Top 5 AFC North By Position - TE/Offensive Line

[ravensdan]

TE -

1. Heath Miller - Has been the gold standard all around TE in the leage for years.

2. Dennis Pitta - Comes through in the clutch, will only improve.

3. Jermaine Gresham - Has had some mind-boggling drops.  Has all the physical talent to be Gates.

4. Tyler Eifert - By his own admission he needs to improve on his blocking, could be a fantastic receiving threat

5. Jordan Cameron - Up and comming TE , we will see what he can do this year.

 

Tackle -

1. Joe Thomas - Has been one of the top 3 in the league for a few years now.

2. Andrew Whitworth - Was the best pass blocking tackle in the league according to pff last year.

3. Bryant McKinnie - Had a fantastic playoffs.  If his attitude is in the right place he can be absolutely dominant.

4. Andre Smith - Played amazingly well last year.  However in previous years his attitude has been in serious question.  Like McKinnie it is up to him whether he will be dominant or not.

5. Mitchell Schwartz - The rookie played very well at right tackle for the Browns.

 

Gaurd -

1. Marshall Yanda - All pro gaurd.

2. Kelechi Ossemele - Played fantastic at left gaurd especially in the playoffs.

3. Kevin Zeitler - Played fantastic ball as a rookie.

4. David DeCastro - This is a pick totally based on potential as he missed almost all of his rookie year with injury. 

5. Clint Boling - Played solid if not spectacular for the Bengals.

 

Center -

1. Maurkice Pouncey - One of the best in the league, just needs to stay on the field

2. Alex Mack - Finnished 6th in running blocking according to pff.

3. Gino Gradkowski - Time to prove himself this year.

4. Trevor Robinson - will be the Bengals center

5. ? - I really don't know who has the best back up center, you decide.

[Guest nflfan123]

Lol our TE rankings are the same, nice. Best backup center is tough, Kyle Cook?

[The Oakland Cathedral]

Gino should be behind Trevor Robinson since Robinson actually played well and is somewhat proven compared to Gino. Also it's guard not gaurd.

[The Oakland Cathedral]

One more thing. AQ Shipley could also be above Gino and Robinson since he is a proven commodity.

[ravensdan]

One more thing. AQ Shipley could also be above Gino and Robinson since he is a proven commodity.

I could see Shipley as the number five. Yes he is proven. Proven to be a backup Gino and Robinson are thought of as starters by their teams. You could possibly swap those 2 but it is really hard to say until after this year.

[ravensdan]

I'm a bit surprised the linemen have gotten little love as far as debate while the skill players is quite heated.

[The Oakland Cathedral]

I'm a bit surprised the linemen have gotten little love as far as debate while the skill players is quite heated.

We are an individualistic society for the most part.

[Alexir]

Gino at 5, Shipley at 3

[GrimCoconut]

Why do you have Pouncey before Mack?

[Mt. Crushmore]

Mack is way better than Pouncey.

Also, AQ Shipley should be in the center rankings.

[Dubs]

I would also lean heavily towards Mack over Pouncey.

 

I have a hard time ranking a rookie (Eifert) ahead of anyone right now. He has yet to play in the NFL so anything could happen and until the rookies play I really dont think its easy to say they are better then those in the NFl who have played..so I would move up Cameron and add Dickson. I would also think of taking out DeCastro because of what you said, we have seen very little to warrant a top 5 grade right now..Not knocking either player but top 5 at position should be more about production than potential imo

[GrimCoconut]

I would also lean heavily towards Mack over Pouncey.

I have a hard time ranking a rookie (Eifert) ahead of anyone right now. He has yet to play in the NFL so anything could happen and until the rookies play I really dont think its easy to say they are better then those in the NFl who have played..so I would move up Cameron and add Dickson. I would also think of taking out DeCastro because of what you said, we have seen very little to warrant a top 5 grade right now..Not knocking either player but top 5 at position should be more about production than potential imo

Yes, I agree with this. I forgot about DeCastro. He shouldn't be on the list. He didn't even play did he? If he did it was very limited. I can't remember.

[ravensdan]

Yes, I agree with this. I forgot about DeCastro. He shouldn't be on the list. He didn't even play did he? If he did it was very limited. I can't remember.

I'm fine with taking him out, but who do you put in his place?

Eifert also, I can't see moving in Dickson ahead of him just because he has played doesn't mean the rookie shouldn't surpass him.

I would be ok with putting Mack ahead of pouncy. I think they are quite close.

[GrimCoconut]

I'm fine with taking him out, but who do you put in his place?

Eifert also, I can't see moving in Dickson ahead of him just because he has played doesn't mean the rookie shouldn't surpass him.

I would be ok with putting Mack ahead of pouncy. I think they are quite close.

Pinkston played very well. I would consider him with Boling above him.

As for Dickson I think he gets a bit of a bum rap and that's coming from a Dickson hater during the season. I'm not a fan. I think he played better for Caldwell so we will see but he did play well when he was considered the best TE on the team and received the majority of targets.

[Dubs]

Pinkston played very well. I would consider him with Boling above him.

As for Dickson I think he gets a bit of a bum rap and that's coming from a Dickson hater during the season. I'm not a fan. I think he played better for Caldwell so we will see but he did play well when he was considered the best TE on the team and received the majority of targets.

 

Dickson showed up big in the Superbowl too so you do have to give him some props. I am also very skeptical but I do think Rookies should be left off these lists as you have yet to see anything of them in the NFL. Its not that they cant surpass guys like Dickson but there is nothing yet that has shown that. 

