Eben Britton v. William Beatty - YOU DECIDE 2009

Upon the urging of KingRichard, I have put together another player comparison in the YOU DECIDE series.  This time we take a look at two top OT prospects, which would presumably take our 27th pick in the 1st Round of the upcoming draft.  Arguably, OT is one of the biggest needs on the team going into the draft this year.  Although some, John Oehser, suggest for some reason that Ryan Diem is coming off of one of his best years as a Colt, many would argue that Diem looked worse last year than in any of his previous years as a regular starter at RT. 

Ugoh has had his host of problems at LT, even being benched for four games last year, while seemingly being healthy enough to stay active, dress, and stand on the sidelines at the ready.  Some have called for Ugoh's head as a LT while others think he's being judged unfairly; that for the most part he's done well, and that comparing him to Tarik Glenn in his second year is not realistic. 

Accordingly, it is certainly not outside the question that we'll draft an OT in the 1st Round and Eben Britton and William Beatty are two guys who very well may be available when we go to the podium.  As such, I ask you, if we drafted an OT in the 1st Round and ONLY BRITTON AND BEATTY are on the board, who would you take (why?)?

Eben Britton - Arizona

Photo
Combine Video
NFL Draft Vignette

6'6", 309 lbs.
4.98 40 Yard Dash, 4.52 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.58 3-Cone Drill
31 Inch Vertical Jump, 32 Bench Reps
32 3/4 Inch Wingspan

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
13 Games, 875 Plays
111 Key Blocks, 17 TD Resulting Blocks
12 Downfield Blocks, 1 QB Pressure Allowed, 5.5 Sacks Allowed

INJURIES:
2008 - Missed some practices in camp due to a groin strain.  Missed the 3rd Quarter v. UCLA on Sept. 20th with leg cramps and dehydration.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Positives:

Rare size and wingspan. Good initial hand punch and can physically control his opponent when he locks on. Cognizant pass blocker who recognizes the blitz and adjusts quickly. Flashes a deep kick-step to force pass rushers wide. Adequate lateral agility to mirror the pass rusher to remain at tackle. Forceful run blocker. Despite his height, can play with leverage in the running game and drive defenders off the line. Only marginal agility in the open field, but can eliminate defenders with intimidating pancake blocks. Leader of the line. Started 37 consecutive games.

Nice-sized offensive lineman who gets the most from his abilities. Blocks with good leverage and keeps his pads low. Stout at the point, keeps his feet moving, and anchors in pass protection. Shows the ability to slide out and protect the edge, making good use of blocking angles, and easily riding opponents from the action. Plays heads-up football, recognizes blitzes thrown by opponents, and works well with teammates. Large enough to completely engulf or smother defenders. Makes exceptional use of his hands, quickly getting them into defenders, and then correctly placing them to keep opponents from the action.

It is clear that Eben Britton is a well-rounded OT who can run and pass block effectively.  His size and strength allow him to get push against the run and his footwork allows him to handle the pass rush with relative effectiveness.  It seems that Britton would fit into the mold of exactly what the Colts may be looking for if they want a Diem replacement and/or someone who can push Ugoh at LT.

Negatives:

Protected as a pass blocker by the Arizona spread scheme and athleticism of his quarterback. Lacks the elite foot speed of top left tackles and will struggle in pass protection if he lines up at the OLT position in the NFL. Too often allows pass rushers to get their hands into his chest and can be walked back to the quarterback, despite his strength. Lumbers when blocking on the move and will resort to lunging at the defender in open space.

Stands to improve his run blocking, and must learn to finish off opponents. Struggles handling speedy edge rushers who get the first step on him, and is slow to adjust. Ineffective in motion, and lacks the ability to hit a moving target. 

Unfortunately for Britton and the Colts, it seems that he struggles most with speedy edge rushers (the same guys Ugoh struggles with).  Britton can allow defenders to get their hands into his chest and loses leverage when he loses these technical battles.  Maybe with a bit more size he could negate some of the impact of losing technical battles, but at his current size his two weaknesses are somewhat concerning.  Struggling against the bull rush and struggling against speed rushers are two areas we'd hope to improve drafting an OT in the 1st Round of the draft.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas, CBSSports.com

Dave-Te' Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure: Has a huge frame with minimal body fat. Well-proportioned athlete with a big chest (almost 52 inches), broad shoulders, muscular and long arms (19 inches), adequate hand size, thick thighs (32 inches) and calves. Tall frame, but he has good bone structure and room to carry at least another 20 pounds without the added bulk affecting his overall quickness.

