Interior OL measures up to expectations at Combine

INDIANAPOLIS -- Though the athletic testing at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine does not begin until Thursday, scouts got their first look at some of the best prospects on Wednesday morning, including a talented group of offensive linemen that at least one general manager said is one of the top position groups in this year's draft. Among the noteworthy measurements Wednesday were those for Texas offensive tackle Connor Williams, Ohio State center Billy Price and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson -- each projected as first-round picks in NFLDraftScout.com's dueling mock drafts. After a full season (including all-star games) of scouting, NFL teams already have accurate measurements on most of the seniors. Wednesday was the first time scouts received this same information on the underclassmen, and there were some surprises -- good and bad -- along the way. Perhaps the most impactful news -- as reported by Yahoo's Charles Robinson -- involved Williams, who measured in lighter and with shorter arms than scouts hoped. While measuring in at a solid 6-foot-5 1/8 inches, Williams was among the few offensive linemen to weigh less than 300 pounds. He was at 296, with just 33-inch arms, stretching the physical threshold most clubs have for offensive tackles. Further, Williams' wingspan (77 7/8 inches) was the shortest of any of the tackles measured Wednesday. Some have suggested that Williams' average arm length could be mitigated by simply sliding him inside to guard, but this is complicated by the fact he never played this position at Texas and is lighter than teams want inside. Price, a two-time All-American, also came up a bit short in the measurements with just 32-inch arms and a 75 1/4-inch wingspan, the smallest of any offensive linemen measured Wednesday -- a notable difference with Iowa's James Daniels, a junior currently second on NFLDraftScout.com's center rankings. Daniels came through with a more prototypical 6-foot-3 3/8 inches, 306 pounds, along with 9 1/2-inch hands, 33 3/4-inch arms and an 80 1/4-inch wingspan. The love affair scouts have for Notre Dame's Nelson likely burned even brighter as the consensus top-rated blocker showed nearly a perfect frame for the position, measuring in at 6-5, 325 pounds, with 10 3/8-inch hands, 33 6/8-inch arms and an 82 5/8-inch wingspan. Price, Daniels and Nelson headline a group that has captured the attention of Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, among others. When asked what were the strengths of this year's class, Licht immediately pointed to the "interior of both lines," also mentioning the running backs and cornerbacks. This year's tackle class, on the other hand, is considered a middling group in comparison to recent crops, with Williams' average size only reinforcing this notion. While perhaps lacking elite talent, the tackle class certainly has size going for it. Nelson's former teammate with the Irish, Mike McGlinchey, also looked the part of a made-for-the-NFL blocker at 6-7 7/8 and 309 pounds. He has 10-inch hands, 34-inch arms and an 81-inch wingspan -- offering the combination of ideal combination of height and length. Not surprisingly, Orlando Brown from Oklahoma was the biggest man measured Wednesday, topping out at just an eighth of an inch under 6-8 and 345 pounds with 35-inch arms and an 85 1/8-inch wingspan. While the massive ex-Sooner and NFL legacy likely turned heads in the weigh-in, it was Pittsburgh's Jaryd Jones-Smith who could have created the biggest buzz. At times overshadowed by Senior Bowl invitee Brian O'Neill with the Panthers, Jones-Smith's incredibly long arms eclipsed those of any other in Indianapolis. He measured 6-6 1/4, 315 pounds, with 36 1/4-inch arms and a 88 1/2-inch wingspan -- numbers that will have offensive line coaches drooling about his potential. It is important to remember that accurate measurements are just one of myriad factors scouts take into consideration when projecting players to the next level.