 

When Willie Colon played G for the Steelers he was very good, however he rarely stayed there and is no longer on the team. Boling is very under appreciated at G...The guy I would put in at #5 for the G position is Shawn Lauvao, he has started for a while, is young, proven and unheralded. Cleveland has a very good OL

[ravensdan]

Dickson showed up big in the Superbowl too so you do have to give him some props. I am also very skeptical but I do think Rookies should be left off these lists as you have yet to see anything of them in the NFL. Its not that they cant surpass guys like Dickson but there is nothing yet that has shown that.

When Willie Colon played G for the Steelers he was very good, however he rarely stayed there and is no longer on the team. Boling is very under appreciated at G...The guy I would put in at #5 for the G position is Shawn Lauvao, he has started for a while, is young, proven and unheralded. Cleveland has a very good OL

I didn't consider colon as he is now a jet. Otherwise he would be there. I don't know how I overlooked bowling. I should put him at number 4.
I would like to hear more debate on who should be 5 because I think there are several guys who are close.

[Dubs]

I didn't consider colon as he is now a jet. Otherwise he would be there. I don't know how I overlooked bowling. I should put him at number 4.
I would like to hear more debate on who should be 5 because I think there are several guys who are close.

Did not mean you under appreciated Boling just in general he is lost in the shuffle..he should be fourth in our division..Lauvao for #5!

[GrimCoconut]

I'm not sure about Lauvao. He's a bit of an iffy. He had a rough year last year. I remember seeing him get beat quite a bit. 

[ravensdan]

Luavo ranks near the bottom in just about every oline metric for last year.

[Dubs]

I'm not sure about Lauvao. He's a bit of an iffy. He had a rough year last year. I remember seeing him get beat quite a bit. 

 

That is very true, it is basically between Lauvao, Ramon Foster, Kelvin Beachum, David DeCastro, Jon Grecco and Jason Pinkston...Maybe DeCastro has a chance but he only played two or three weeks and I am not sure if it was anything spectacular, I know Geno dominated him from the stat line...it is kinda slim pickings based on performance

[ravensdan]

Pinks ton could be an option but he missed most of his second year with injury as well.

Maybe
1. Yanda
2. Ossemele
3. Zeitler
4. Bolling
5. Pinkston

[GrimCoconut]

That is very true, it is basically between Lauvao, Ramon Foster, Kelvin Beachum, David DeCastro, Jon Grecco and Jason Pinkston...Maybe DeCastro has a chance but he only played two or three weeks and I am not sure if it was anything spectacular, I know Geno dominated him from the stat line...it is kinda slim pickings based on performance

I like Pinkston a lot. Foster's good as well. 

[GrimCoconut]

Pinks ton could be an option but he missed most of his second year with injury as well.

Maybe
1. Yanda
2. Ossemele
3. Zeitler
4. Bolling
5. Pinkston

Yeah, but he played awesome as a rookie. Awesome. I would absolutely agree with this list, except it's Osemele. 

[Mt. Crushmore]

Pinks ton could be an option but he missed most of his second year with injury as well.

Maybe
1. Yanda
2. Ossemele
3. Zeitler
4. Bolling
5. Pinkston

 

BTW there is only 1 S in Osemele.

[The Raven]

I'm a bit surprised the linemen have gotten little love as far as debate while the skill players is quite heated.

 

There's not much to center the debate around. It's not like a reputable statistic source like nfl.com records sacks allowed or "victories" in the run game.

 

Also, the distinction between the linemen in this division is pretty clear. Yanda and Osemele are clearly the best guards in the division. Whitworth is definitely the best tackle in the division right now, but Joe Thomas is pretty good too. McKinnie falls behind them, and then it's up in the air.

[Yatagarasu]

I think everyone in the division has a serviceable O-line.

[Cville-Raven]

There's not much to center the debate around. It's not like a reputable statistic source like nfl.com records sacks allowed or "victories" in the run game.

Also, the distinction between the linemen in this division is pretty clear. Yanda and Osemele are clearly the best guards in the division. Whitworth is definitely the best tackle in the division right now, but Joe Thomas is pretty good too. McKinnie falls behind them, and then it's up in the air.

hah Whitworth above Thomas. That's a good joke.

[The Raven]

hah Whitworth above Thomas. That's a good joke.

 

Wasn't thinking when I wrote that, clearly. Thomas is indeed above Whitworth, but Whitworth's talent is often understated. I think he is indeed a comparable player to Thomas. Thomas may best him as a pass blocker, but Thomas' run blocking has regressed a bit in recent years. Whitworth may be a better run blocker.

[Cville-Raven]

Wasn't thinking when I wrote that, clearly. Thomas is indeed above Whitworth, but Whitworth's talent is often understated. I think he is indeed a comparable player to Thomas. Thomas may best him as a pass blocker, but Thomas' run blocking has regressed a bit in recent years. Whitworth may be a better run blocker.

I agree that Whitworth is a good tackle and understand your point. But there is no way he could be better than Thomas. Thomas has consistently been a top 3 LT for the past 6 years.

[The Raven]

I agree that Whitworth is a good tackle and understand your point. But there is no way he could be better than Thomas. Thomas has consistently been a top 3 LT for the past 6 years.

 

Yeah, definitely agree. Wasn't thinking much when I posted that.

 

I still say he's a better run blocker than Thomas. When Whitworth has only allowed one sack in his entire history against Suggs, he can't be too bad in pass protection either.