Athletic Ability: Good quickness and footwork in his kick-slide. He shows the agility and balance to make plays into the second level and shows good lower-body flexibility in attempts to change direction. He has decent open-field acceleration, moving well and adjusting easily while taking angles to neutralize the linebackers. He plays on his feet with good balance and body control, doing a nice job of adjusting and picking up defenders in space.

Football Sense: Britton plays with great awareness, knowing how to use his size to engulf and his quickness to get in front and lead on sweeps. He needs minimal reps to retain and has a firm grasp of the playbook. He is the unquestioned leader of the offensive line and knows all of his other line mates' assignments. He is quick to pick up the game plan and it is rare to see him make a mental error.

Character: Quality person who gets very good family support. Articulate and modest. He is an unselfish type who will not hesitate to help other teammates digest the playbook. He is probably the most respected player on the team.

Competitiveness: Legitimate tough guy who plays with a mean streak. Very physical using his hands and consistently works to finish his blocks. Will not hesitate to intimidate an opponent.  He wants to finish every play and shows good initiative looking for secondary targets to hit after he neutralizes his man.

Work Habits: Great leader-by-example type. Stays on top of the action and has the mental toughness to take well to hard coaching.  Solid program player who will do all the little extras to improve his craft.  Commands attention from the defense on the field due to his dominating presence.

ATHLETIC REPORT GRADE: 6.21

Initial Quickness: Shows good quickness for his size. Light on his feet, showing the ability to react to movement in front of him. Shuffles his feet to gain position, but needs to show better hip rotation off the snap to reach his spot on the outside.  Does not demonstrate the lateral agility to protect the edge well. Effective when asked to turn upfield and neutralize linebackers on the move. Needs to be more adept in sliding out to pick up edge rushers in pass protection. Coming off the ball with good urgency is not his forte' and he might be a better fit not being exposed on the outside by playing right tackle.

Lateral Movement: Shows effective ease of movement redirecting inside, but doesn't usually accelerate instantly when stalking out defenders in isolated situations along the edge. He has made steady progress in taking good angles to attack second-level defenders on the move in 2008, but he needs to show the loose hips needed to easily redirect and keep his balance while moving laterally when sliding.

Balance/Stays On Feet: Uses long arms and reach to cover up defenders. He gets low in his pads, which helps him generate good force coming off the snap. Has good knee bend and while he could use more bulk, bigger down linemen are not going to be able to get under his pads and drive him back into the pocket. He plays flat-footed and with a wide base, which allows him to sustain well vs. bull rushers.

Explosion/Pop: Generates good pop taking on defenders straight-ahead or in-line. Very good at getting under the defenders' pads and dominating. Has a strong hand jolt to shock an opponent working down the line and does a good job of driving into his man in attempts to wall off. Has the flexibility and power to gain leverage, especially when attempting to create a crease for the ground game.

Run Blocking: Solid walk-off drive blocker who moves with ease getting into the second level. Plays with natural strength, but will need to improve his power base and increase his bulk to withstand the rigors in the trenches as an NFL player. He has the power to move the pile and drives block with leverage. He drives off the snap hard, as he demonstrates the leg drive and feet to stay on his blocks and sustain. He is a good in-line blocker, possessing a wide base as he runs. He is very good at sustaining and is developing a nice feel for blocking angles (still learning technique, but is responding quickly). He is effective when asked to wall off and screen vs. down line-men.

GRADE: 7.3

Pass Blocking: Still learning blocking schemes, but demonstrates enough foot quickness to slide, good knee bend, patience and a strong hand punch. Britton stays square and balanced when shuffling and sliding. Even when he gets overextended, he is quick to recover. He could use more bulk to anchor, has the speed to make a run on the edge rushers. Separates himself from others in his drop-step and kick-slide to gain depth and width needed to anchor. Has the balance and body control needed to make reach blocks. Must improve use of change-of-direction agility to wall off and generate the foot quickness to recover when beaten by edge rushers. Makes cut-off blocks, readjusting quickly to the edge rush. His balance in his pass set lets him mirror and contain bull rushers, but he needs to keep his hands inside the framework to prevent edge rushers from slipping off his blocks.

GRADE: 7.6

Adjust on Linebacker Downfield: Can engulf and pancake linebackers on the move (34 downfield blocks in 37 games). With his hand punch and height, he shows the agility to smother his primary target and move on to the next man. He is strong enough to stay up in his stance, maintaining proper pad level to keep his feet and adjust on the move. His ability to consistently take good blocking angles to neutralize and cut off the linebackers stands out on film. His athletic ability is shown when he makes adjustments to pick up secondary defenders downfield.

