Brandon Albert: Best G Prospect since Hannah
I rewatched the Virginia-Texas Tech game to get another look at Chris Long but instead of fast forwarding through the Virginia offense, I focused on Albert. What a pleasure.
He's 6'5 3/4" and 315 lbs but he is very graceful. He excels in every phase of the game. If he has to block a man on the LOS he moves him. If he has to pull, he anniahilates his opponent. He stuffs the pass rush at the LOS. He can hit one guy and swiftly turn and stop another. He gets off the ball well and he plays to the whistle. He had no penalties. He seems very alert. If he was beaten on even one play, I must have missed it.
The first guard I can remember loving was Ohio State's all-everything Jim Parker. The best college guard I ever saw was John Hannah from Alabama. I thought Steve Hutchinson from Michigan was a great prospect. However, those guys were mostly run blockers. Albert excels at what is now the pro game and can do both.
I don't know where he falls into the draft. Some teams are projecting him as a tackle and moving him into the top ten. I am sure he would be an all-Pro guard. I don't know any reason he couldn't become a tackle but I have never seen him against a quality DE so I wouldn't even try to guess. I would guess he won't get by New England.
I rewatched the Virginia-Texas Tech game to get another look at Chris Long but instead of fast forwarding through the Virginia offense, I focused on Albert. What a pleasure.
He's 6'5 3/4" and 315 lbs but he is very graceful. He excels in every phase of the game. If he has to block a man on the LOS he moves him. If he has to pull, he anniahilates his opponent. He stuffs the pass rush at the LOS. He can hit one guy and swiftly turn and stop another. He gets off the ball well and he plays to the whistle. He had no penalties. He seems very alert. If he was beaten on even one play, I must have missed it.
The first guard I can remember loving was Ohio State's all-everything Jim Parker. The best college guard I ever saw was John Hannah from Alabama. I thought Steve Hutchinson from Michigan was a great prospect. However, those guys were mostly run blockers. Albert excels at what is now the pro game and can do both.
I don't know where he falls into the draft. Some teams are projecting him as a tackle and moving him into the top ten. I am sure he would be an all-Pro guard. I don't know any reason he couldn't become a tackle but I have never seen him against a quality DE so I wouldn't even try to guess. I would guess he won't get by New England.