The Bills and Eagles' left tackle situations will be key ones to watch over the coming year, but another interesting tackle situation to follow is that of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have historically placed substantial emphasis on the tackle positions, drafting LT Jonathan Ogden fourth overall in 1996 with the first pick the team made after relocating to Baltimore. Ogden retired in 2008 and was replaced by Jared Gaither, another highly-touted tackle. In this year's draft, the Ravens used their first-round pick to select Mississippi left tackle Michael Oher, the primary subject of The Blind Side. Bruce Raffel, who covers the team for the SB Nation blog Baltimore Beatdown, said he appreciates the emphasis the Ravens place on their tackles.
"While the center position is sort of the 'quarterback' of the o-line, the left tackle is the most important piece, as they protect (usually, unless QB is left-handed) the QB's blind side," Raffel said. "Most great pass rushers come from the left side and therefore the best offensive lineman usually plays there. In addition to pass protection, the LT must open gaping holes for the running game as well, which of course, makes the passing game even more successful."
Raffel said the team made an excellent decision to take Ogden so high in 1996 despite their other needs.
"Ogden was the premier LT coming out of UCLA in that draft year, and when trying to build a team for the future, taking the guy who will be protecting your QB's blind side for the next 10-12 years or so is the best place to start, which is why the Detroit Lions should have done the same thing this year rather than take a QB with the first pick," he said. "JO was a very bright young man when drafted and then became an even smarter player as he matured, both emotionally as well as physically. He watched tape on his opponents and knew their signature moves and was rarely beaten by the same guy more than once. He was also a huge physical specimen who took care of his body which permitted him to enjoy a long healthy career, at least until towards the end of all the abuse he lasted through against the best pass rushers in the league."
The team selected Gaither further down in the 2007 draft, but Raffel said his skills are those of a much higher draft choice.
"When we grabbed former Maryland Terrapin LT Jared Gaither with the fifth pick in the Supplemental Draft, every Ravens fan knew we had a guy that would have gone in the top part of the first round if he stayed only one more year in college," he said. "Having a year to learn from JO was the best thing that could have happened to Gaither, as he had an on-the-field coach in Ogden … Gaither is fast on his way to becoming an All Pro at LT. He is a massive human being at 6'9" and 334 pounds, but moves around pretty good for such a behemoth. He already had a great season last year and will only get better. Joe Flacco has a lot of confidence that his back is covered with Gaither entrenched at LT."
Raffel said the Oher selection surprised him at first given the team's prominent needs elsewhere, but he thinks it could pay off. Oher is expected to start at right tackle immediately and could fill in on the left side if Gaither is hurt.
"Most Ravens fans, including me, were looking for a wide receiver with the first round pick," Raffel said. "When I heard that we made the trade to move up in the round, I was sure it was to grab either a WR or one of the USC LB's, such as Rey Maualuga, who I thought would be a great transition to Ray Lewis at MLB. However, when they took Michael Oher and his life story came out, it was obvious that he fit the mold of a typical Raven player. Finally when RT Willie Anderson announced his retirement, opening the door for Oher to start at RT right away, it became apparent that this is why our GM Ozzie Newsome is well known as the 'Wizard of Oz.'"
There are a plurality of differing opinions out there on just how important a good tackle can be, but few would argue against grabbing one whenever possible. Raffel said he thinks the Ravens will be set for the long run with Oher's potential and Gaither already excelling.
"Learning at RT will be a challenge, but I was at the Ravens' training camp this past week and while Oher is 6'4" and 310 pounds, there is not an ounce of belly fat on the guy, which is rare for an OT," he said. "If Jared Gaither stays healthy and continues his rapid growth as a fixture at LT, then Michael Oher will become one of the best RT's in the game very quickly. If something happens with Gaither, then Oher would seamlessly slide over to his natural position. Although a LT in college, it will actually be easier to acclimate himself to the speed and challenges of the pro game by learning right off the bat from the RT position, which is far less pressure."
It's going to be tough to definitively settle the value of a left tackle any time soon, as it's partly based on the supply of players out there and the demand for them. Moreover, different offensive schemes place differing levels of importance on an outstanding left tackle, and the defence's plan of attack also plays into it. The constant evolution of offensive and defensive schemes adds a new dimension of complexity into the equation, making it more difficult to prove or disprove Lewis' ideas about the importance of the left tackle.
Regardless of the truth behind Lewis' overall theories, though, it appears quite possible that the star of his book could become a great NFL player. Thus, even if the overarching premise of The Blind Side isn't as important as Lewis claims, it's still a fascinating look at the development of one star young left tackle along his journey to the NFL.
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