Big Blue View
Could Conerly stay at tackle in the NFL?
The New York Giants offensive line always seems to be a subject of conversation.
The Giants might not be able to draft an offensive lineman at the very top of the draft, but what if one slides a bit?
Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is an intriguing option on the edge. He isn’t reckoned as one of the very best tackles in the draft, but he has started the last two seasons at left tackle and performed well at the position. He even had the fourth-best pressure rate allowed on true pass sets of any tackle in the draft.
Cornerly is a bit smaller than ideal, and some teams could view him as a guard because of it, but his ability is undeniable.
Could he be an option for the Giants as a long-term answer for their offensive line?
Prospect: Josh Conerly Jr. (76)
Games Watched: vs. Michigan State (2024), vs. Ohio State (2024), vs. Purdue (2024), vs. Illinois (2024)
Best traits
Josh Conerly is an athletic and fundamentally sound offensive tackle prospect.
He has unspectacular size, but compensates for it with good leverage, quick and efficient feet, and good hand usage. Conerly has very smooth feet with quick steps that allow him to cover ground and expand the pocket. His feet and footwork allow him to match speed off the edge while also being ready to anchor against power. He isn’t a massive or overpowering lineman, but he does a good job of using his footwork to deal with bull rushers without allowing the pocket to constrict.
Conerly has good hand usage and understands the importance of inside leverage and positioning. He consistently seeks out defenders’ chest plates and uses good grip strength to control them and sustain his blocks. From there, he does a very good job of torquing and using his positioning to seal off running lanes.
His athleticism allows him to be an effective pulling blocker as well as getting in space to block at the second level or on screens. He moves very well in space and is quick to hit his landmarks. Likewise, he’s an effective blocker on zone runs and is able to sustain his blocks while stressing defenses laterally to open rushing lanes.
Conerly also has excellent awareness, consistently looking for work as well as identifying delayed pressure.
Worst traits
Conerly is a well-rounded offensive lineman with few real weaknesses in his game.
The greatest one is a slight tendency for his feet to freeze when he’s presented with a sudden and well-executed lateral move. In particular, pass rushers who can (very) suddenly switch from attack inside – faking an outside move then attacking the B-gap – can cause Conerly to lunge.
That can cause a cascade of other issues for Conerly, and expose his relative lack of play...
