2022 NFL Draft Preview: Offensive guard sleepers and Broncos fits

The Denver Broncos know that having a strong offensive line is the key to success. With superstar quarterback Russell Wilson under center, the team must do everything they can to have the best offensive line possible. In addition to protecting Wilson, the Broncos are going to run the ball with great effectiveness and that relies on strong blocking up front – especially on the inside.

They have done a lot of work trying to collect offensive line help, especially inside at guard where they have more than a few options.

This class of guards is really good. In fact, there seem to be groups of clusters of talent in each of the first three rounds. Could the Broncos be tempted to add one of these talented players in the draft? The class is strong enough that Denver might decide they need to get one of these eventual starters.

In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I will also write about sleepers at the offensive guard position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Market Watch

There are at least three guards who should be first-round picks in this draft. That’s rare for a draft, as usually there’s a guard or two who get their names called on opening night. This class is strong with talent, and there are a few players to note as first-round talents.

Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) is widely considered the top guard in this class. There’s a chance he is off the board in the first 15 picks of this draft – and for good reason. One term you’ll hear early and often with Green is “lower body thickness” because of his strong lower body. He’s well built for a guard and has a powerful stance, whether that’s as a pass blocker or a run blocker. Green anchors quickly with a great base, making him tough to move off his spot when his feet are set.

He’s a versatile player with experience playing at four offensive line positions – every position but center – and this shows how smart he is about the game of football. Green is rarely tricked by movement and twists up front, and he understands the assignments of all the players around him. In addition to strength and intelligence, Green is an aggressive player who loves to win. He’s got some nastiness to his game, and Green does not get intimidated on the football field.

There is a lot to like about Zion Johnson from Boston College. First and foremost is his consistency at the position. Johnson has sound technique and could be a plug-and-play starter in the NFL. Johnson is a smart player who understands what a defense is trying to do, and he anticipates counter moves well.

Johnson has arguably the most powerful punch of any guard prospect in this class. He will stunt and stun defenders with his strength, and that powerful punch gives him extra time to diagnose a defender after he’s gathering himself from the punch. Johnson not only punches with power, but he also loves to time the punch to knock defenders off their rush path. He’s a girthy prospect with length and strength. That makes him tough to get around, and don’t even try to get through him.

Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard is one of my favorite guards in this class, and he could hear his name called on the first night of the draft. A three-year starter at right tackle, Kinnard is going to be a fine pro inside at guard. He was a road-grading right tackle in college for the Wildcats, but there were limitations when he faced elite EDGE rushers. Moving him inside covers that problem up, and it plays to his strengths as a mauler.

Kinnard does a good job of swallowing up defenders when he gets his hands on them. His punch could use better timing and consistency, but he’s powerful player who loves to dominate at the point of attack. A move inside to guard is best for him, and teams I’ve talked to like the idea of adding Kinnard with a premium pick.

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Sleepers

When you see sleepers at the guard position, it’s usually players who are switching positions from tackle to guard at the pro level. Playing tackle in the college game is different than playing tackle at the pro level. Some players are good at tackle in college, but their best spot in the NFL happens to be inside at the guard position.

Sean Rhyan (UCLA) played left tackle in the Bruins offense, but at the pro level he could be a powerful starting guard for years to come. Some in the scouting community see him as a right tackle at least with the ability to move inside if that position doesn’t work out. I say start him off at guard in the pros and watch him develop into a Pro Bowl caliber player.

Rhyan has tremendous size, measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 321 pounds. It’s not only his mass, but Rhyan has a large wingspan and huge hands which help him control his man at the point of attack. In addition to his size, Rhyan has the footwork to get out in front as a pulling blocker – even on long gains.

While some sleepers are changing positions, other players categorized as sleepers come from small schools. That’s the case with Cole Strange from Tennessee-Chattanooga. He’s lean for a guard prospect, measuring in at 307 pounds but adding 10 pounds of muscle at the pro level won’t be a problem.

Strange is a perfect fit for zone-blocking schemes (like the Broncos) because of his lateral agility and overall athleticism. I like the way he shows an understanding of angles, and he knows how to pick his man up when on the move. Strange is a strong prospect, but power is not his game. Instead, he wins with guile, consistency and technique. It’s a jump going from the Southern Conference to the NFL, but Strange is the type of physical and intelligent player teams will love to add as a developmental prospect.

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Broncos Fits

On the left side, Dalton Risner is in a contract year. His game has not yet fully developed, but now he’s back in the system he looked so good in during his rookie season of 2019. There’s a good chance that Risner flourishes this year and gets a healthy contract from the Broncos at some point during the season or quickly after the season.

It’s the right side of the offensive line that could use some work. Graham Glasgow restructured his contract this offseason to help secure his spot on the roster. He’s going to get an opportunity to push for the starting center job, but Glasgow might be the front-runner at right guard. If not Glasgow, then 2021 third-round pick Quinn Meinerz is in line for the starting job. Meinerz has starting experience from his rookie season, and he’s the type of player who is still developing his game. If he’s ready, starting Meinerz might be the best answer for the Broncos at right guard.

How about getting a player who could fill in at all five positions? What if I told you this player would be available on day three of the draft? That’s what you get with Alabama’s Chris Owens. He has experience at all five positions on the offensive line. The Crimson Tide’s starting right tackle projects inside at the pro level.

Versatility is the hallmark of Owens game. He has good recovery ability when he misses on a pass rush. Now, you don’t want a guy to miss but when he does (and they all do) you want a player who doesn’t hang his head and give up on the play. Owens will make mistakes, mostly technically, and then work hard to recover from that. With pro coaching, those technical mistakes will lessen, and his natural ability will come through. He’s tough and competitive, exactly the type of player you want in the building.

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