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Joel Bitonio
Offensive Tackle/Guard
6' 4" 302lbs
Nevada
#79 on SBNation's Top 200 Players available
Strengths: On the field Bitonio's biggest strengths are his quickness and tenacity. Bitonio was known in college as an offensive lineman who could get to the second level in the run game. In pass protection Bitonio was rarely beat on the outside because of his quick feet and quick hands. On all downs, Bitonio would almost never quit on a play and go completely too the whistle. He is extremely competitive by nature and wont give up on any play.
Weaknesses: Physically he does not have the ideal body type that comes with elite level offensive lineman. His 33 7/8" arm reach is relatively small for a tackle in the NFL. At times Bitonio has such a high motor that he moves to quickly for his own good. Additionally Bitonio played most of his career out of a two-point stance at Nevada, which means he wont be accustomed to playing with one hand on the ground to start the play. Little things like this take some getting used too.
Bottom line: Any team needing depth across all five positions on the offensive line would be smart to take a look at Bitonio. Although he played left tackle at Nevada, Bitonio is seen as a player who can be extremely versatile on an NFL roster. His most important quality when it comes to draft position is not being pigeon holed into a position, which will increase his value to most teams. He will likely get a chance to start his career at tackle, but if needed a team will find no problem sliding him into a guard or center spot.
Projected Round: 2nd
Teams he fits best on: Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins