The Oline - where is it really ?

[SunsetBengal]

(02-16-2020, 12:41 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: Trouble is the front office does not value guards.  The good ones they do draft are allowed to walk in FA.  Rarely do they draft guards in the first 2 rounds, Steinbach and Zietler being exceptions.  The sad part is all of the best Bengals teams in franchise history had a common thread:  Top 5 o lines.  The line will continue to suck until ownership changes their tactics and improves their drafting acumen.

Having a strong OL is definitely key to success in the NFL.  However, when a player is drafted is not nearly as important as the talent evaluation and skill set selection process, as well as coaching those players to develop that talent.

Good and successful OL come from all rounds of the draft, that is why scouting and evaluation is so important.  Judging a player based on tape measurements and other measurable factors has a lot of weight at certain positions;  Like arm length in Tackles and Centers.  However, at positions like RG, you might want the man with the most powerful hands and raw power, perhaps a guy that isn't afraid to be the man to "start the fight".  Whereas at LG, you might want a guy that is a little more agile and athletic, and can get out to the second level on running plays.

However, there is absolutely no substitute for watching players in actual games, to see who they really are.  Do they recover well from giving up a bad play?  Do they get lazy when they are facing lesser competition?  How do they carry themselves on the sidelines?  Do they stay engaged when they're backside on a play?  Those, and so many more questions can be answered by being in the stadium watching, rather than looking at just "scouting footage" that is cut down to only show the actual plays.