Ryan O'Callaghan vs. Wesley Britt
 

I am curious about this community's perspective on two of our OTs: this year's Pats 5th rounder Ryan O'Callaghan vs last year's Chargers 5th round pick (and Pats practice squad player) Wesley Britt. Both are enormous coming out of great productive careers at Cal and Alabama respectively. Thoughts are welcom.

Britt by a nose. But don't leave Brandon Gorin out of the equation either...

Britt has the edge because of experience.

The competion in camp will be "huge".

If one of those guys can't beat Gorin I will be really disappointed in both.

I am not sure how many remember that Brandon Gorin's first game was the loss in Pittsburgh that ended the winning streak where he had to play both right tackle and later left tackle. He is listed as 6'6" and about 310. Both Britt and O'Callaghan have another two inches in height at 6'8". If I recall correctly John Hanna played for the Patriots at about 265 and 6'3". Quite an enormous difference!

Does anyone have a sense of the quickness and footwork of our prospective tackles on the right side?

Hannah was a guard- I'm sure you knew that:). The running game was so much more important than the passing game back then and the premium was on guards who could pull. Now it's a passing game priority and big fat bodies take precedence.

I would have thought that smaller quick tackles would be getting more common because of the growing popularity of speed rushing defensive ends like Dwight Freeney, John Abraham, Julius Peppers, Jevon Kearse etc. Jonathan Ogden is a massive, elite tackle yet whenever he plays The Colts he looks like a bum against Freeney.

True. The fat bodies were more of a 90s thing. The Denver zone-blocking scheme seems to be proliferating now...

My take...

Similarities: 6'8" right tackles, highly productive college careers, major injury histories that caused them to fall to the 5th round.

Differences:

Britt played LT to great acclaim at Alabama, but was projected by some to RT because of questionable foot speed. Strength is pass protection; acclaimed for intelligence, leadership and technical soundness. Multiple leg injuries. Has a year on the Patriots' practice squad behind him, with excellent early reports.

O'Callaghan was a classic road grader on the right side at Cal, where he was given a lot of credit for the team's strong running game. Massive and not mobile -- possible projection to guard. Strength is run blocking; acclaimed for strength and nasty, mauling approach. Multiple shoulder injuries.

Both could very well make the team.