College offensive guards to watch in 2012



North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper

After how poorly the San Diego Chargers’ offensive line played during the team’s six-game losing streak last season, it’s never been more obvious that the blockers up front are vital to an offense’s success. Quarterback Philip Rivers took quite a beating during that period, particularly at home against the hated Oakland Raiders last November, and that’s just something which can’t occur again.

While the hope is Tyronne Green and Louis Vasquez will be the long-term starters at the guard positions, both are set to become free agents after this season, so it’s not out of the question that one or both of them will be playing somewhere else in 2013. With that in mind, just to be safe, Chargers general manager A.J. Smith should take a look at each of the following prospects this fall:

1.      Alabama's Chance Warmack: A 6-3, 320-pound senior, he’s heading into his third year as a starting left guard. A mauler in the run game who also does quite well as a pass-blocker, he made second-team All-SEC and was voted All-America honorable mention by Pro Football Weekly in 2011.

2.      North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper: Heading into his fourth year as a starter, he was a freshman All-American in 2009 and made second-team All-ACC the last two seasons. At 6-3, 310 pounds, and with experience at both guard positions, he is a dominant run-blocker who excels at pulling on trap plays to take out linebackers and defensive backs. He very well could be a first-round pick next April.

3.      Wisconsin's Travis Frederick: A 6-4, 328-pound junior, he’s a road-grader who fits the mold as a classic interior blocker for Wisconsin’s offensive line. He made second-team All-Big Ten last season and is expected to improve even more this year. Primarily a left guard, he has also seen some time at center.

4.      Arkansas' Alvin Bailey: This 6-5, 312-pound right guard, a junior, made Pro Football Weekly’s All-America team last season and has started 26 games thus far in his college career. He also made second team All-SEC last season. Scouts say he has nice quickness for a man his size and fires off the snap with supreme intensity.

5.      Kentucky's Larry Warford: This 6-3, 336-pound senior is considered a mauler but also possesses the athleticism to pull on trap blocks and sweeps. A right guard, the 2012 season will be his third as a starter. He made second-team All-SEC last year.

6.      Michigan's Patrick Omameh: A 6-4, 305-pound right guard, he is a high-praised redshirt senior who has made 29 starts thus far in his college career. He made Academic All-Big Ten in both 2010 and 2011.

7.      Mississippi State's Gabe Jackson: This 6-4, 330-pound redshirt junior has made 26 starts at left guard thus far in his college career. He made the All-SEC second team and the Sophomore All-America team in 2011.

8.      Kansas's Duane Zlatnik: A former defensive lineman, this 6-4, 306-pound senior made 20 starts at right guard over the last two seasons. He was named All-Big 12 honorable mention by the Associated Press and the conference's coaches in 2011,

9.      Nevada's Chris Barker: A 6-4, 305-pound senior left guard, he has made 40 starts thus far in his college career. He earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2011 and is considered one of the top under-the-radar offensive linemen in the country.

The preview magazines and Web sites didn’t really do a good job of mentioning offensive guard prospects, so I didn’t have an opportunity to research that many. Hopefully more will receive recognition as the season goes along.