Hot Take Tuesday: Darrisaw Best Left Tackle in 2021 Draft

Can Christian Darrisaw be the best left tackle in the 2021 draft class?

This year's tackle class is being touted as one of the best in years. Not only is there premium talent at the top, but there is a great deal of depth. Similar to last year, there is a grouping of four to five players at the top, and once again, there isn't a consensus of who is the best.

Many thought Mekhi Becton would be the first tackle selected in 2020, but he went third overall. It appeared that Penei Sewell would be the best player in the draft coming into the season. His sophomore film was deemed to be excellent, protecting the blind side for quarterback Justin Herbert. However, after opting out of the 2020 season, and began finding holes in his game and some claim he isn't the same prospect he was billed to be before the season.

There are some maturity concerns with Sewell. Does he have what it takes to be the leader of a room early in his career? He tested well at his Pro Day, but didn't reach the 34-inch arm length threshold, coming in at 33 ¼. It may not seem like a big issue from the outside, but teams value arm length and meeting that benchmark.

Another tackle getting a lot of love is Rashawn Slater from Northwestern. He also didn't play during the 2020 season, opting out after the Big Ten initially said they weren't playing. Slater also has short arms at 33 inches. His film is excellent, but he had his struggles against Zack Baun and A.J. Epenesa. His skill set is present, as he gets to the second level with ease, but the lack of arm length and overall size makes him a better fit at guard. Slater has the chance to be an elite guard and even a high-level center. All of his weaknesses revolve around playing left tackle and his lack of ideal measurables. NFL players Zack Martin and Cody Whitehair could have been serviceable tackles, but getting the most out of them meant kicking them inside. That is the case with Slater.

The best true left tackle in this year's class and a player that needs more attention atop the draft is Christian Darrisaw from Virginia Tech. Darrisaw is a three-year starter and has been a starting left tackle since his freshman season. He was terrific that year and even better as a sophomore, but he took his game to another level as a junior. Darrisaw was the best left tackle in college football this past year, and it wasn't even close. He gave up no sacks or quarterback hits and was also an elite run blocker. Darrisaw can get to the second level with ease and had a plethora of highlight-reel pancake blocks downfield. He checks the arm-length box at 34 1/2 inches. His tape also shows a player with the talent to take his game to even greater heights. He is at his best against peak competition matching up against top pass rusher Quincy Roche from Miami and shutting him down for an entire game.

What is also so intriguing about Darrisaw is the kind of jump he had as a junior. It shows the work he put in during the offseason, something that was hard to do because of COVID-19 and the restrictions it brought. He was a man on a mission in 2020, and every defensive end he went up against knew that. He didn't opt out at any point during the regular season and even played through injury. This was a prospect who played well enough to opt out at midseason, but he stayed to play with his team and continue to show scouts the kind of player and person he is. Those things are essential and can't be overlooked.

What teams will be getting from Darrisaw is a pure left tackle with high-level traits and the maturity to come in on Day 1 and compete against the top pass rushers in the NFL. The other top tackles in the draft are talented, but Darrisaw is the complete player at the second most important position in the sport. Whoever takes Darrisaw will know their quarterback will be protected for the foreseeable future. Darrisaw is worthy of being one of the first drafted on April 29, as he has the talent to end up as the best left tackle in the class. 

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