Seahawks Draft: Ranking G Prospects - A 3rd Star Alongside Cross, Lucas?
With less than two weeks remaining until the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks will soon be on the clock with the No. 5 overall pick and hold 10 total selections, presenting a prime opportunity to bolster their roster with young talent.
Set to break in multiple new starters in the interior of their offensive line, the Seahawks will give fifth-year guard Phil Haynes his first shot to be a full-time starter across from Damien Lewis after signing a one-year deal in March. But with both players scheduled to be free agents next year and long-term questions persisting at the position following the release of veteran Gabe Jackson, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team invest an early pick on a guard in the upcoming draft.
As part of my annual prospect rankings, here's where each of the top guard prospects from the 2023 class falls on my top 300 with quick scouting reports and reported visits with the Seahawks if applicable.
*Players are listed in order by position with overall ranking in parenthesis.
Tier 1 - First-Round Talent
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1 (19). Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Fleet footed for a 313-pound lineman, Skoronski dominated against top competition in the Big Ten, allowing only six pressures and a sack in 12 starts at left tackle as a junior. A technician in every sense, he's equally adept at executing blocks with great lateral quickness in zone schemes and underrated power coupled with formidable hands in gap schemes. An outstanding football player who unfortunately has short 32 1/4-inch arms, transitioning inside should mitigate length concerns and allow him to continue dominating as an instant starter with scheme flexibility at guard.
2 (32). O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
A hulking guard with better than expected lateral quickness, the 337-pound Torrence didn't allow a single sack in four collegiate seasons at Louisiana Lafayette and Florida. He can be susceptible to lapses in technique, particularly in the run game when he gets caught leaning. But when he fires out of his stance and lands a firm strike with good technique, he takes defenders for a ride off the line of scrimmage and exhibits sufficient movement traits on zone concepts, making him an ideal candidate to jump into a starting lineup on day one.
Tier 2 - Second/Third-Round Talent
3 (44). Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
Missing teeth and flaunting long blonde locks, Mauch looks like he should be starring in the show Vikings rather than suiting up on Sundays for an NFL offensive line. But the ex-tight end walk on now possesses a 303-pound frame and offers ample versatility. After playing left tackle for the Bison in 2022, his athleticism and nastiness at the point of attack drew plenty of attention at the Senior Bowl. Holding his own against top-tier talent and playing three different positions at a high level in the all-star showcase, including center, he could be a first-round sleeper.
4 (75). Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
A three-year starter for the Crimson Tide, Ekiyor will enter the league with an immense amount of experience after performing at a high level in the SEC. While he's shorter than teams typically prefer and won't consistently knock defenders off the ball with power, he has near 34-inch arms that he uses effectively with a commanding punch off the snap and his thick build serves him well in the leverage battle in pass pro and run blocking. A quality athlete who has been tested by the best of the best, he should be penciled in as a day one starter candidate with plenty of scheme versatility.
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5 (87). Tyler Steen, Alabama
Initially committing to Vanderbilt as a defensive lineman, Steen became a starter at right tackle in 2019. Starting 34 games at left tackle for Vanderbilt and Alabama, displaying above-average movement skills in pass protection and as a run blocker. Still a relative newbie to the offensive line, technical refinement will be necessary for him to start in the NFL. But given his agility testing scores at the combine and overall athletic profile, he's a prime candidate to transition smoothly to guard in the NFL and become a potential Pro Bowler.
Tier 3 - Day Three/Undrafted Talent
6 (113). Braedan Daniels, Utah
An intriguing prospect with enough length to play tackle or guard, Daniels offsets small 9 3/8-inch hands with aggressive, quick punches and quick feet to stay in front of rushers, as evidenced by allowing just five sacks on nearly 1,500 pass protection reps. He lacks the girth to dominate opponents in the run game and can get caught leaning as he prepares to fire his hands, but he's a plus athlete with great later quickness and mobility that caters well to zone blocking. Assuming he slides inside, he's a tested commodity with fringe day two value.
7 (116). Warren McClendon, Georgia
A multi-year starter for the two-time defending champions, McClendon has hovered under the radar with Broderick Jones garnering most of the draft attention. Though far from an enforcer at 306 pounds, he cements a solid anchor against bull rushers and works diligently snap-to-snap with active hands, which helped offset footwork and lateral movement concerns that could be problematic staying at tackle. He will need to add mass to play guard in the NFL, but that may be the best fit for the blue collar blocker as an early day three selection.
