Loadholt in for a visit

[Langlier]

Loadholt Heads To Bay Area
Posted by Aaron Wilson on April 13, 2009, 1:26 p.m.

University of Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt has an official visit today with the Oakland Raiders, according to a league source.

The All-Big 12 lineman is one of the biggest linemen in the draft at 6′8,” 332 pounds.

A projected second-round draft pick, Loadholt has 5.34 speed in the 40-yard dash. His other workout numbers include an 8-9 broad jump, a 29-inch vertical leap and bench pressing 225 pounds 26 times.

Loadholt transferred to Oklahoma from Garden City Community College in Kansas, where he was a two-time All-American selection.

As a junior against Texas A&M, he registered 15 knockdowns.

-PFT

 

[Birdwell]

This is bizarre. Loadholt is like the 6th rated OT this year, and unless he's going in at RG, I have no idea how anyone thinks he's got the mobility to play in a ZBS. Maybe he showed something in the drills that NFL-controlled-TV thinks are too boring or whatever to show (I guess they put Rich Eisen to sleep), or wowed on his pro day. Orakpo at his lunch this year, so no way he sruvives against elite speed rushers in the NFL if he plays at either T spot.

 

[007]

He's too tall to be a G, and he actually looked his best playing LT (Oddly enough) at the senior bowl.

It could be a visit where the Raiders are thinking value if he's there in the 2nd or falls to the 3rd. A guy to compete at RT, and provide depth and power. Hell, if Cable falls on his face this year, the ZBS could be as good as gone in 2010.

Yet again, Kiper makes us look foolish when we write off his Loadholt pick to us, and he comes in for a visit a week later. He's on our radar at least.

 

[Byron2112]

Hopefully they're looking at him at DT...

 

[hawaiianboy]

Just to speculate a bit, but maybe Al's desire to "add more power" to the blocking scheme means moving away from the Alex Gibbs based cut blocking scheme into more of a pure traditional zone blocking system...

The Ravens zone blocked under Jim Coletto with Ogden (340) and Zues (350) at tackles and Muitalo (350) and Anderson (340) at guard...

 

[Birdwell]

Good point, HB

 

[Crossbones]

Just to speculate a bit, but maybe Al's desire to "add more power" to the blocking scheme means moving away from the Alex Gibbs based cut blocking scheme into more of a pure traditional zone blocking system...

The Ravens zone blocked under Jim Coletto with Ogden (340) and Zues (350) at tackles and Muitalo (350) and Anderson (340) at guard...

So drafting Andre Smith if he's available is kinda of a no brainer. No?

 

[godeep811]

I agree with the assessment on Loadholt. I heard he couldn't stop Orakpo. How can he be a good fit for LT, especially in a ZBS?


Offensive Tackle | Senior | Oklahoma Phil Loadholt
Height: 6-73/4 | Weight: 332 | 40-Time: 5.45

Official Bio


Strengths:
Massive with a huge frame...Long arms...Very strong and powerful...Is tough and physical...Good athleticism and quickness...Is stout at the point of attack...Gets a great push in the run game...Plays with a wide base...Has strong hands...Decent range and mobility...Finisher who plays with a nasty disposition...Solid work ethic...Has a ton of upside.

Weaknesses:
Struggles with speed off the edge...Has heavy feet...Has some trouble with false start penalties...Average awareness...Doesn't always play with proper leverage...Gets caught off balance at times...Gets caught reaching...Only two years of Division I experience...Intelligence may be an issue ... Ran into trouble off the field and character is a concern.

Notes:
JUCO transfer from Garden City (Kan.) Community College where he was a two-time All-American...A two-year starter at left tackle for the Sooners...Averaged 17 points with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks as a basketball player in high school...Arrested on allegations of disorderly conduct in 2006...Was arrested again in June of 2008 on suspicion of driving under the influence and transporting an open container of beer...Could play left tackle at the next level but his best fit will probably be on the right side...The vast majority of his flaws can be corrected with good coaching but you sure can't teach that size...Rare physical specimen but needs to work on the mental side of the game

 

[Madturk]

Weaknesses:
Struggles with speed off the edge...Has heavy feet...Has some trouble with false start penalties...Average awareness...Doesn't always play with proper leverage...Gets caught off balance at times...Gets caught reaching...

Sounds like he'd fit right in

 

[Random Dude]

Just to speculate a bit, but maybe Al's desire to "add more power" to the blocking scheme means moving away from the Alex Gibbs based cut blocking scheme into more of a pure traditional zone blocking system...

The Ravens zone blocked under Jim Coletto with Ogden (340) and Zues (350) at tackles and Muitalo (350) and Anderson (340) at guard...

That is sorta why I penciled in Duke Robinson in Rd 2 for us in the Lil Al contest. Assuming Cable is comfortable with the tackle positions for now, a massive guard like Robinson could be a great fit on the right side - 6'5" 329.

