problems with that. He can play right for us and would play it very well. He's that kind of guy."
Reiff has 32 career starts on the left side, so he could man the position if Ogbuehi, who is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in the Aggies' December bowl game, were to be able to handle only right tackle as a rookie. The Lions' second-round pick, No. 54 overall, could be a strong fit. Ogbuehi rounds out NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 list as the 50th-best prospect in the draft.
"I'm really athletic," Ogbuehi said. "Really long arms. I can block different kinds of players. I have a really high ceiling, which I think is my biggest attribute. I haven't reached my potential yet, and just with my arms and my feet, once I reach my potential it'll be fun to see."
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