UA-59049186-1 2017 Top 10 NFL Offensive Guards - Good if it Goes

2017 Top 10 NFL Offensive Guards

1. Marshal Yanda

Yanda is not only the best guard in the NFL he is the best offensive lineman period. It was a crime that he was left off the all-pro first team. Versatility is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Yanda. Throughout his career he has played both guard and both tackle spots and done so at a high level. There are a lot of really good guards in this league that if moved to the tackle position their play would drop off significantly. Not Yanda, he can play pretty much anywhere. This is in large part due to his elite blocking skills. He received the highest blocking grade by pro football focus among not only all guards but all three offensive line positions. He is an absolute technician at guard that has excellent feet and hand placement when blocking. Stays balanced and keeps his back straight and head up.  He is an excellent run blocker as well. Though not as good at it as he is pass blocking he is very strong with good quickness and takes care of business inline and at the second level.

2. Zach Martin

Martin has established himself as an elite player in the NFL and at a very young age. He has played three seasons and made both the the pro bowl and an all-pro team all three years. Martin is the best run blocker at the position. He thrives in the run game because of his physical play and ability to execute all run blocks at a high level. In line he is terrific. He has the quickness to reach anybody as a zone blocker, the power to wash down his man on down blocks and the strength and hand placement to perfectly get under guys and move them off the line on base blocks. On the move he is textbook wasting very little movement or time and getting to his target efficiently and making contact. In pass pro he is excellent as well and had a lot to do with Dak playing with such a comfortable pocket.

3. Kelechi Osemele

Osemele was terrific in his first year with the Raiders and completely validated the huge contract he signed in the offseason. He is one of the biggest players in the NFL at 6’5, 330 pounds and uses his massive frame and hands to do damage in both the run and pass game. You would think guys his size are better run blocking but this guy was slightly better pass blocking last year. For a guy his size he moves really well. As a pass blocker he is one of the best at dealing with power rushers and utilizing a strong anchor to stop them in their tracks and prevent them from collapsing the pocket. As a run blocker it is not surprising that he blocks well in line but he is also good blocking on the second level which is just icing on the cake at his size.

4. Brandon Brooks

Brook is a massive man at 6’5 340 plus and wears it well. He is not sloppy and actually has a well built frame for a guy that weighs so much. That explains why he is so fast for his size. Despite being over 340 he is one of the fastest guards in the NFL with 4.9 speed. For reference Zach Martin ran a 5.2 and Yanda a 5.1. These kind of physical traits explain why he has ascended to top five at his position and why he was one of the most sought after free agents last offseason. Brooks did not disappoint in his first season in Philly and quite honestly was robbed of a pro bowl appearance. He is an elite pass blocker at the guard spot. Typically defensive tackles have at least one advantage over their guard counterpart, more speed or more power. With his size and ability to move he can actually negate both against a lot of players. He is also a good run blocker both inline and at the second level. I am sure linebackers must be thinking it just is not fair that a 340 pound guy is moving this quickly towards me.

5. Ramon Foster

When the 2017 pro bowl rosters were announced I am sure Foster was happy for his teammate David DeCastro (more on him at number eight) but the wrong Steelers guard got selected. Foster was the third highest graded guard by pro football focus last season and had the best season of his eight year career to date. He does not have the name recognition as a lot of the other guards on this list but he had a lot to do with the Steelers being one of the top five offensive lines in football. He is another 6’5 guy at nearly 340 pounds that can pass block really well. He is not the athlete that Brooks is but is a better technician. He also was good in the run game. At his size it is no surprise that he can move bodies but his ability to block at the second level despite being one of the slowest players in the league is impressive.

6. Richie Incognito

Incognito is still going strong at 33 years old and has played so well since coming to Buffalo that nobody is talking about bullying anymore just about his back to back pro bowl appearances. It does not take long to see why Incognito is so good when you watch him play. There might not be a more physical player in the entire league than this guy which is why he thrives at guard. He battles every snap both in the run and pass game. He is also one of the fastest guards in the game which is why he is elite blocking at the second level in the run game. It is amazing that just a few years ago this guys career was in doubt and now he has settled in as one of the top guards in the game.

7. Kevin Zeitler

Zeitler is one of the best young guards in the game and was highly sought after this summer ultimately inking a big deal with the Browns. Pass protection was a major issue for the Browns a year ago and Zeitler should play a major role in helping change that. He was the fifth ranked guard in pass pro by pro football focus. As a pass blocker what stands out about Zeitler is how smart he is. He does a good job of being in the right position to handle blitzes or stunts and twist by d-lineman. As a run blocker he is also good. He is better on the move than he is inline at this point but he is an all-around player that will have an impact in both phases of the offense for Cleveland.

8. David DeCastro

DeCastro was one of the highest graded guard prospects at the time he came out of college drawing comparisons to all-time greats like Alan Faneca and though he has not been a disappointment by any means I honestly think he has underachieved a bit. I was expecting him to be doing what Zach Martin has been doing. But it is not a knock on Decastro that he has made two pro bowls and an all-pro team and my first thought is I thought he would be better. He is one of the strongest guards in the NFL and has really good technique that for whatever reason he still is not consistent enough displaying. Pass blocking he was excellent last year however and I do not have a ton of complaints on that end. As a run blocker he was good but again with his talent he should be great. There are times when he gets shed to easily when run blocking or allows penetration which given his strength should not happen.

9. T.J. Lang

Lang took a small step back in 2016 as his run blocking really dipped. It seemed like the entire Packers O-line was great at pass blocking and ho hum vs the run. Maybe it was mental since the team was literally so decimated by injury at that position they were playing a receiver there. Lang signed with the rival Lions during free agency and I am expecting him to bounce back with his run blocking, maybe new scenery will help. As a pass blocker he was his usual terrific self earning the second highest pass blocking grade by pro football focus which played a major role in keeping Rodgers upright. Lang is not the fastest or strongest guy but technically sound as they come. He has textbook footwork in pass bro to mirror or stir his opponent and can anchor in a hurry negating pressure and keeping the pocket intact.

10. Josh Sitton

Sitton has been one of the game’s best guards for a long time now. Because it actually takes more athletic ability to run block than pass block it usually declines first as guys get older and Sitton was no exception in 2016. He was always better at pass blocking than run blocking but his run blocking tanked compared to his prime years this past season which keeps him near the back of this list. However, his pass blocking is still elite. He had the fourth highest pass block grade according to pro football focus and has been an elite pass blocker pretty much his whole career. He is a brilliant technician that can handle both power and finesse rushers off all types.

 

 

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