Here are the top 10 guard/center prospects (with projected round) for the NFL draft, which is set for April 23-25:
1. Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU, 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds (first/second round): He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.27 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times. "Starting-caliber center with big hands, long arms and good core strength to match power-on-power when needed," NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein said. "Cushenberry isn't rigid or stiff, but he does have some limitations with lateral quickness, which show up against athletic edge rushers and with potential run-game limitations in space. He's extremely difficult to bull-rush and is rarely beaten to the punch in his pass sets."
2. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan, 6-3, 307 (first/second round): In 2018, he was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. Last season, he was second-team all-conference selection after starting all 13 games. He played some right guard early in his career.
» ALSO: Solomon Kindley's stock rises
3. Jonah Jackson, Ohio State, 6-3, 306, (second round): He was at Rutgers for four seasons before transferring to Ohio State. He played left guard for the Buckeyes and earned third-team Associated Press All-American honors and was first-team All-Big Ten.
4. Matt Hennessy, Temple, 6-4, 307 (third round): Hennessy started 35 games over his career. He missed four games because of injury over three seasons. He also played some left guard. His brother played at Duke and is the long-snapper for the Jets.
5. Nick Harris, Washington, 6-1, 202 (third round): Was coached by former NFL lineman Pat Harlow, who son Sean Harlow is with the Falcons. Harris played left guard and right guard as a freshman. He played mostly right guard as a sophomore before moving to center in his junior year. He was first-team all Pac-12 as a junior and senior.
6. Robert Hunt, Louisiana-Lafayette, 6-5, 336 (third round): He was a four-year starter for the Ragin' Cajuns. He played left guard as a redshirt freshman, and then split time between left guard (nine starts) and left tackle (two starts). Hunt played right tackle for all 14 games in 2018. He suffered a groin injury after the seventh game of his senior season, but was still named to the All Sun-Belt conference team
7. Ben Bredeson, Michigan, 6-5, 315 (third round): He played in 50 career games with 46 starts at left guard for the Wolverines. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection. He was a team captain in 2019.
8. Netane Muti, Fresno State, 6-3, 307 (third round): His name is pronounced nuh-tan-EE MOO-tee. He is plenty strong as he bench pressed 225 pounds 44 times at the scouting combine, which was the highest total in 2020. He has an history that includes a ruptured Achilles and a Lisfranc (foot) injuries. In 2017, he started all 14 games and was an honorable-mention All-Mountain West performer.
9. Damien Lewis, LSU, 6-2, 329 (third round): He played right guard in junior college and at LSU. He was named to the All SEC second-team after starting all 15 games at right guard during the teams run to the national title.
10. Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin, 6-4, 314 (third round): His name is pronounced bee-AH-dish. He started all 14 games of his redshirt freshman season at center in 2017 after being a defensive lineman in high school. He had hip surgery in the spring of 2019, but returned to start all 14 games at center. He won the Remington Trophy, which goes to the nation's top center. He also earned first-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Best of the rest: Oregon's Shane Lemieux, Kentucky's Logan Stenberg, Georgia's Solomon Kindley, Clemson's John Simpson, Michigan's Michael Onwenu, Rhode Island's Kyle Murphy, Washington's Jared Hilbers, Mississippi State's Tyre Phillips and San Diego State's Keith Ismael.
» Here's a look back at the top 10 offensive linemen of 2011.
Teams in need. San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas City, Dolphins, New York Jets, Carolina and New England.
Need area for Falcons. Yes. The Falcons are looking for someone to step up at left guard who could potentially step in at center down the road when Alex Mack, who turns 35 in November, is ready for his trip to Canton.
Top 5 seniors for 2021 draft. Georgia's Trey Hill, Tennessee's Cade Mays, Alabama's Deonte Brown, Oklahoma's Creed Humphrey and Boston College's Alec Lindstrom.
AJC’s 2020 POSITION BY POSITION DRAFT SERIES
Quarterbacks: Joe Burrow leads class | Top 10 QBs
Running backs: Cam Akers' life lesson | Top 10 RBs
Tight ends: A surprise prospect from Georgia | Top 10 TEs
Offensive line: Solomon Kindley's stock rises | Top 10 C/OGs
Part 5: Offensive line (tackles)
Part 6: Wide receivers
Part 7: Defensive tackle
Part 8: Defensive end
Part 9: Linebackers
Part 10: Safeties
Part 11: Special Teams
Part 12: Cornerbacks
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