Poking around the Internet,  I stumbled upon a rather telling video of Andy Reid describing the qualities he liked in his 2011 first round offensive lineman, Danny Watkins. If you care to join me as we delve into the key words used in that video, it may clarify the type of player he wants on the offensive line. More importantly, we might be able to become more educated about which offensive tackle prospect the Chiefs may select.

(video thanks to 1470thefoxallentown)

Here are some key quotes from the post-draft press conference with coach Reid:

- 00:19 We felt Danny was as good a football player as there was in the draft

I highlight this comment because shows us that the traits used to describe Danny Watkins are core skills to Andy Reid. Based on the comment,  could it be said that Watkins is close to an ideal lineman?

-00:52 Danny played left tackle at Baylor, was very productive there, and he’ll bring a toughness, which I know the city of Philadelphia…they thrive on that. He brings a toughness, and a blue collar attitude to that offensive line.

-1:46 …when [Danny] stepped on the football field, he really took to the game and has been so productive. He’d take the best defensive end in the draft, or outside linebacker, however you want to look at him, the draft pick Denver took from Texas A&M [Von Miller], he had great film against him and he played a [great] game against him and that was just one of many great games….

Productivity against pro draft prospects is high on the list for Mr. Reid. He wants to see the player perform at a high level. You will see throughout the interview that he is looking for great football players, not necessarily great athletes.

-2:26 What you see is just a [great] football player, both in the run game and the pass game. I can’t tell you how happy we are to have him be a part of our program.

-3:17 (When asked about Watkins’ future position)- The nice thing about this is he started at left tackle. He went to the Senior Bowl and played both guard positions, and so that gives us some flexibility there. If we want to move people around, we can move people around. He can step in at right guard, he can play right tackle, even though he didn’t do it there. And like we do with all our linemen, we’ll probably teach him how to play center in there, too. He’s that kind of athlete where he can do that.

The comment on versatility and flexibility is huge in the context of projecting the number one pick. Reid appreciates the value of having interchangeable linemen. It lowers the risk of failure and protects against depth issues. Also, note how Senior Bowl performance was brought into the mix. It will not be the only time the topic comes up in the interview. It further establishes that production is of critical importance.

-4:27 (on the value of placed on high character) This is a guy that is a tough, tough guy. Now, he’s also a good football player. And he’s got phenomenal character, on and off the field. He’s a class act, but the thing that jumps out at you is he is a relentless worker and one tough nut, and I like that.

Besides production, maybe the most frequently used descriptor in this conversation is “toughness.”

-8:03 (Another question from media about future position for Watkins)- This is a neat thing, I’ve got flexibility with all of these guys. We got a group of guys that played tackle in college. One nice thing is they can move all around. Todd’s {Herremans] played both sides, Danny’s played both sides, Todd’s played tackle for us, left and right, so we’ve got some flexibility there which I think is a neat thing. And then listen, I’ll sit down, I’ll just want to make sure we got the best football player we possibly could get to bring in here, and I think we did that, and then we’ll figure out a spot for him. That’s the easy part.

Again, emphasis is placed on versatility. Guys who have played or can play several spots on the line help out a lot. Usually the most versatile linemen are the offensive tackles. That’s probably why we see so many of them fill out Andy Reid’s offensive lines.

-10:22 …The guys that were at the Senior Bowl, you saw that. You saw this guy go out and dominate, in the one-on-ones, dominate in the game, and it was a new position for him, the first time he had played guard, he just lit it up. But that’s what he’s been doing all year, and that’s how he plays.

-11:00 He is a pretty good player now. He knows how to play the game out in front of him, with his arms, which that’s a big thing, sometimes you have to try to train guys to do that. He already does that. He’s very powerful in the core, and very powerful in his jam. Those are hard things to teach, and he’s got that.

-13:22 On whether Watkins can start as a rookie- We always try to bring in guys who we feel are starters. You never really try to go into this thing and say, ok, I’m going to draft this guy to be a backup.

In review, the takeaway from the interview, for me, was that an ideal offensive lineman must fulfill several criteria. The prospect must have:

1. Toughness
2. Productivity/good game tape
3. Versatility, and by extension, athleticism

No doubt there are other auxiliary considerations, but seem to be the core values.

Now, how about we put this knowledge to good use by comparing how the top two offensive tackles, Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher, fair in these three critical areas.

On Luke Joeckel:

• Toughness- Never missed a game due to injury. This suggests excellent durability. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has this to say about Joeckel’s toughness:
  

   Needs to improve overall strength but he is tough. Plays with an edge. Works through the whistle. Very good effort on combo blocks. Is aggressive and plays with an attacking style.

They give him a 2 in this category (scores range from 1-5, lower is better).

• Productivity against pro caliber prospects- Joeckel faced several elite prospects, Sam Montgomery (LSU), Barkevious Mingo (LSU), Corey Lemonier (Auburn), and Margus Hunt (SMU). Against Mingo and Montgomery, he struggled quite a bit, allowing 4 hurries and a sack to the LSU defense. On the other hand, he aced his contest against Lemonier, giving up a total of 1 hurry to the quick-footed pass rusher.

•  Versatility/Athleticism- Played entire career at left tackle. Has no college game experience at other positions. Yet, it speaks to his athleticism to win the spot that usually goes to a team’s most nimble and reliable lineman right from the very beginning.

On Eric Fisher:

•  Toughness- Missed two games due to injury in 2011. No missed time in 2012. From ESPN-

Not [a pile driver] but looks to finish blocks when the opportunity presents itself. Plays hard and passion is evident. Displays good energy. Consistently gives second effort on tape and works to the whistle.

They also grade him as a 2 in this category (scores range from 1-5, lower is better).

• Productivity against pro caliber prospects- At Central Michigan, Fisher lined up against William Gholston (Michigan State) in the regular season, allowing a single hurry to the Spartans. At the Senior Bowl, he was considered one of the best overall players and was dominant in the practices that week.
• Versatility/Athleticism- Has played offensive guard, right tackle, and left tackle at Central Michigan. Fisher is also a very quick athlete.

In summary

Both men score above average for toughness, but there may not be a great deal separating them in this category. Fisher is said to play with a chip on his shoulder, but Joeckel has been more durable.

In productivity against top competition, Joeckel has faced more elite linemen in season. But Fisher, being a senior, was invited to the Senior Bowl, at which time he put himself up against some of the best players in the draft and did really, really well.

Regarding versatility, Fisher has experience playing multiple positions, which should increase his usefulness and value. Joeckel has played only one position, but it the spot that usually requires the best pass protector.

When the time comes, the men making this decision will have a difficult time making the call between these two highly skilled prospects. Based on these three criteria, I think that Eric Fisher distinguishes himself slightly more than Luke Joeckel. But if you bring in several other factors that Andy Reid mentioned in his interview, things like use of hands and generating power in the core, I see Joeckel drawing closer due to his exceptional balance and technique.

Final word-Eric Fisher goes to the Cheifs