In order to familiarize fans with some of the top names in the 2017 NFL Draft, Chargers.com will be highlighting top prospects by position each week leading up to the first day of the draft on April 27th.
*Next up is a look at some of the premiere offensive linemen according to pundits. *
Garett Bolles
School: Utah
Height: 6-5
Weight: 297 poundsPosition: Tackle
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Cedric Ogbuehi
Garett Bolles' journey to the NFL is unorthodox to say the least.
He spent two years after high school out of football, working as a repairman. After going on an LDS mission, he enrolled at a highly regarded JUCO program at Snow University, where he put himself on the national radar. Highly coveted, he transferred to Utah, starring in his lone season for the Utes as he was a first-team All-Pac-12 pick.
Now, Bolles might be the first offensive lineman to hear his name called on draft day.
A 6-5, 297-pound athletic specimen, the 24-year old tested off the charts at the Combine. He excels in pass protection thanks to his quick feet and burst off the snap. In the run game, he is able to latch onto opponents to open lanes for his running backs with ease.
While Bolles may have gotten a late start to his college career, he is now poised to embark on what many draft experts believe will be a lengthy stay in the NFL ranks.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:4.95 seconds
Vertical Jump: 20.0 inches
Broad Jump: 115.0 inches
Dion Dawkins
School: Temple
Height: 6-4
Weight: 314 poundsPosition: Guard
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Joe Barksdale
As college offenses turn more toward spread attacks, prospects who thrive in pro-style systems have extra value right off the bat.
Dion Dawkins is one of those prospects.
Capable of playing both guard and tackle, he started games all four years at Temple. At left tackle, Dawkins earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors as a junior and captured first-team honors last season.
A mauler in the run game, the 6-4, 314-pounder is known for his physical nature. His ability to jar opponents in tight quarters has many scouts projecting his best fit is at guard, while others think he also possesses the ability to succeed in open space at tackle. Overall, Dawkins is projected to be one of the first offensive linemen off the board with chance to step in and start immediately.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:5.11 seconds
Bench Press: 26 reps
Vertical Jump: 26.0 inches
Broad Jump: 106.0 inches
Dan Feeney
School: Indiana
Height: 6-4
Weight: 305 poundsPosition: Guard
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Clint Boling
Dan Feeney is projected to be the second straight Indiana offensive lineman drafted early in the NFL Draft. In fact, many thought he would have been off the board early last season alongside teammate Jason Spriggs, who was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round.
Feeney opted to return for his senior year, where he reaffirmed his status as a top guard prospect.
A two-time team captain and four-year starter for the Hoosiers, Feeney won accolades each year in Bloomington. After being named a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten pick purely as a guard his junior year, he saw time at right tackle in 2016. His play earned him first-team All-American honors and second straight selection to the All-Big Ten team.
A road grader in the run game, Feeney helped future NFL stars Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard achieve success while at Indiana. His quickness off the blocks also helps him succeed in pass protection.
Overall, scouts project Feeney to anchor an offensive line along the interior for years to come.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:5.24 seconds
Bench Press: 26 reps
Vertical Jump: 28.0 inches
Broad Jump: 101.0 inches
Forrest Lamp
School: Western Kentucky
Height: 6-4
Weight: 309 poundsPosition: Guard/Tackle
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Zach Martin
It's easy to see why Forrest Lamp is one of the hottest names in scouting circles leading up to the NFL Draft.
The offensive lineman possesses the traits teams covet at the position, namely toughness, athleticism and power. Lamp also plays with a nasty mean streak for an added edge, and gives the opposition fits once he gets his hands locked in. As a result, many top pundits compare him to Dallas Cowboys' Pro Bowler Zach Martin.
A four-year starter and two-time team captain with the Hilltoppers, some may question the caliber of his opponents during his college career. To that, draft experts say simply put on his tape from last year against Alabama, where he more than held his own against some of the nation's top edge rushers.
While Lamp played tackle in college, where he was a two-time first-team Conference USA pick and third-team All-American, most expect him to kick inside at the next level.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:5.00 seconds
Bench Press: 34 reps
Vertical Jump: 27.5 inches
Broad Jump: 111.0 inches
Taylor Moton
School: Western Michigan
Height: 6-5
Weight: 318 poundsPosition: Tackle
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Zach Fulton
Perhaps no offensive lineman has seen his stock rise more during the lead up to draft day than Taylor Moton.
An imposing figure at 6-5, 318-pounds, the Western Michigan product possesses the ideal build for an NFL offensive lineman. Moton also boasts 34 1/8th inch arms and 10 5/8th inch hands, which he uses to outmuscle defenders.
A four-year starter, he spent his first two seasons at right tackle before moving inside to guard as a junior. Moton moved back to right tackle as a senior, where he helped lead his school to the MAC title. As a result, he was a first-team all conference pick while also taking home All-American honors.
In addition to his individual success, Moton was an integral figure in Western Michigan's fortunes over his four-year career. He helped turn around a team that went 1-11 in 2013 into one that boasted a 13-1 campaign as a senior. While some pundits believe Moton may take a year or two of seasoning, they believe his game naturally translates to the NFL level.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:5.18 seconds
Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Jump: 30.5 inches
Broad Jump: 109.0 inches
Ryan Ramczyk
School: Wisconsin
Height: 6-6
Weight: 314 poundsPosition: tackle
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Joe Staley
All it took was one season at Wisconsin for Ryan Ramczyk to establish himself as a premiere draft prospect.
In his lone year of FBS football after transferring from Division III's UW-Stevens Point, he started every game at left tackle for the Badgers in 2016. The 6-6, 314-pounder impressed immediately, and when all was said and done, he earned first-team All-Big Ten and AP All-American honors. In the process, he earned comparisons to the Patriots' Nate Solder and 49ers' Joe Staley.
Ramczyk is a steady force in both pass protection and run blocking. He packs a strong first punch to knock defenders off balance, and moves with ease thanks to his tremendous athleticism. Overall, draft expects believe he is a lock to hear his name called on the first day of the draft.
Combine Metrics
Bench Press: 29 reps
Cam Robinson
School: Alabama
Height: 6-6
Weight: 322 poundsPosition: Tackle
NFL Network Pro Comparison: Ereck Flowers
Teams looking to secure the blindside are setting their sights on Cam Robinson.
The Alabama left tackle manned the position from the moment he stepped foot on campus until he declared for the draft following his junior season. Over 43 games, Robinson established himself as one of the premiere offensive linemen in college football. He enters the draft fresh off a dominant 2016 campaign in which he was a consensus All-American and won the Outland Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's top interior lineman.
Robinson boasts a unique blend of size, athleticism and power. He fires off the snap, driving defenders back at the point of contact as he plays through the whistle. He is also the complete package, proving to be as effective a road grader as he is protecting the QB.
Robinson faced some of the best players in college football, dominating SEC end rushers. As a result, experts would be surprised if Robinson's name is still on the board come the second day of the draft.
Combine Metrics
40-Yard Dash:5.15 seconds
Bench Press: 26.0 reps
Broad Jump: 106.0 inches
The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed above do not represent the opinions or policies of the Los Angeles Chargers' front office staff, coaches or executives.
