2026 Draft: RT

[manxman2601]

The trouble with mocking RTs right now is that we just have no idea what the team really thinks about Marcus Bryant. They obviously liked him enough to roster him as the backup RT but do they see him as the future at the position? More to the point, do they like him enough to make drafting a mid round RT redundant? Unless Morgan Moses gets injured, we just won't know.

 

[stelfans]

The trouble with mocking RTs right now is that we just have no idea what the team really thinks about Marcus Bryant. They obviously liked him enough to roster him as the backup RT but do they see him as the future at the position? More to the point, do they like him enough to make drafting a mid round RT redundant? Unless Morgan Moses gets injured, we just won't know.

They will need another tackle anyway. Moses wont last more than another year at best. Ideally you draft a swing tackle and see how Bryant and this new guy develop, someone will need to step up.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Lowkey one of the biggest long-term needs on this team, IMO. Maye is SO lethal rolling to his right. A stud RT unlocks that part of his game further.

Moses is fine for now. Bryant may be a developmental gem but just playing the percentages it feels like even if he's "just" a quality swing tackle that's a really solid late round pick success, so forecasting for even more based of no real game action yet feels aggressive. They know what happens behind the scenes so I'll defer to them, but for purposes of mocking picks and the offseason I'm treating RT like a position we should aim high for if there's an opportunity.

 

[mayoclinic]

So many interesting RT options, likely through rounds 4 or later:

- Spencer Fano
- Francis Mauigoa
- Kadyn Proctor (LT convert)
- Caleb Lomu (LT convert)
- Isaiah World
- Fa'alili Fa'amoe
- Cayden Green (guard only?)
- Austin Siereveld (guard only?)
- Gennings Dunker (guard only?)
- Blake Miller
- Monroe Freeling
- Kage Casey (LT convert)
- PJ Williams
- Max Iheanachor (LT convert)
- Drew Azzopardi
- Alex Harkey
- Niki Pongos (LT convert)

 

[manxman2601]

So many interesting RT options, likely through rounds 4 or later:

- Max Iheanachor (LT convert)

Iheanachor wouldn't be a convert. He's always played RT.

 

[manxman2601]

So many interesting RT options, likely through rounds 4 or later:

- Spencer Fano
- Francis Mauigoa
- Kadyn Proctor (LT convert)
- Caleb Lomu (LT convert)
- Isaiah World
- Fa'alili Fa'amoe
- Cayden Green (guard only?)
- Austin Siereveld (guard only?)
- Gennings Dunker (guard only?)
- Blake Miller
- Monroe Freeling
- Kage Casey (LT convert)
- PJ Williams
- Max Iheanachor (LT convert)
- Drew Azzopardi
- Alex Harkey
- Niki Pongos (LT convert)

Don’t forget LT convert Trey Zuhn III from TAMU, the highest graded pass blocker in all CFB

 

[mayoclinic]

The trouble with mocking RTs right now is that we just have no idea what the team really thinks about Marcus Bryant. They obviously liked him enough to roster him as the backup RT but do they see him as the future at the position? More to the point, do they like him enough to make drafting a mid round RT redundant? Unless Morgan Moses gets injured, we just won't know.

I think if Bryant becomes a solid #3 swing tackle, it will be a great pick. Expecting more at this point is unrealistic.

I am assuming we will need a successor to Morgan Moses by 2027 at the latest, possibly sooner. So I want to draft a successor in 2026. I'm not sure that player needs to be ready to start right away, but it should be someone they view as a potential starter. Given how deep this class is, that could be as late as round 5.

 

[manxman2601]

I think if Bryant becomes a solid #3 swing tackle, it will be a great pick. Expecting more at this point is unrealistic.

I am assuming we will need a successor to Morgan Moses by 2027 at the latest, possibly sooner. So I want to draft a successor in 2026. I'm not sure that player needs to be ready to start right away, but it should be someone they view as a potential starter. Given how deep this class is, that could be as late as round 5.

But that's my point. How do we know that that's the way the team feels about him? They obviously liked him more than Caeden Wallace. Obviously we can be pretty sure that Fano and Mauigoa would be upgrades, but would the team think Freeling or Iheanachor would be? I just think it can't be assumed that the team thinks Bryant isn't the future Moses replacement.

Maybe the right play would be to find a mid round LT prospect who could, at the very least, be Campbell's long-term backup and see how successfully he could convert to RT. Kage Casey, Carter Smith and Trey Zuhn and your guy Niki Prongos all spring to mind.

BTW - PFF have moved Prongos up to OT 8 at 82 on their board.

 

[mayoclinic]

Then someone else has moved down.

There are just too many good tackle prospects, and tackle is a need.

It doesn't matter much how the Pats feel about Bryant:

- They think he's a JAG at best: We need depth at tackle.
- They think he's a swing tackle: We need depth at tackle.
- They think he's a potential future starting RT: We need depth at tackle.

The biggest consideration is that we can't count on Moses for the long term. Whether it's a 2026 starter at RT, 2027 starter, or just depth at the position there is a clear need, and potential long-term starters going into day 3.

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[mayoclinic]

Only a freshman, but for the future:

 

[mayoclinic]

NFL Draft 2026: Four giants in the trenches that could go top 10.