Use of Hands/Punch: Strikes with a strong punch in attempts to jolt. When he follows through with his hand delivery, he can finish with force. Shows the ability to grab and control, stunning his opponent with his punch. He is still learning the "little tricks" like getting underneath to grab and ride the defender out, but continues to make steady progress.

Reactions/Awareness: Britton has the ability to shuffle and slide his feet, but due to a lack of explosiveness, he is a better fit on the right side. He is quick to recover when caught out of position and has the foot balance to short pull in the open, but must generate a quicker burst out of his stance to pick up the edge blitz or defensive line stunts. He does keep his head on a swivel, showing good reactions and awareness on both running and passing plays.

Compares To: ERIC WINSTON, Houston -- Like Winston, Britton has very good hand placement and usage, but despite good timed speed, he needs to show better hip snap to mirror vs. quicker edge rushers. He stays low in his pads and has the functional foot speed and above-average angle concept to neutralize second-level defenders, but will labor at times running long distances or getting out to neutralize the wide pass rush. While he has shown the ability to play left tackle during his junior year, he could be re-converted to the right side at the pro level, where he can get on the field quicker and be surrounded by veteran mentors before being moved back to the left side in a year or two after he adds needed bulk to play that position. With his tenacity and good strength, he should contribute as a starter by his second professional season.

The upside to Britton is relatively high.  He can add more bulk in order to handle bull-rushers in the NFL and continue to get the anchor and push he was able to get often in college.  His frame allows him to add this weight without losing his speed/quickness.  Additionally, Britton is an aggressive player, fierce on the field and hard working off the field.  What this means is, if an NFL level OL Coach gets ahold of Britton, he will respond well to coaching and do the extra work on technique to resolve some of his more glaring weaknesses.  There is a lot to like about Britton.

ANOTHER SCOUTING REPORT - MockingtheDraft.com
AND ANOTHER - UniversalDraft.com

William Beatty - Connecticut

Photo
2008 Highlight Video:  Conn. v. Buffalo
Combine Video

6'6", 307 lbs.
5.06 40 Yard Dash, 4.60 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.62 3-Cone Drill
33.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 27 Bench Reps
34 3/4 Inch Wingspan

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
13 Games, 793 Plays
88 Key Blocks, 13 TD Resulting Blocks
9 Downfield Bloacks, 0 QB Pressures Allowed, 1 Sack Allowed

INJURIES:
2007 - Missed the final seven games of the season due to a left leg bone fracture v. South Florida on Oct. 7th, had surgery on Oct. 10th.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Positives:

Intriguing athleticism. Gets to the second level quickly. Good agility and straight-line speed to pull. Explosive initial pop. Flashes upper-body strength to lift and pancake defenders. Flashes an effective initial punch and has the body control to recoil and ease into his set. Good lateral quickness in pass protection. Good balance. Ascending talent despite starting four years. Characterized by UConn staff as having greatly matured in 2008. Could be just scratching the surface of his potential.

Athletic pass-blocking left tackle with a large degree of upside. Plays with terrific fundamentals, makes great use of blocking angles, body positioning, and displays the feet necessary to slide laterally and protect the edge. Quickly gets his hands into opponents, stays square, and keeps his knees bent throughout the action. Strong in pass protection, and easily controls defenders once engaged at the point. Quick out to the second level, and shows the ability to hit a moving target. Effectively places his hands into opponents and works them throughout the action. Flashes a nasty streak.

William Beatty seems earn most of his accolades as a pass blocker.  His agility, footwork, body control, and quickness allow him to respond well to speed rushers.  In this way, Beatty seems to excel where Ugoh does not in the passing game.  As Beatty made big strides as a player between his Junior and Senior years, it seems there may be a great deal of potential remaining and Beatty may just be starting to fully develop his skills.

Negatives:

Doesn't always sustain blocks long enough. Good straight-line speed, but loses his feet in the trash. Potential one-year wonder. Really stepped up his level of play as a senior, sparking some debate whether his level of play will diminish once he cashes his first NFL check. Had no postseason accolades over his first three seasons, but earned first-team All-Big East honors as a senior. Broken leg ended his sophomore season after only seven games.

Stands to improve his overall body strength and gets marginal results as a run blocker. Had shown himself to be passive lineman previous to his senior season. Has a reputation for giving excuses, being lazy, and not being tough.

