Branden Albert OL 6'6 309 Virginia

Albert earned a starting nod at left guard as a freshman in 2005, and has held down the job since.

Albert earned a starting nod at left guard as a freshman in 2005, and has held down the job since. He did spend some time at tackle this season, but has been used almost exclusively at guard.

Albert has a great frame for an offensive lineman. He almost looks like a tackle on the field. He is a solid athlete for a guard, and shows solid lateral agility in a short area. Where Albert sets himself apart is in the running game though. He is very strong and has the power to simply drive defenders out of the play. He opens up running lanes on a consistent basis and can dominate even the biggest lineman at the point of attack.

Albert is still a work in progress. He didn’t start playing football until his junior year in high school, and is still refining his technique. His size can work against him at times. He is so tall that he has a tendency to not set up low enough, allowing the defender to gain leverage on him.

Albert could have used another year in college to be more consistent and round of his skills. In a weak class for guards though, he still appears to be a guy who will be taken early. Some may even feel he could slide out to right tackle with some work. He has big time potential and could end up hearing his name called near the end of the first round.