The War Room | HoustonProFootball.com 
October 15, 2005
Redrawing the Line
by Warren DeLuca
HoustonProFootball.com
Note: This is fifth in a series of college prospect profiles in preparation for the 2006 NFL Draft next April. This week, we take a look at the top five prospects on the offensive line.
Rather than break out the thesaurus to find synonyms for “inept,” let’s skip the analysis of the Texans’ offensive line and just say that it should be a major draft priority in 2006.
Left tackle is in the greatest need of help, as Victor Riley is clearly not the answer, Seth Wand being left out of the line’s desperate midseason reshuffling does not speak well to his future, and the team appears convinced that tackle-turned-guard-turned tackle Chester Pitts is better off inside even though he’s apparently the best left tackle on the roster.
Great offensive tackles aren’t developed or signed as free agents, they’re drafted, and drafted early. Seven of the nine tackles (Orlando Pace, Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones, Willie Roaf, Willie Anderson, Tra Thomas, and Tarik Glenn) on the Pro Bowl rosters last year were first-round picks. The other two (Flozell Adams and Marvel Smith) were drafted in the second round. Roaf, who was traded from the Saints to the Chiefs in 2002, is the only one not still with the team that drafted him.
Luckily for the Texans, this draft looks to be an especially strong one for offensive linemen and tackles in particular. Virginia’s D’Brickashaw Ferguson draws comparisons to Ogden because of his great athletic ability. Miami’s Eric Winston is returning from a major knee injury but has the tools to be a star. Auburn’s Marcus McNeill is a mauler in the running game. Texas’s Jonathan Scott is polished and versatile. LSU’s Andrew Whitworth is a gritty competitor.
Other offensive linemen to watch:
C Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
OG/OT Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
OG/OT Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
C Nick Mangold, Ohio State
OT Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College 
Jonathan Scott Home
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