Without doubt, there is concern when run blocking is questioned.  Drafting an OT in the 1st Round who is weak as a run blocker is not attractive.  The biggest reason mentioned for strengthening the offensive line is that we need to do SOMETHING to improve our running game.  Of course, protecting Peyton will ALWAYS be priority 1, but if we can't get push on the OL and create holes for Addai and Co. to run through, the offense will continue to struggle and the defense will continue to be on the field for the bulk of each game.  That said, it is a bit surprising that Beatty would be seen as weak against the run when he was a part of an OL that blocked for the leading rusher last year.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas, CBSSports.com

Dave-Te' Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure: Beatty has a linear frame with good upper body length in his arms and good width in his chest, but needs to add at least another 20 pounds of bulk. He has adequate thigh and calf thickness, but shows a good bubble. His body does not look like he pushes it much in the weight room, with just adequate muscle development.

Athletic Ability: Needs to add bulk to get back to the weight at which he played during the season (went from 310 to 291), but he has an even-proportioned frame with large, soft hands, a very good wing span, adequate upper-body muscle definition, big bubble and developing thighs and calves (still looks more like a basketball center, but has the frame to carry more weight). He has just marginal lower-body strength to drive his man off and create movement, but does show good explosion in his hips (just needs more power).

Football Sense: Beatty had three pedestrian seasons before maturing as a senior, but that led to questions about whether he is a one-year wonder or a player about to emerge. He does a decent job of locating twists and games, but with his penchant for penalties, you wonder if it is a mental lapse or just concentration issues. He gives a good effort on every down, but shows just an adequate understanding for schemes.

Character: Good character and attitude, showing much better maturity on the field as a senior, cutting down on costly penalties. Has no known present off-field issues, but has been distracted by off-field distractions in the past. He is liked by his teammates and respected by the staff. He is not a "rah-rah" type, but does perform with quiet confidence.

Competitiveness: Beatty must learn to play with a nasty temperament, but will give good effort until the whistle (just needs to finish with his hands better). Not aggressive, but plays hard and won't go in the tank if he loses a heated battle. Winning is important to him, but he could finish with more nastiness.

Work Habits: Beatty did not show a great work ethic in the offseason training program until his senior year. With his marginal strength, he needs to be monitored in the training room, as his body indicates he is not a "gym rat" by any means.

ATHLETIC REPORT GRADE: 6.63

Initial Quickness: Beatty shows good initial quickness to engage and reach his pass set. Plays on his feet with good balance. He has good mobility to stay with his man. Gets into his blocks quickly. Even when he is late off the snap, he shows good adjustment skills on the move (very good leading on outside sweeps). He has good initial quickness to slide, drop back and anchor in one-on-one confrontations with edge rushers.

Lateral Movement: Able to slide and cut off speedy edge rushers (showed marked improvement here as a senior, as he struggled to readjust in the past). He has the lateral slide and mirror ability in pass protection, but does lack good hand placement. Has good hip flexibility and can be sudden, but lacks a surge due to marginal leg strength.

Balance/Stays On Feet: Will over-extend and lose balance, but he improved in 2008, displaying better foot quickness and agility. He is more of a position and wall-off type, thanks to his long reach, flashing good effort and desire attacking the defender (just needs to finish more). He will position and wall off with good desire and makes every effort to control speedy edge rushers with his long reach. When he gets in front of his man, he uses his body effectively to stop the oncoming charge, but must improve his overall strength to prevent being pushed back vs. the bull rushers.

Explosion/Pop: More of a finesse type and needs to improve his leg strength and anchor, as he will generally get walked back into the pocket vs. a strong bull rusher. He does not have the lower-body power to create movement coming off the snap. He also needs to do a better job of protecting his legs and side-stepping the pile, as he will get his base too narrow playing in trash. When he hunkers down, he can deliver explosion, but he is just not consistent, as he lacks the strength, despite having the flexible hips to follow through and finish.

Run Blocking: Shows a good thrust to get into space and is a decent position blocker. Uses his hands properly and can turn and drive off a defender on running plays. He is able to gain position quickly off the snap and use his body to wall when leading on outside runs. Due to a lack of bulk and ideal strength, he isn't used much blocking in-line, but is comfortable making adjustments in space. He uses his body well to turn and drive out a defender, but would be much better if he had the strong hand punch and placement to control.

