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Meet The Offensive Linemen The Colts Could Draft Come April

Intro: Wednesday at the NFL Combine brought the big boys working in the trenches to speak with the media. Who might the Colts be in the market for come April?

ConklinMSU.jpg

INDIANAPOLIS – They came in all shapes and sizes on Wednesday.

Their stories and possible fits make for some intriguing debates to see how this year's class of offensive linemen would possibly fit with the Colts.

Let's meet the hog mollies.

**Tackles

**

  • Michigan State's Jack Conklin (6-6, 308):The former Michigan State walk-on hails from a small town in Michigan (Plainwell). Conklin was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Spartans, winning a Big Ten Championship right here at Lucas Oil Stadium. Conklin has lost 11-12 pounds since his senior season ended at MSU. NFL teams have told Conklin they would like to start him on the right side of the line. Conklin calls himself a "prototypical run blocker." Mock Drafts have Conklin pretty firmly in the top 20 picks.
  • Ohio State's Taylor Decker (6-7, 310):Decker measured in as the tallest offensive linemen on Wednesday. Speaking on Wednesday, Decker made it clear he wants to be a left tackle at the next level. Decker was Ohio State's left tackle the past two seasons, once current Colts' guard Jack Mewhort left the Buckeyes. In 2013, Decker was a right tackle, opposite Mewhort. In recent Mock Drafts, Decker has been behind Conklin in the middle to later parts of the first round.

**Guards

**

  • Kansas State's Cody Whitehair (6-4, 301):From a pure versatility standpoint, there's few who can match the resume of Whitehair. At Kansas State, Whitehair started at right tackle (five games), left guard (20 games) and left tackle (26 games). Whitehair is thought to be a guard at the next level, with Mock Drafts having him in the latter portions of Round One.
  • LSU's Vadal Alexander (6-5, 326):Alexander is a recent trend we are seeing on collegiate offensive linemen---tackles on that level, guards on the next. Alexander played left guard his sophomore and junior years (25 starts) at LSU but trains as a tackle, where he also started 21 games in college. Teams are telling Alexander they see him as a guard in the NFL. Alexander says he studies the play of Indianapolis native and Dallas Cowboys lineman Zack Martin, a guy who was a tackle in college and has become a Pro Bowl guard in the pros.
  • Stanford's Joshua Garnett (6-4, 312):In terms of a natural guard, Garnett is probably the purest prospect. Stanford's offensive line has developed a reputation as one of the nation's best and Garnett appears to be the next in line. Mock Drafts have targeted Garnett as a second-round prospect. In the "Stanford academic note" of the day: Garnett wants to be a trauma surgeon after football.

**Centers

**

  • Alabama's Ryan Kelly (6-4, 311):You rarely see true centers as first-round picks. It appears Kelly is trending in that direction. Kelly started at center for Alabama the last three years, working with a trio of different starting quarterbacks. Coming from a pro style offense and having to handle all the checks/line audibles makes Kelly quite the attractive center.
  • Notre Dame's Nick Martin (6-4, 299):The pedigree of Martin comes from an older brother (Zack) who has been a Pro Bowl guard in his first two NFL seasons. Whereas Zack was a tackle turned guard, Martin is a center with some guard background. Mock Drafts have had Martin as a second-round pick, behind Kelly.
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