Take Two: Who will emerge as the top offensive tackle this season?
RELATED: Who will start at quarterback for Florida State?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
THE STORYLINE
Ole Miss’ Greg Little was the top-ranked offensive tackle in the 2016 recruiting class and Alabama’s Jonah Williams was second on that list. Washington’s Trey Adams was a three-star prospect in the 2015 class who definitely has played better than his ranking.
Those three have emerged as potentially the top offensive tackles to be drafted after next season but there remains a significant amount of debate about which one will move into that top spot.
Little is the most athletic, Williams is the technician (and who is betting against an Alabama offensive lineman?) and Adams is simply massive at 6-foot-8 and 331 pounds who will draw the attention of many NFL executives.
There are definitely other names high on the list including Kansas State’s Dalton Risner, a bunch of guys from Wisconsin and many others but which offensive tackle among the three will most likely emerge through this season and be the No. 1 player at that position taken in the next draft?
FIRST TAKE: TONY TSOUKALAS, BAMAINSIDER.COM
“There isn’t a wrong pick here as all three tackles have the possibility to go high in the first round if they have successful seasons. Williams definitely has a few things going for him though.
“He’ll be springing blocks for the best backfield in the nation and could be in charge of protecting a future first-round draft pick in Tua Tagovailoa depending on how things shake out in the quarterback race. Either way, Alabama’s offense should be explosive which will make Williams look even better.
“Another thing Williams has going for him is his football knowledge. He’s a self-described football nerd and spends his free time in the video room combing over his mistakes down to the last detail. NFL scouts will love that about him when it gets down to the interview process. This will also be Williams’ second year at left tackle after making the switch from the right side during his junior year. That added familiarity with the position at the college level could pay off.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“We’re going to have to see how the season goes. Adams is a guy who got hurt last year and we’ll have to see if he can stay healthy this year.
“Jonah Williams is an elite prospect but there are some questions on whether he can be an elite left tackle at the NFL level. Greg Little is probably the most athletic of all of them.
“A couple other guys will emerge. It wouldn’t shock me if one of those guys from Wisconsin emerges as a first-round guy. Right now, if I were picking one I would pick Greg Little because he’s the most athletic and who’s a pure left tackle to me where the other two have questions to answer.”