Finding Broncos: 5 Top Offensive Tackles

With the Denver Broncos' improvements on the offensive line, they are mostly set for their starters. That is a good thing since they will be out of position for the top candidates on the offensive line. However, there is a good chance they'll face off against a few of the top guys in the upcoming seasons.

Paris Johnson Jr. | OT | Ohio State

Pros

There is good size and length.
He explodes off the snap and can use that to generate drive.
There is versatility in his game, having an entire season as a starter at right guard and left tackle.
He is light on his feet, with smooth and fluid movements.
He plays with good bend and does well in sustaining leverage.
His execution in pass protection has been great, with two sacks and 28 pressures over the last two seasons.
There were five penalties over two years, with one in 2022, which was a false start.
He is praised as a teammate and how coachable he is.
His football IQ is evident on tape and something he is praised for.
He has elite range as a blocker.

Cons

His frame could use a little more mass.
The body control isn't consistent, especially when pulling.
He has started 26 games, with only 13 at tackle.
He doesn't take good angles when pulling and can get himself out of position.
There is a bad habit of lowering his head into contact.
He has to improve his hand technique and precision with his strikes.
He oversets and will sit with his weight on the outside leg.
There needs to be a better and more consistent balance with his base in pass protection.

Fit with Broncos

Paris Johnson Jr is projected to be the first tackle selected, and there is a chance he will end up as an opponent. If that happens, the best way to take advantage of him is his issues with oversetting. He opens himself up to inside counters, so keep him doing that and set up those counters.

Dawand Jones | OT | Ohio State

Pros

He has outstanding size, mass, and length.
For his size, he has decent burst and speed.
There is good experience with two years starting at right tackle.
He is exceptionally physical and a mauler in the run game.
He has allowed only three sacks and 16 pressures over the last two seasons.
His outstanding wingspan can make life difficult for edge defenders without losing his spot.
He has good snatch technique.
His power is elite.
In the right scheme, he could end up as an elite tackle in the NFL.
There is elite grip strength and massive hands that are hard to break free from.
His kick slide is decently quick.
Defenders won't be able to work their way through him with a bull rush.

Cons

There are very few tackles with his size and mass to see sustained success in the NFL.
There is a severe issue with penalties, with 17 over the last two seasons, with multiple false starts.
His timing with getting off the snap is bad, and he will jump early.
He doesn't set with a good base, with his feet too close together.
He struggles with leverage, both getting it and blocking against it.
His movement skills are clunky, and he doesn't have great consistency.
He has no versatility, as he is a right tackle only in a specific scheme.

Fit with Broncos

Dawand Jones has a chance to fall due to the penalties and concerns about him being too big. However, he is still projected to be a top-50 pick and some divisional foes of the Broncos like their big tackles. If he ends up in the division, you want to challenge him with speed and quickness around the corner. With his wingspan, it is hard to be effective with counters, so defenders need a well-thought-out pass-rush plan.

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Darnell Wright | OT/OG | Tennessee

Pros

There is good size, length, and excellent mass.
He is a good athlete for his size, with burst, speed, and explosion.
He has starting experience on both sides of the line.
His power is elite, and he can create easy wins.
There is excellent grip strength to control defenders and move them with ease.
He can generate push from his lower half to displace anchored defenders.
There were some improvements to his technique and footwork in 2022 from 2021.
He has a powerful anchor and is next to impossible to get out of.
He does use his length well to keep defenders off his chest.

Cons

His awareness is lacking and can make him susceptible to twists and stunts.
There is an issue with his technique, which leads to issues with penalties.
His movement skills and fluidity are lacking.
There are issues with body control and balance, especially when it comes to moving.
He doesn't engage with a punch and is reactive rather than active in pass protection.
His hand technique needs a lot of work, and he can be late resetting his hands.
There isn't quickness or suddenness to his game, which can see him late to get in front of counters.
He is scheme limited and might be moved inside to guard in the NFL.

Fit with Broncos

Wright is one of the top tackles and can move inside to guard. He has the power to last in the NFL, even though he will be scheme limited. There isn't a great chance he falls to where the Broncos pick, but if he lands with an opponent, they will need to take advantage of his issues handling quicker defenders.

Peter Skoronski | OT/IOL | Northwestern

Pros

He has good burst and speed, with elite explosion.
There is excellent strength in his game.
He has good experience at left tackle.
His play at left tackle was great in 2022, allowing one sack and six pressures.
His quickness is exceptional, and he explodes off the snap.
His hand technique and punch technique are NFL caliber.
His technique is textbook and consistent in most cases.
His football IQ is evident, and he takes good angles and consistently gets into an excellent position.
He does well opening his hips to add additional power to his game.

Cons

Where do you play him?
He doesn't have the ideal length or size for an offensive tackle.
He got hit with six penalties in 2022 after only three in the first two seasons.
There are questions if he can handle being a tackle in the NFL and doesn't have much experience elsewhere.
His lack of length was a problem in college and will be an even bigger issue at the NFL level.
His punch can fire late and doesn't always land with precision.
His ability to drop his anchor is lacking, and when he does, he struggles to sustain it.
His drive can lose gas in the running game.

Fit with Broncos

Skoronski is projected to go in the top 20, with his perceived versatility along the offensive line. However, the Broncos could end up playing against him in 2023, and he is a tough matchup to play against. His technical base can make him difficult, but he has issues handling power, which would be the best plan of attack.

Broderick Jones | OT | Georgia

Pros

He has good size and length.
There is good burst and speed.
Over the last two seasons, he allowed two sacks and 17 pressures.
He is disciplined with his play and has been penalized four times in his career.
There is solid body control, and he adjusts well to moving defenders.
His awareness is excellent, and he keeps an eye out for moving defenders, stunts, and twists.
He is loose and fluid in the lower half.
He has basketball in his background, which is reflected in his movement and footwork.
He is quick off the snap and brings that initial explosion into contact.

Cons

He could use a little more mass on his frame.
There isn't a lot of experience as a left tackle.
He can struggle to get leverage and drive defenders back in the run game.
His strength isn't ideal for the NFL.
There is a bad habit of ducking his head into contact and getting beat by a quick move.
His punch timing can be late.
His anchor isn't great, and he will struggle early against power rushes.
He can struggle to stay on tempo when working laterally.
There are questions about his versatility to work in different schemes and elsewhere on the line.

Fit with Broncos

There are all the tools and traits to work with regarding Jones, but he lacks experience and refinement. He will likely be drafted well before the Broncos pick, but he has been connected with a divisional opponent. If Denver has to play against him, attacking him with power and trying to take advantage of his lack of experience should be the plan of attack.

The Broncos still need help on their offensive line, which could come through the draft. Unless one falls, they won't get help from the top guys, but they still need to look into them in case they have to go up against them.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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