For those of you who don't know this is a deep draft for tackles, you do not have to take Joe Thomas or bust in the top 15,
My OT to Watch list. (not in any order)
Jake Long 6-7 305 Michigan
Sam Baker 6-5 308 Southern California
Michael Oher 6-6 322 Ole Miss
Jeff Otah 6-6 340 Pitt
Andrew Gardner 6-6 300 Georgia Tech (Jr)
Chris Williams 6-6 320 Vanderbilt
Phil Loadholt 6-7 350 Oklahoma (JC Xfer)
Ryan Clady 6-6 319 Boise St. Jr.
Kirk Barton 6-6 300 Ohio St. (RT)
Alex Boone 6-7 315 Ohio St. (LT) Jr.
Breno Giacomini 6-7 305 Louisville (because I like his name)
I am not saying all these guys are first rounders, they are just guys that have caught my eye, there are others that will go in the top 120 picks. My favorite two guys are Clady and Boone, both juniors, both have great feet. And both can be had after a trade down based on current rankings.
As for seniors Williams and Oher have impressed me, and they can be had mid round, or maybe push Baker out of the top 10. Our current pick of 9 would have us taking a dang good OT, and a trade down could net us a 2nd and 3rd rounder and still a stud OT in the 1st. Trade down is my vote, is every year we have been a team.
I'd be thrilled with a trade down and get a great LT. However like you said not many of these guys are 1st round guys. i'm not familiar with some of them but would they even fit this team?
Guestimating at this point:
Senior Jake Long- 1st rounder-probably long gone by the time we pick...won't be had in a trade down.
Senior Sam Baker-1st rounder- have a shot at him...don't think we can get him if we trade down.
Senior Jeff Otah- I havn't seen him as 1st round talent so we could def. get him in a trade down. He's a huge guy but from what I've read he's more of a RT in the pros...so i wouldn't pencil him in as a solid LT pick for us yet. (2nd-3rd rd guy?)
Senior Chris Williams- I havn't seen or heard much of him but what i have is good. He could be underated at this point and can be had in a trade down... he could be a good option for us at LT(2nd-3rd rd guy?)-good trade down guy
Senior Kirk Barton- As you mentioned a RT...not sure if we're going to trade down to pick up a RT to switch him to LT in the pros...Don't see him as our stud guy to get...but I havn't watched him.
Senior Breno Giacomini- Awesome name...
so of the seniors..I only see 2 1st round talents that won't be had in a trade down.
Underclassmen:
Michael Oher- he's a junior and I feel pretty confident he's going to stay for his senior year. It would do him well b/c the limited action I've seen him in..he hasn't been dominant. At this point I think he's a late first/ early second type of pick because he has so much potential and can play all along the line. Should he stay in school and get one more year under his belt..he should be a top 20 pick easy for 2009 (probably a 5-15 pick).
Andrew Gardner-know nothing about him
Phil Loadholt- I've heard good things about this guy not sure if he comes out if he'd be late 1st or early 2nd...sounds like a stud..good trade down guy.
Ryan Clady- Heard more positives about him than most other prospects, probably a mid 1st rounder to late 1st? Excellent trade down guy.
Alex Boone- don't know anything about him but havn't heard much of him being a early pick if he declares...
So with limited knowledge on these prospects and purely speculating at this point..I don't really see us getting a crack at a bonafide stud LT. We've got 6 guys that are for sure entering the draft, 2 of whom will not be had in a trade down from our #9. 2 of whom are probably more suited for RT. 1 definite viable option and 1 I don't know about. Of the 5 underclassmen...how many are really going to declare? Oher I dont think will. That leaves Ryan Clady and Phil Loadholt as two guys I know some of that sound really good. The other two I'm unfamiliar with.
So if half the juniors declare and we trade down..I really see probably 3 or 4 viable options for us at LT for next season...assuming they grade out to be a late 1st, or 2nd/3rd round guys. I'm also assuming these guys would be ones we would target and fit our system (whatever the hell system this is).
All in all thanks a lot for posting your watch list. As you can see I'm unfamiliar with many of them so this will be a great list many of us can go off of and try to watch.