I put out my first draft guide in 1979. This year will be No. 35. That first guide was a full six years before the first NFL scouting combine. Back then, there were no online prospect guides, no recruiting rankings to track talent down to the high school level and the draft looked something like this. For me, evaluating prospects was all about getting as much tape as I could find (there was no ESPN GamePlan) and making hundreds and hundreds of phone calls (no cell phones, either!) to coaches, scouts, front-office folks that would listen and evaluators at every level. You couldn't watch a verified 40-yard time on live TV; instead, you had to triangulate and weed out truth from fiction. It wasn't easy.
Mel Kiper's all-time draft grades
• Top 10 QBs »
• Top 10 RBs »
• Top 10 WR/TEs »
• Top 10 OLs
• Top 10 DE/DTs »
• Top 10 LBs »
• Top 10 S/CBs »
• Top 10 K/Ps »
But throughout all of this time, I've kept the same 10-point grading scale, so even as the athletes changed, we can compare today where players stood among their prospect peers over a generation.
So, some parameters for what you see below:
1. The ranking is based on the final draft grade before the draft, and it goes back to 1979, my first draft guide. It's clear to me now I graded a little easier when I was younger. I didn't have the point of reference I do today.
2. The grades do not reflect NFL performance. (You'll see.) I printed these grades and simply went back through every book. I have to live with the busts.
3. There are some ties on grades, so I had to break those ties without a great deal of science. But again, I didn't break ties based on NFL production.
Here are my top 10 all-time offensive linemen based on draft grades.
1. Tony Mandarich, Michigan St. (No. 2 pick, 1989)
Grade: 9.9
He was such a spectacular bust, I think it's easy to say now Mandarich fit the profile. But that's not really the case. The guy was an exceptionally dominant college tackle, and in individual workouts he backed up all the hype, showing speed, agility and great strength -- in other words, everything you want out of an elite tackle prospect. He wasn't just hype, he could play. We didn't know about all the problems until later, but some of those were probably born of early NFL failure. He got off to a bad start and it never turned around. He was Ryan Leaf before Ryan Leaf, just at a different position.
2. Orlando Pace, Ohio State (No. 1 pick, 1997)
Grade: 9.8
The proprietor of the pancake block, Pace was a safe bet to be a very good NFL player, which is why he went No. 1 overall, the first time an O-lineman had in almost 30 years. What's underrated about the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" was that Pace was quietly holding it together because he simply took away the ability to touch the QB from the backside.
3. Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh (No. 2 pick, 1985)
Grade: 9.7
Most people don't remember him now, but he was a great college player. In fact, I had him on the cover of the 1985 guide with Bruce Smith. He was the first freshman since Tony Dorsett in 1973 to start his first collegiate game for Pitt and, extremely strong, had good size for the era at 280 pounds. He had a very good NFL career with four Pro Bowl appearances.
4. Jonathan Ogden, UCLA (No. 4 pick, 1996)
Grade: 9.7
He could have ended up in the SEC, but UCLA told him he could also throw the shot put, so he became a Bruin. It seems to have worked out. I feel like Ogden is what you might consider a modern prototype at left tackle. Tall but nimble, powerful with an ease of movement both backing up and getting down the field for blocks, he was simply dominant, which is why he made 11 Pro Bowls.
5. Joe Thomas, Wisconsin (No. 3 pick, 2007)
Grade: 9.7
One of the top few tackles in the NFL today, Thomas is just a superb technical blocker. He didn't have any combine numbers that made him an outlier -- though a 4.92 40 isn't bad -- but he simply did everything well on tape and his NFL career has been very good thus far. Hopefully a few wins will follow.
6. Anthony Munoz, USC (No. 3 pick, 1980)
Grade: 9.6
It's incredible now to think Munoz was drafted so high, because he was on the field in fewer than half the possible games during his junior and senior seasons at USC. Safe to say the risk paid off, because Munoz didn't miss a Pro Bowl between 1981 and 1991, an incredible stretch of dominance. As a prospect, Munoz's overall athletic ability for his size stood out. In fact, he also pitched on the baseball team at USC; this from a guy that played at 6-foot-6 and a hair under 280 pounds.
7. Tony Boselli, USC (No. 2 pick, 1995)
Grade: 9.5
Chronic shoulder problems ended his NFL career before he turned 30, but when healthy he was dominant both at USC and for Jacksonville. Boselli actually came onto the radar really early in his college career. He was already one of the top handful of tackles as a true sophomore, and made it look easy when healthy -- he made the Pro Bowl in his second NFL season and didn't miss one until he had to retire.
8. Walter Jones, Florida State (No. 6 pick, 1997)
Grade: 9.5
As dominant an NFL left tackle as you'll ever see at his prime, Jones grew up terribly poor, attended junior college and made his way to Florida State, where his talent finally was quickly apparent on the national stage. Jones simply absorbed pass-rushers, and could collapse the edge as a run-blocker, ushering in the prime of Shaun Alexander's career. Just a great talent and a player that made it look easy.
9. Chris Samuels, Alabama (No. 3 pick, 2000)
Grade: 9.5
As a prospect, it was a waste of time for pass-rushers lining up against Samuels. He had a great run of durability and swatted away pass-rushers with ease. I think his NFL career is a bit underrated because he played in an era of Redskins football that didn't see much success. Samuels went to seven Pro Bowls, however, and was among the best in the league at his position.
10. Jim Dombrowski, Virginia (No. 6 overall, 1986)
Grade: 9.5
In 1986, at over 300 pounds, Dombrowski was considered massive. A really intelligent player, in my old guide I noted that he was a hockey goalie in high school, and you could see it in his quick feet. In the NFL he ended up moving inside to guard, but played 10 years.
Next best offensive lineman
• Jake Long (Michigan, 2008): Nimble and powerful, he's been great when healthy.
• Lincoln Kennedy (Washington, 1993): A better prospect than pro, but still made three Pro Bowls.
• Willie Roaf (Louisiana Tech, 1993): What else can you say? Already in Canton.
• D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia, 2006): Enjoying a very good NFL career.
• Robert Gallery (Iowa, 2004): A bust based on draft position, he's become a guard. Injuries slowed him down.