MIKE IUPATI \u2013 Idaho<\/strong><\/p>\nIupati is a mountain of a man, and likely the first interior offensive lineman off the board. He is 6\u201d5, 330 lbs and plays with a vehement streak of nastiness. He will consistently win battles in close proximity, finishes his blocks and doesn\u2019t take plays off. His athleticism isn\u2019t out of this world, but he can still pull effectively and his trump card is run blocking. Iupati has been projected by many as a second-rounder, but he might be selected at the end of the first round by the Dallas Cowboys; Iupati and his road-grading tendencies are a Cowboys calling card. Dallas also has some good offensive lineman that aren\u2019t getting any younger.<\/p>\n
MAURKICE POUNCEY \u2013 Florida<\/strong><\/p>\nMaurkice and his twin brother Mike have been a formidable road-grading duo for the Gators\u2019 offensive line the past few seasons. This season\u2019s center class was fairly uninspiring until Pouncey, a junior, decided to declare early. The biggest concern \u2013 if Pouncey were groomed to be the successor of, say, Colts center Jeff Saturday \u2013 is that Pouncey must learn to handle the traditional snap. Despite coming from a Florida program renowned for its finesse and gimmicks, Pouncey is strong and tough and should thrive at the next level. Do not be surprised to see Indianapolis snap up Pouncey late in the first round; particularly because Indy\u2019s o-line is somewhat weak and Saturday is a grizzled vet. Colts GM Bill Polian also loves drafting offense high and finding bargain-bin defenders later in the draft.<\/p>\n
J.D. WALTON \u2013 Baylor<\/strong><\/p>\nWaco\u2019s Walton will likely be the first center off the board, as early as the second round. Like Iupati, Walton\u2019s greatest strength is run blocking. He packs a lot of strength in a 6\u201d3, 300 lb frame. He has very strong hands that are adept at latching on and creating momentum. Walton also served as a leader on a crappy Baylor football team and was a three-year starter. The downside is that Walton isn\u2019t an impressive athlete, but he reminds some of the Giants\u2019 Shaun O\u2019Hara \u2013 a scrappy technician who gets the job done. It helped that Walton didn\u2019t embarrass himself at the Combine; his three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle, in particular, were respectable.