The NFL Combine is roaring past, so we’re taking a look at who the best and worst performers were once again. This time we’re going to look at the offensive lineman. It’s somewhat unfair to lump all offensive lineman into one group, but that’s how the Combine folks do it, so that’s how we’re doing it. This isn’t just going to be who did bad and who did well, but will look at who helped and hurt their stock the most with their Combine performance. The focus will be on the measurements, but I watched every drill in the Combine twice, so it’d be a shame to ignore the on-field stuff as well!

The Best

Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

Like any offensive lineman from Washington State, the big question for teams is going to be whether or not he can run block. Dillard came into the Combine with a reputation as the best pass blocker in the class, so all he needed to do to keep his stock strong was to measure well. He did that in spades, posting a sub 5.00 40-yard dash and one of the best broad jumps by an offensive lineman ever. He also hit the 4.44 short shuttle threshold for offensive lineman, getting a 4.40 in that drill, which is sure to shoot him up draft boards. Like a sub 7.00 second three-cone for edge rushers, hitting the 4.44 mark in the shuttle has been a fantastic indicator of NFL success.

Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington

McGary has been on teams’ radars for some time, but he hasn’t been a nationally known prospect despite promising tape. The Combine saw him light up nearly every drill, and his name was buzzing throughout the arena. Like Kolton Miller last year, McGary may have done enough to throw his name into the Day 1 discussion, and while he’s also a developmental prospect like Miller was, he doesn’t have nearly the same level of flaws to his game.

Chris Lindstrom, OG, Boston College

Chris Lindstrom is a certain type of prospect. What type? The Bill Belichick type. Prior to the Combine, the main teams he was linked to in terms of fit and rumors primarily consisted of the Patriots and former Patriots coaches. That generally means that he’s a player who is both strong and nimble on his feet, and Lindstrom showed that at the Combine, posting some of the best numbers across the board. His broad jump was one of the best for a guard ever, and hitting 4.91 in the 40-yard dash would be impressive for a tackle, let alone a guard.

Garrett Bradbury, OC, North Carolina State

Selfless horn tooting, I caught some flack back during the Senior Bowl for talking about Garrett Bradbury as my top interior offensive lineman. After predictably lighting the Combine on fire, Bradbury has some referring to him as “This year’s Ragnow” which is deliciously ironic. Bradbury, if his score holds, will take over the third all time highest RAS score from the Lions starting center, who set that mark a year ago.

The Worst

Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

The Detroit Lions recently met with Jonah Williams and there was some speculation that he could be their pick at eighth overall. That was before the Combine really got into gear. People were happy comparing Williams to David Bakhtiari and Joe Thomas because of the yearly arm size argument. Then he started running through measurements and drills and that was quickly thrown out for a change of topic.

Williams ran an excellent 40-yard dash for a tackle, but he posted below average explosiveness drills and atrocious agility numbers. Worse, his shuttle time of 4.79 was well beyond an acceptable level for starting offensive linemen. On the plus side, I wouldn’t worry about the Lions drafting him at eight.

Nate Herbig, OG, Stanford

As payback to myself for showboating over nailing how Bradbury would do, let’s talk about Nate Herbig. The giant Stanford guard was a favorite of mine early in the process, and I talked him up a bit, but he measured exactly like his detractors thought he would. He did post a good 40-yard dash for a man his size (A 5.41 is bad, but it’s okay for a 335 pound dude), but his explosion drills were as horrible as his agility scores were. This type of showing likely solidified his Day 3 grade for teams.

Greg Little, OT, Mississippi

When you’re billed as a top-tier athlete, you can’t come to the NFL Scouting Combine and crap the bed in front of all 32 NFL teams. Talked about as a possible first-round prospect based on his “amazing” athleticism, Little posted a poor 40 to start the day and then a horrible vertical jump. His broad jump showed a lot of promise and was one of the best on the day, but his shuttle was poor if you’re looking for a starter.