The offensive linemen went through the measurement process at the scouting combine on Wednesday with some interesting results. Maybe the two guys that did the most for themselves at the offensive line weigh-in were OTs Cedric Ogbuehi of Texas A&M and Pitt’s T.J. Clemmings, both of whom had something to prove coming into Indianapolis. What they were able to show at the weigh-in was that they do have the kind of length that NFL team’s covet in bookend tackles. Ogbuehi, who appears to have literally dropped out of the 1st round area on most teams boards around the NFL after a disappointing senior season in College Station, for example, measured in at 6-5, 305, but with almost 36-inch arms. For his part, Clemmings measured in at 6-5, 309 with 35” arms and big hands of almost 10.5”. At the same time, Stanford OT Andrus Peat, arguably the top-rated pure OT in this year’s draft was okay as the former measured in at a tall6-7 and 313 pounds with 10.5” hands, although the fact that his arms were ‘only’ 34.5 inches may have been a bit of a disappointment. Meanwhile, Iowa OT Brandon Scherff, the top-rated offensive lineman overall coming into the combine, looked a little bit more like the OG many teams project that he will ultimately play at the next level. Scherff measured in at a solid 6-5, 319 with huge 11” mitts, but his arm length (33.5”) is more the stuff of an interior lineman.
Other OTs that at least passed the combine’s eyeball test included Donovan Smith of Penn State who tipped the scales at almost 340 pounds on a long 6-6 frame with 34.5” arms and 10.5” hands, as did the Oklahoma duo of Daryl Williams and Tyrus Thompson. Williams measured in at 6-5, 327 with 35” arms and almost 10” hands, while Thompson was 6-5, 324 with just over 10” hands and just under 35” arms. Meanwhile, unheralded Virginia Tech OT Laurence Gibson also had a good day as he measured in at 6-6, 305 with those prototype 35” arms and 10+ inch hands.
On the other hand, NFL teams had to be a little disappointed in what the tape showed on a number of other offensive linemen, including several reasonably well-regarded OTs that looked more like OG prospects. Pro scouts were more than a little surprised back in January when LSU LT La’el Collins weighed in at only 308 pounds at the Senor Bowl after he had reportedly played at over 320 pounds his senior year. Moving on to the combine and Collins was down another 3 pounds to just 305. Worse, his arms measured only a tad over 33” which is short for an OT. Same story for Colorado State OT Ty Sambrailo, who measured in at a respectable 6-6, 311, but again with only 33” arms. And same for Sean Hickey of Syracuse who is 6-5, 309 but with those shortish 33” arms. The strangest guy on the day, though, may have been Canadian OT Brett Boyko of UNLV who has plenty of length at 6-7, but weighed only 301 with barely 32” arms and 9” hands.
Among the OGs, arguably the winner of the ’best in shorts’ award may have been Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio, who measured in at 6-5, 310 with 34” arms and almost 11-inch hands. Duke’s Laken Tomlinson also passed the eyeball test as the former Blue Devil was a solid 6-3, 323 with almost 34” arms and 10-plus “ hands. Same for Florida State C/T Cameron Erving who measured in at a robust 6-5, 313 with 34-inch plus arms and 10.5” hands. For the record, though, the biggest offensive linemen in Indianapolis was Florida OG Trenton Brown who blocked out the sun at 6-8, 355 with almost 36” arms and 11” hands, while South Carolina OT Corey Robinson wasn’t that far behind at 6-7, 324 and also with almost 36” arms and 11” hands.
Bonus coverage: In contrast to the offensive line, there wasn’t a whole lot that jumped out of the tape when the TEs were measured. The two top-rated prospects at the position – Minnesota’s Maxx Williams and Clive Walford – both easily passed the eyeball test. Williams measured in a6-5, 250 with 33.5” arms and 10.5” hands, while Walford was an inch shorter at 6-4 and also 250, but with 34” arms, the longest of any of this year’s TE class. In fact, about the only really notable number among the TEs was Nick O’Leary of Florida State showed up with very short arms at under 30”.
