2 Top OTs with Immediate Starting Ability

The Broncos need help at tackle, and one of the top options could be that piece.

Nov 27, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Joe Alt (76) / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

As the Denver Broncos work to build their roster, they have yet to address their offensive tackle position. While there isn’t an immediate need for the position, there could be one soon. 

The Broncos may be moving on from Garett Bolles, as he has a tradeable contract and is in the final year of his deal. There needs to be someone in position to replace him, or they need someone to replace Mike McGlinchey potentially. 

While McGlinchey was signed as a free agent in 2023 and recently restructured his deal. That could keep him in place for a couple more seasons, but the Broncos are projected to have over $100 million in cap space for the 2025 season. If McGlinchey doesn’t improve his play from 2023, they could look at moving on and absorbing the dead money, and if they do that, it would be nice to have a potential replacement in play. 

These two tackles are viewed as two of the top tackles in the class. Both are projected to be gone before the Broncos pick as 12, but sometimes players fall. It is always worth doing due diligence on players in case that happens. So, let’s take a look at these two talented tackle prospects.  

Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Zach Harrison (9) and Ohio State / Kyle Robertson-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Alt | Notre Dame

• Height: 6-foot-9
• Weight: 321 pounds
• Arm Length: 34-1/4 inches
• Hands: 10 inches
• Relative Athletic Score: 9.92

Pros

This draft has multiple legacies, and Alt is another where his dad was a Pro Bowl NFL tackle. Alt is a technician, and almost every aspect of his technique is clean and consistent. He has the size, length, and frame that NFL teams covet. 

Alt plays with good rhythm as a blocker. He can hit the combo blocks on time and does well hitting his landmarks quickly and efficiently as a puller and when climbing. The footwork is clean, and he can adjust his slides and movement speed to mirror pass rushers or catch second-level defenders. 

There is good grip strength from Alt, and he uses it to control and sustain blocks. He can consistently overpower his assignments and generate movement with the power he has throughout his body. Alt sets up his use of power with his engaging punch, which shows good technique and consistent placement. He uses every bit of his arm length to keep defenders off his frame. 

There is a good enough anchor, and he can drop into it promptly. With his length and how he uses it to keep defenders away from his chest, it is hard to dislodge him from his anchor. He also uses that length to steer defenders around the arc and can cut off counters before they get going. 

Cons

Alt must clean up his pad level and bend to be more consistent. Most of his bad reps result in an issue stemming from one of those two issues. He is naturally tall and does not sustain proper bend, which raises that pad level, giving defenders easy access to win with leverage. 

There needs to be less waist bending and more knee bending. That is where the bending issues occur. It gives him a poor center of gravity. There are also issues with his recovery, as he can be heavy at times with his feet or even deaden his feet instead of keeping them lively. 

Fit With Broncos

Alt is the top tackle for multiple people this year. He is expected to go in the top 10 as the first tackle off the board. Not only would he give the Broncos a legit option to replace Bolles or McGlinchey after the 2024 season, but he could also step in and replace either of them as a rookie. 

Big Board Position: No. 5 overall.

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Oct 8, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Oregon State Beavers offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga (75) / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Taliese Fuaga | Oregon State

• Height: 6-foot-6
• Weight: 324 pounds
• Arm Length: 33-1/8 inches
• Hands: 10-1/8 inches
• Relative Athletic Score: 9.61

Pros

Taliese Fuaga is the best run-blocking tackle in the class. Everything is controlled, clean, and consistent with the attitude and demeanor you want from your tackles. While he isn’t as good in pass protection, he is still a great prospect. His body works in unison, and everything is controlled and executed well. 

His movements have good fluidity, and he maintains good balance to protect the outside and inside path to the quarterback. His hands work relentlessly in pass protection and constantly land with jarring hits that disrupt the pass rusher’s movements. 

Fuaga has enough versatility to play in any scheme while working at guard or tackle on either side of the line, despite being a right tackle in college. He showed he could flip sides and keep the technique clean and consistent at the combine and Senior Bowl practices. 

He shows a good understanding of leverage and does well to get under the pads of anchored defensive linemen and move them off their spot. When climbing or pulling, Fuaga has timing and rhythm when connecting with blocks and hitting his landmarks. Rarely does he overshoot a block on the outside or at the second level. He is also super smooth when working from one block to the next, and the transitions are seamless. 

Cons

There is a consistency issue with his pad level off the snap. While he does sink back down, he gets off the snap with a high pad level, and quicker defenders can get under his chest plate and win the rep with leverage. He must also be more consistent with his initial punch placement and have the power to engage with pop more frequently. 

When he pulls or climbs to the second level, his body movements can get more out of control. He also will get a little top-heavy instead of sustaining proper balance throughout the rep. There is also consistency with his balance, as he sits heavily on the outside. While this was exploited frequently in college, it is a bigger concern at the NFL level if it goes uncorrected. 

Fit With Broncos

Fuaga would be a great fit with the Broncos, especially if they are comfortable with him playing either side of the line. He will bring the attitude and desire as a run blocker, which is sometimes lacking from McGlinchey and could compete with McGlinchey for the starting right tackle spot. If not, then he could lead to the moving of Bolles and start at left tackle as a rookie. It would create more options with the current tackle room, which was underwhelming for the 2023 season. 

Big Board Position: No. 8 overall.

Better Fit for Broncos

Unfortunately, both of these tackles will likely be gone before the Broncos are set to pick at 12 overall. Either of them would be a great fit for the scheme while giving the Broncos much-needed options for the future of their tackle room. 

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