Mid-round OT prospect continues to rise up the boards

[tiger7_88]

And, yes, I admit in advance that not only am I a Panthers fan, I'm also an Auburn homer. :D

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82766728/article/ol-stock-report-auburns-mosley-fills-void-after-elite-tackles

For example, top tackle prospect Matt Kalil (USC) cemented his status as a top-five overall pick by being one of two linemen to run the 40 under 5.0 seconds. Even before stepping foot on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf, Kalil impressed scouts with 34 1/2-inch arms and 10 3/8-inch hands -- prototypical measurements for the left tackle spot.

Linemen also can make their mark at the combine by excelling during position drills, like projected first-round guard David DeCastro (Stanford) did by being the coaches' demonstrator before multiple drills. Not that DeCastro didn't open some eyes during testing; his 5.43 40 wasn't exceptional, but scouts and coaches know his 4.56 20-yard shuttle and 7.30 three-cone results are more important for his position. Those numbers equaled or beat a few of the more athletic defensive linemen, as well as a couple of solid linebacker prospects carrying 60-70 fewer pounds.

Kalil and DeCastro were already considered the elite prospects at their respective positions, however. The five players listed below needed strong combines to maximize their draft stock -- and they delivered.

Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn: The former Coffeyville Community College tight end/defensive end reluctantly moved to the offensive line upon arriving at Auburn -- a move that proved wise as the 2011 second-team All-SEC selection started his final 24 games for the Tigers. He missed the Senior Bowl after spending time in the hospital with viral meningitis, however, putting extra value on his combine results. Mosley did not disappoint, first measuring taller (6-foot-5 5/8), heavier (314 pounds) and longer (34-inch arms and 11-inch hands) than expected, and then running a strong 5.21 40 with a solid 1.75 unofficial 10-yard split. He also finished third behind Kalil and DeCastro in the three-cone drill and put up 30 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press -- a very good number for a player with longer arms. With this year's tackle class falling off a bit after the elite prospects, Mosley's athleticism and upside may be too intriguing to ignore.

Draft projection: Third round.

No, we don't have a 3rd round pick. But prior to the combine and the Auburn Pro Day, this kid was thought to be a likely 5th rounder. If he lasts to the 4th round, he'd be a value pick. His measurables were near the top in every category for OL at the combine.

[MHS831]

The long arms and the fact that he, with time, can play LT make him appealing. I like the fact that he was a TE--they seem to have the agility to play LT--their anchoring and run blocking usually need work. If he could play RT in the absence of Otah and eventually replace Gross on the left side, worth his weight in gold in the fourth round.

One thing I have noticed--there seems to be more risers than fallers this time of year. However, about 18-20 teams have a need at OT in thier top 5 needs, so I see him somewhere around the fourth in terms of value, but he could go earlier. There is also a lack of depth at T, so players who show some upside will probably go earlier than they should.

What do you know about Ziemba? He needed a year of weight development, from what I heard.

[tiger7_88]

Ziemba's measurables were/are nowhere close to Mosley's. But I think he's more versatile in that Big Z can probably be moved inside if the organization wants him too. Ziemba's a smart kid too.

Ziemba was a bit more slow of foot than Mosley, but he still played LT well in the SEC. His strength was pass blocking.

Oddly enough, though Mosley is more mobile than Big Z, his strength (in the Malzahn spread that AU ran in 2010 and 2011) was run blocking. When Cam was there, the vast majority of the run plays (whether they were runs by Cam or by the running back) were to the right (Mosley's) side.