 

[Sleet]

Well, apparently the Raiders DID PROMISE BARNES that they would not draft an OT with the #7 pick. See http://raiderbeat.com/?p=1860

Hopefully, the Raiders are looking at Loadholt for a Day 2 pick, or a trade-up scenario after landing two potential starters with our #7 and #40 picks. I don't see this guy starting his rookie year ahead of Barnes, Henderson, Pears and even McQue (although this suggests to me that Cable's not big on McQue, at all), and therefore he's not worth our Day 1 picks (sorry Mel).

THE BARNES EFFECT

When the Raiders signed offensive tackle Khalif Barnes, several reports surfaced about the Raiders promising Barnes that they wouldn’t select an offensive tackle in this year’s NFL Draft.

The Raiders and Barnes’ agent refuted the reports. On the surface, it doesn’t make sense for the Raiders to make such a promise to a player who signed a one-year contract and wasn’t being wooed by many other teams in free agency.

However, a league source confirmed that the Raiders did promise Barnes that they wouldn’t select an offensive tackle. The catch is, the promise pertains only to Oakland’s first-round selection.

Perhaps that explains why the Raiders are bringing in University of Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt for a pre-draft visit.

He was scheduled to meet with the Raiders on Monday but pushed back the visit until Tuesday because of an inability to catch a flight to Oakland in time.

Regardless, why else would the Raiders bring in an offensive tackle prospect who isn’t regarded as one of the top five or more available this year, when they could get a better one at No. 7, regardless how the first six picks played out?

The Raiders are projecting Loadholt to be the best available offensive tackle when they pick in the second round, at No. 40. So, that’s why they are bringing him in.

A Raiders official refused to confirm that rationale, but he said it’s not a stretch to say that the Raiders won’t be taking an offensive tackle at No. 7.

Now it’s a matter of deciphering whether the Raiders will go after a wide receiver – Michael Crabtree, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jeremy Maclin are the three logical choices – defensive tackle B.J. Raji, if he’s available, or a linebacker such as Clay Matthews or Rey Maualuga.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Meet Phil Loadholt
by DAVID WHITE


Raiders coach Tom Cable loves offensive lineman so much, one team insider swears he's going to grab two of them in next weekend's NFL Draft.

It's all part of his plan to build the Raiders from the "inside out," as new left tackle Khalif Barnes recently put it.

The list of recent visitors seems to bear the idea out. On Tuesday, two offensive line prospects visited team headquarters -- one was unidentified, the other was Oklahoma left tackle Phil Loadholt, who's projected to go in the second or third round by nfldraftscout.com.

Loadholt took a few minutes for a phone interview while at the Oakland airport Tuesday. Here's what the 6-foot-8, 332-pound man had to say.

Q: How did the visit go?

A: "I thought it went very well. I met with the offensive line coach, got to sit down with him and go through some stuff on the board. I drew up some schemes we ran at Oklahoma. He taught me a play and I put it back on the board, showed them I can convert a scheme. Things like that."

Q: What scheme did you run at Oklahoma?

A: We definitely ran a lot of zone blocking. Actually, looking at some of the drills they ran, they are very similar to what we did in college. Definitely very similar."

Q: What makes you a zone blocking scheme fit?

A: "My ability to get up to the second level. You're not just blocking a zone, you're blocking a man. It's knowing where your man is going to be and being able to get there to block him."

Q: Any Raiders give you advice?

A: "Met some of the offensive linemen who were there for voluntary workouts, Khalif Barnes, Samson Satele. They just told me take everything in stride and to enjoy the process as much as possible."

** As for a scouting report on Loadholt, here's what I gathered from numerous websites.

Pros: Long arms, good strength, above-average athleticism for his size. Has the makings of a solid drive blocker, especially if he goes to the right side. Run blocking is his strength.

Cons: With just two years of college experience, could be a bit of a project. Could have a hard time with speed rushers on the edge. Two arrests related to DUI and disorderly conduct a concern.

 

[NIPS]

How do ya just not love a name like that for an OL?

 

[Random Dude]

How do ya just not love a name like that for an OL?

If he washes out, he could take that name into the porn industry.

 

[Sleet]

He'll look good coming off the bus. It seems to me that, at this point, Cable has different lineman lined up at each level. There's the Top 4 vying for the #7 pick; there's Loadholt in the 3rd; there's Meridith in the 4th (or more likely later in the draft). My guess is that Cable's got a 2nd round guy picked out as well. So, which ever way Al goes, Cable will get a OT. The question is, will that guy be a beast or a project?

 

[007]

Lets not sell him short though.

I thought he looked solid in his bowl game, he had a decent senior bowl, he's raw but has a ton of talent and he's versatile.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Maybe my personal ratings are jacked up, but I have Loadholt as a borderline first rounder and Meredith as a solid 2nd rounder....


One thing for sure is there will be no T-Rex jokes if we draft Loadholt.... Damn the guys got some long ass arms...

 

[BigTron]

Someone should take Loadholt and H.Johnson and line them up together on the right side and run behind them. That be a good steeler draft.

 

[Limee]

I was thinking the same thing about Smith and Loadholt/Robinson. Pound them into submission.