8 (119). Andrew Vorhees, USC
A capable drive blocker, the 6'6 Vorhees consistently gets his hands into the frame of opposing defenders and takes quality paths to zone blocks. His pass protection can be suspect at times, as he gave up two sacks and 15 pressures last year and his feet can lag behind his hands, allowing defenders to shoot past him. He will need some refinement technique wise, but after tearing his ACL at the combine, there will be time to work on those issues before he returns to action and he has starter talent.
9 (136). Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame
While standing 6'5, Patterson has unideal 31 3/8-inch arms that could pose problems at the next level. But at Notre Dame, he compensated for the lack of length with quick hands and accurate strikes into defenders, allowing him to gain quick advantages at the point of attack. He had a tendency to give up pressures to more athletic interior defenders with stagnant feet at times, but his immense experience and ability to potentially play center should put him in the mix for an early day three selection.
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10 (143). Anthony Bradford, LSU
A massive road grader, the 334-pound Bradford helped open up running lanes for the Tigers, seeing substantial action at right guard and left tackle. Given his size and strength, he's at his best when he can fire out of his stance and take defenders for a ride in gap schemes. But while he tested better than expected at the combine, he struggled at times sliding to stay in front of defenders in pass protection and wasn't efficient executing reach blocks, so he will need the right scheme fit to thrive.
11 (156). Jon Gaines, UCLA
As versatile as any offensive line prospect in this year's class, Gaines has started multiple games in the Pac-12 at center, guard, and tackle and he's an elite athlete with speed, lateral quickness, and explosiveness. His understanding of the game from playing every position and movement skills will serve him well at the next level, but he will need to hit the weight room and refine technical aspects of his game, including hand placement woes that have limited his effectiveness maintaining blocks, to have a chance at starting down the road.
12 (171). Jordan McFadden, Clemson
While a proficient run blocker capable of driving defenders off the ball who plays with quick hands as a pass protector, McFadden likely translates to a guard at the next level due to his lack of height (6-2) and concrete feet. His previous experience playing tackle should serve him quite well moving inside, though he will need to add some mass to his frame to succeed as a run blocker against NFL defensive tackles. If that happens, he could be a day three option with a long-term starter ceiling in the right scheme.
13 (179). McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga
Transitioning from tackle to inside, Curtis demonstrated his power and surprisingly good leverage at 6-6 as a blocker at the Senior Bowl, dominating opponents in the run game to create creases for backs to run through. His footwork leaves much to be desired at times in pass protection and he will need refinement in that area to make it at the next level, but he held up well against top-tier competition in Mobile and has enough tools to develop into a starter in time.
14 (189). Atonio Mafi, UCLA
The polar opposite of Gaines, Mafi weighs in at a massive 355 pounds as a converted former nose tackle with a game predicated on physically overpowering opponents. Teams that deploy a high percentage of gap runs will be far more interested in him, as he lacks the foot quickness or mobility to be an effective zone blocker, particularly on outside zone concepts where he would be required to reach block defenders. Scheme fit will be critical to his chances of starting and sticking around.
15 (213). Tashawn Manning, Kentucky
Coming from a pro style offense in Lexington, the 327-pound Manning plays at his best when confined to a phone booth and allowed to fire out of his stance to maul defenders on downhill runs. Though he tested better than expected at the combine, he struggles with lateral blocks due to sluggish footwork and those issues can show up against quicker interior rushers in pass pro as well. His SEC experience will help his chances, but like Mafi, he will need the right system to succeed as a starter.
16 (218). Henry Bainivalu, Washington
Looking the part of an NFL guard, Bainivalu has a thick 306-pound frame with long 34-inch arms, allowing him to lock onto defenders and drive them off the ball with regularity. Unfortunately, he's another phone booth blocker who doesn't have near enough quickness or agility to execute blocks on defenders away from his gap, making him gap scheme limited and suspect in pass pro. With poor athletic traits, he will be vying for a backup job as a late day three selection.
17 (238). Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan
Putting himself on the radar with a strong combine performance, Sow offers more than just intriguing athletic traits. He served as a five-year starter for the Eagles, seeing extensive action at tackle and both guard spots along the way, so he will break into the league with plenty of seasoning albeit against MAC competition. He plays with a bit of nastiness in the trenches, but reckless technique and poor angles will have to be cleaned up for him to make an NFL roster.
Previous Positional Rankings
Defensive Tackle | Quarterback | EDGE/Defensive End | Center | Linebacker | Receiver | Cornerback | Running Back | Safety | Tight End
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