GRADE: 7.0

Pass Blocking: Beatty doesn't appear to have the natural strength to protect the quarterback's blind side (didn't come into play at Connecticut, as they utilized a left-handed passer). He can reach block when he stays low in his pads (struggles to adjust on the move when he gets too tall in his stance). Shows decent lower-body flexibility and proper knee bend to strike on the move and has the long arms to punch and separate (needs to improve his power and lacks grip strength). Able to match step-for-step with the athletic moves of a defensive end due to good knee bend (will waist bend when he gets high in his stance).

GRADE: 6.4

Adjust on Linebacker Downfield: Good mobility but has problems working into the second level due to a poor concept for taking angles. Beatty is able to reach the second level, but must show a better concept for angles.

Use of Hands/Punch: Has large hands to lock on and control, but needs to learn how to grab better and must develop a stronger punch to shock and jolt. His hands will also get outside his framework, which lets defenders get attacking his chest to put him up on his heels.

Reactions/Awareness: Beatty was prone to penalties until his senior year. He was grabby, but also has some problems anticipating the snap cadence, leading to several false starts. Alert and made steady strides in 2008 adjusting to the action in front of him. He does a nice job of working in unison with his guards and might be a better fit at right tackle (more effective combo blocking than mauling an opponent). He has the long arms to engulf and the low pads to maintain balance mirroring rushers throughout the play.

Compares To: DEMETRIUS BELL, Buffalo -- Bell saw limited action last season for the Bills and isn't a household name, but Beatty and Bell are quite similar. They are late bloomers with great foot speed, hip snap and developing frame. Beatty, too, might need a year or two in the training room to add bulk and strength, but you can see the natural foot speed and with his long reach, he could be a quality pass protector. However, he might be better at right tackle. Still, he should be drafted earlier than his grade indicates if a team has become enamored with his solid performance during the week of Senior Bowl practices.

It is a bit concerning that Beatty is seen as a one or two year project.  Of course any young OL will often be described this way and no one has said that Britton is a 1st year Pro Bowler, but it seems that Beatty is not as developed as Britton.  Beatty projects as a RT in the NFL and a pass blocking specialist who will need to bulk up to hold the line, generate a push and create holes for NFL ball carriers.

SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes: Starts as the first team left tackle on the North Squad. Beatty had an up and down day showing off his athleticism and long arms but really struggling with technique at points. Particularly he had a tendency to cock his arms back instead of just shooting his hands when engaging defenders.

Tuesday Practice Notes: Possessing plenty of athletic ability, Beatty has continued struggling in a few areas. He fires off the ball low and hard but tends to be a little impatient with his blocks especially in his pass set. As a result he tends to reach for his assignments which will catch the left tackle off balance. His arm length is also negated at times by not keeping his hands inside as well. Looked comfortable moving in open space, especially blocking downfield.

Wednesday Practice Notes: More solid in today's performance than seen previously, especially in the use of his hands. Beatty's pass set was smooth, he was getting a good initial punch, and only got beat once in pass rush drills. Run blocking was not as proficient as the left tackle struggled slightly to get his head across his assignment in zone schemes.

Thursday Practice Notes: A quiet day overall but did display a stronger inside hand and post leg in pass rush drills.

Analysis:  With two of the top left tackle talents opting not to participate in this week's festivities, Beatty had the opportunity to step up and help his overall stock with potential impressive performances. Said performances never manifested. Beatty had an up and down week with nothing extraordinary to note. The Connecticut product is clearly a good athlete on the edge blessed with long arms. If and when he learns to turn his potential into on field consistency, then he will become a legit talent at the next level. Currently he remains a second tier prospect at the position.

Beatty's front-and-center opportunity to really impress scouts and push his stock up the draft board was unsuccessful.  Beatty's weaknesses and inconsistency were exposed.  The more you learn about Beatty, the more you learn that it will take some time developing his body and technique before he'll be ready to start on a NFL OL.

ANOTHER SCOUTING REPORT - MockingtheDraft.com
AND ANOTHER - UniversalDraft.com

Comparison:

Based on what we have learned about both players it seems clear that Eben Britton is the superior all-around OT.  Britton is larger, stronger, more proficient against the run, has shown more consistency to work hard and learn quickly when he is coached, and is not weak as a pass-proctor.  That said, maybe what we're really looking for is a pure pass-protecting OT who can excel where Ugoh has not to this point and who can be developed in other facets of the game.  Arguments can be made both ways, and an argument can be made that neither offer the immediate impact player many seem to desire with the 1st Round Pick.  That argument is for another time and place.  For now we need to figure out:  Who is the better 1st Round choice?

YOU DECIDE