With these four offensive tackles dominating boards and mock drafts, fans and front offices are watching every snap. could 4 OT's go top 10?

touchdownwire.usatoday.com

4 in the top 10 seems unlikely to me, but OTs are always prized.

Caleb Lomu is definitely on my short list for late 1st round consideration. His mirroring and footwork are excellent, and if he gets stronger and could transition to the right side he might be a find.

 

[manxman2601]

How do we feel about Trevor Goosby in the first for RT? He does have 2 games experience there and only one full season at LT so it's not as though muscle memory will be embedded. He's still fairly raw but has clear OT ability in pass pro and is ideal for an outside zone running game with his athleticism - something that would unlock Treveyon.

Speaking of his athleticism, the way people talk about him (4.8 forty, fast 10 yard split, 21 mph top speed), he may be one of the most athletic tackles to come up in the draft since Terrion Armstead and Lane Johnson.

If those numbers are close to correct, him, Will Campbell and Jared Wilson will give us one of the more athletic OLs in the league.

His stock is all over the place right now. The consensus board has him at 45, PFF at 85 but he's also had plenty of first round talk. Mike Renner had him going 10th overall in September. His grades are good, 75 pass blocking, 81 run and he's only given up 2 sacks and 11 pressures which, for a fairly raw LT, isn't too bad.

Texas play Vandy later today. I was going to watch anyway for Hill and the Texas secondary, but now I have a reason to watch the offense too. I can see him being added to my late first tier.

 

[mayoclinic]

As you say, his stock is all over the place. He, along with Caleb Lomu and Isaiah World, are definitely in the day 1-2 mix to watch.

I love the athleticism that Campbell and Wilson bring to the left side of the line. I'd love to see similar athleticism extending across the OL.

 

[mayoclinic]

In general, I love the idea of flipping an athletic LT like Lomu, World or Goosby to the right side. More and more you need elite athleticism out of both tackles to deal with elite EDGE rushers switching sides.

I think Monroe Freeling also has the athleticism. Former TE.

 

[stelfans]

Not a fan of Goosby. Last time I saw him he didn’t look very strong and doesn’t have that nastiness that I like to finish blocks. Seems very raw to me.

 

[mayoclinic]

Good to know. I haven't watched him much, haven't had him on my short lists, but flagged as someone of potential interest.

 

[mayoclinic]

With the trade deadline less than 24h away, one of the names floating is Giants OL Evan Neal, picked #7 overall and a 2026 FA. The Giants have pretty much given up on Neal, and will likely dump him for pennies. I'm not suggesting we trade for him, but I did look up some of his draft evals, and came up with this, from none other than Brandon Thorn:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10021425-evan-neal-nfl-draft-2022-scouting-report-for-alabama-ot

Thorn had a 9.0 grade on Neal coming out, grading him as a top 10 pick. For comparison, Thorn had a 9.1 grade on Joe Alt, 9.0 on Penei Sewell, 8.9 on Ola Fashanu and 8.4 on Will Campbell.

So what went wrong? Did Thorn just miss altogether, or is there something we're missing? Specifically, is there something Ryan Cowden might have insight into, and that Doug Marrone could correct?

 

[manxman2601]

With the trade deadline less than 24h away, one of the names floating is Giants OL Evan Neal, picked #7 overall and a 2026 FA. The Giants have pretty much given up on Neal, and will likely dump him for pennies. I'm not suggesting we trade for him, but I did look up some of his draft evals, and came up with this, from none other than Brandon Thorn:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10021425-evan-neal-nfl-draft-2022-scouting-report-for-alabama-ot

Thorn had a 9.0 grade on Neal coming out, grading him as a top 10 pick. For comparison, Thorn had a 9.1 grade on Joe Alt, 9.0 on Penei Sewell, 8.9 on Ola Fashanu and 8.4 on Will Campbell.

So what went wrong? Did Thorn just miss altogether, or is there something we're missing? Specifically, is there something Ryan Cowden might have insight into, and that Doug Marrone could correct?

Via Gemini

Evan Neal's struggles in the NFL have stemmed from persistent issues with his footwork, pad height, and technique, which have hindered his ability to effectively block in pass protection. His performance at both right tackle and the newly attempted guard position has been inconsistent, leading to a reduced role and a difficult outlook for his career with the New York Giants.


Key issues

• Footwork: Neal's biggest weakness is his footwork, especially against quick moves at the snap. He has been criticized for appearing to guess the wrong direction and being beaten multiple times, a problem that persisted even after he moved to guard.
• Pad height and leverage: His high pad level in pass protection leads to a loss of balance and leverage, making him vulnerable to inside moves. This has been a recurring problem, hindering his ability to gain a solid base and recover when a defender gets past him.
• Technique: Coaches have noted a lack of urgency and minimal improvement in pass protection techniques, even during training camp. This is particularly detrimental at guard, where quick reactions and proper leverage are crucial.
• Hand placement: Despite his physical advantages, he has struggled with proper hand placement against pass rushers, a problem that was evident in college and has not been consistently improved upon in the NFL.

Reading between the lines, he doesn't seem to have the smarts for the position or the desire to take to coaching. These are the hardest things for people like Brandon Thorn, or us for that matter, to judge. We can evaluate on-field play, but intelligence/character flaws are much harder to get a grip on.