The interior of an NFL offensive line is not a glamorous place to play. Playing guard or center does not lend itself to making big plays or becoming a star in the league.
2012 NFL Draft Sleepers: All Underrated Team - Guards/Centers
Outside of David DeCastro, the consensus top guard available in the 2012 NFL Draft, pretty much any guard in this draft class could be considered underrated in some respect. Plenty of potential starting guards and centers will be hanging around deep into draft weekend. That's just the nature of positional value.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest sleepers in this year’s guard and center classes.
Guard
Senio Kelemete, Washington
A starting tackle at Washington, Senio Kelemete will likely be asked to make the move to guard at the next level. His struggles with footwork and, consequently, pass protection don’t bode well for his ability to be an NFL blind side protector. But Kelemte will make a solid guard if he adds some weight to his 6’4” frame. He is quick off the ball, has outstanding strength in his lower half and his mean streak was evident this fall. Most consider Kelemete a fourth round pick, and that’s solid value.
Guard/Center
Adam Gettis, Iowa
Adam Gettis will get pushed down draft boards because he lacks strength. That’s fair, but Gettis’ skill and competitiveness was tough to ignore when watching Iowa this fall. He exhibits tremendous balance in his stance and is a very fluid athlete, giving him the ability to kick out and make blocks as well as get to the next level of the defense in the ground game. Gettis dominated the combine with a 4.91 40-yard dash time, catching the eye of scouts. Plenty of NFL coaches will be willing to find a fit for that type of athleticism into their offensive line, especially at such a low price tag.
Which interior offensive line prospect do you think deserves more attention?
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