One More Lineman

While talking to scouts and reporters about the elite left tackle prospects, I asked about a few other players. One player earned consistent praise: Alabama center Antoine Caldwell.

"He's one of the top character guys I have ever come across," Ian Rapoport said. "He's a team player, a dynamic individual." Neal McReady was also impressed. "He's a great leader with a great motor, the kind of guy you can build a team around."

Caldwell was a three-year starter at Alabama, handling all the line calls and adjustments for a complex offense. When he was briefly suspended for a minor rule violation (he used scholarship money to give textbooks to friends), the Tide line fell completely apart.

Caldwell is considered a Day Two prospect because of his lack of athleticism. He's no road grader, and he lacks the initial quickness of a top center prospect. He's moving up some draft boards because of his intangibles. "He's not huge, but he's versatile," Mark Murphy said. "I can see him playing center or guard, or even right tackle." Caldwell worked out at both center and guard at the Senior Bowl. His second-tier measurables will become less of a factor as teams evaluate his intelligence and experience. "He more than held his own in the toughest league in the country," noted McReady.

Caldwell sounds like Jeff Saturday in many ways: A smart, high-energy center who doesn't need to be the biggest, strongest guy on the line to succeed. Saturday went undrafted in 1998; players with his skill-set are often hard to spot. Centers like California's Alex Mack, Louisville's Eric Wood and Oregon's Max Unger are currently ranked ahead of Caldwell. Don't be surprised if Caldwell starts climbing those rankings.

So because we extend a middle aged (NFL career wise) Center we wont bring in a C/G prospect that can cover 3 (maybe 4) positions in the line as a Later round pick for depth?

Sounds to me thats exactly who you want to draft in 4th/5th/6th Rd if you can get him.

Agreed, he could be a great backup linemen.

And that's fine then, in that context. But you are not really drafting Raiola's replacement. You would be drafting a backup guard/center who may or may not happen to take over after Raiola is done in five years.

Semantics.

-ILMP