I think Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi is a safe pick.
Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi Prepares For NFL Draft, Graduation
Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi
A lot of people think offensive tackles in the first round of the draft are. New York Life Protection Index is used to quantify an offensive line’s production and they say taking an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft gives your line an immediate upgrade over 60 percent of the time.
I spoke with Carimi this week as he prepares for the biggest work day of his life. After saying he was “stoked” about having a stat measuring an offensive line’s production, he said he was anxious to end the draft process. He’ll figure out who his employer is and where he’ll live next. He’ll figure out his new coach and teammates. He’ll also find out whether what position he’ll be playing on the offensive line.
So what’s he doing on this day to celebrate it all?
He’s staying at home with friends and family, he told me in a phone interview. That seems about right if you’re not invited to the draft, especially for someone like Carimi who will definitely be drafted, perhaps a first round pick. But the party will actually have two purposes.
“I think my Mom made it a graduation thing too because I actually have a group presentation that day,” he said.
School work on draft day. I must say that Carimi is a better man than I. There’s no way I’d be doing that group presentation. He says graduating is important so he needs to do it, though.
There are a couple of things that stood out to me while talking to Carimi, who has been frequently mocked as a first round pick in Thursday night’s draft.
First, he can play wherever you want him to play on the offensive line.
“I know I can play left tackle but it’s wherever the team needs are and that’s where I’m going to fit in and work my butt off,” he said. “I can play four spots on the field and that’s what I’m going to be working hard for.”
That would be four offensive line positions outside of center. If you’re wondering why he mentioned left tackle, that’s because that’s what he played at Wisconsin. It’s also important to note that left tackle vs. right tackle could be a fairly large financial difference. Left tackles are paid more than their counterparts on the right side. I’ve heard of several teams looking at him as a right tackle and perhaps even a guard.
Second, as I said, he’s a safe pick. He seems to generally have it together off the field. He has tons of tape on the field so you have a good idea of what you’re getting. He says he’s willing to play anywhere. He told me that his experience at Wisconsin will significantly help him.
"I really do think that's one of my assets, especially with this unique situation," he said. "Wisconsin runs a pro style offense and a lot of teams have said, 'Oh, this is exactly what you run at Wisconsin.' Terminology and being able to use their terms. Wisconsin has done a great job of teaching you how to actually play football, communicate in football terms, and with the general knowledge of the game I think I'll be ahead of the curve in that aspect. "
This is an important point. Think of guys like QB Cam Newton and QB Blaine Gabbert. Their biggest knocks are that they played in college offenses that aren't like NFL offenses. Carimi comes from a major university that played a similar offense and he plays a position that is generally considered a safe one.
With the NFL lockout threatening to delay the start of rookie OTAs, training camp or even the season, the idea of having someone who can step in and play immediately is enticing.
Carimi says that’s one of the assets he’s been talking about with teams -- playing right away. It’s my belief that guys like Carimi are going to have a higher premium placed on them because of their maturity and ability to play from day one.
He says he took visits to several teams. The purpose of these visits is to find out whether that maturity I talked about is the real deal or if he’s faking it. It’s a hard thing to figure out -- someone’s true personality -- on a 24-hour visit but that’s what teams are trying to do.
“They want to know what kind of person you,” he said. “If you’re a good person and if you mesh with the current players in place, especially the o-line. The o-line is usually the tighest group on the team so they want to see if you mesh well personality-wise with the rest of the o-linemen.”
And sometimes they actually talk about football, too.
“They also want to know your football IQ. They’ll get you up on the grease board and you have to draw up some plays -- either your own players or they’ll teach you their plays to kind of see where your knowledge is at.”
I'm from Kansas City and a Chiefs fan so talking to Carimi has an added bonus. It's possible I talked to the Chiefs first round draft pick. He's projected to go in the mid to late first round. In the late teens, possibly starting with the Giants, there could be a run on offensive tackles so I imagine Carimi will be selected between No. 19 and No. 23.
For coaches and GMs that like selecting a player and not having to worry about him anymore, I think Carimi will be near the top of their list.
As for his own prediction of where he’ll go? Carimi says he doesn’t have one but did admit he started looking at mock drafts this week, which generally say he’ll be picked in the late teens or early 20s.
“If my name is still on the board at 21, I hope they pick me. But if my name is still on the board at 25, I hope they pick me. It doesn’t really matter. Whatever team is on the board, I hope they see the value I can bring to their team immediately.”
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