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MOBILE, ALA. • During his recruiting trip to Central Michigan, Eric Fisher couldn’t help but notice Joe Staley’s picture displayed prominently on the wall.
“I told myself I want to be that guy, too,” Fisher said.
Fisher should get that chance. Staley was a first-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2008 out of Central Michigan who has blossomed into one of the NFL’s top left tackles. Staley’s a two-time Pro Bowler who will be blocking for Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore & Co. in Super Bowl XLVII against Baltimore.
As the top offensive tackle competing in this week’s Senior Bowl, Fisher looks like a sure thing as a first-rounder in April’s NFL draft. The decisions by Jake Matthews of Texas A&M and Taylor Lewan of Michigan to stay in school have pushed Fisher up the chart. Some observers project him as the second-best tackle in the draft pool this year, behind only Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M.
“I try not to pay attention to that stuff,” Fisher said. “I just try to become a better offensive lineman every day. I’ve really worked on my game, and this is a huge opportunity for me down here coming out of a MAC school to play against some of the elite.”
The Rochester, Mich., native was not heavily recruited out of high school, getting only one other scholarship offer – from fellow Mid-American Conference school Eastern Michigan. He was lean 242 pounds entering college, which may partly explain it. But he has gradually filled out his 6-foot-7 frame, weighing in at 305 pounds at the Senior Bowl.
After starting games at right tackle, left tackle, and right guard as a freshman and sophomore, Fisher settled in at left tackle his final two seasons at Central Michigan. As his success and reputation increased, so did the comparisons to Staley.
“I get that a lot,” Fisher said. “I like watching Joe play on Sundays. He’s a very athletic (tackle). I take pride in being an athletic offensive lineman. I think it’s kind of changing in the league to more athletic offensive linemen. So I just try to play how I’m comfortable playing. It’s working out pretty good.”
That’s for sure. Fisher has performed well during the first two days of Senior Bowls workouts, and that may push him out of draft consideration for the Rams, who have the No. 16 and No. 22 overall picks in the first round. Not to mention a pressing need at offensive tackle.
This season’s primary starters were Rodger Saffold at left tackle and Barry Richardson at right tackle. Richardson is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and Saffold is entering the final year of his contract. So the shelves have to be re-stocked at that position.
Russ Lande of NationalFootballPost.com and a former NFL (and Rams) scout, thinks Fisher could go as high as No. 11 overall to San Diego.
“He’s tremendously athletic,” Lande said. “He can pull. He can get out in space. The only issue is he’s a little bit of an upright guy when you watch him block. He’s a real tall kid. A lot of those tall guys have that issue.
“He’s not a real powerful kid; you can jolt him and drive him. But when I look at what he can do – holy cow. He’s so athletic, and he’s a real nasty guy.”
Fisher and North squad defensive ends Datone Jones of UCLA and Alex Okafor of Texas have had some intense practice battles so far this week, so there’s no doubting Fisher’s competitiveness. And that helps explain why he’s so excited to be in Mobile this week.
“I think a lot of people, including myself, wanted to see me go against the elite competition,” Fisher said. “Going against these guys from the SEC and stuff in this game will be great for me I think just to prove that I am worthy of being here.
“It’s a great honor to be here. Not many players get to come here. I think I’m only the third player out of Central Michigan to come here.”
The next tier of offensive tackles behind Fisher includes Lane Johnson of Oklahoma and Oday Aboushi of Virginia, both members of the South squad.
Johnson was a high school quarterback and played QB for a year in junior college. But he kept growing, and at Oklahoma went from tight end, to defensive end, to a third-team all-American offensive tackle as a senior. Johnson (6-6, 303) played right tackle as a junior and left tackle as a senior.
“He’s a long, linear kid,” Lande said. “He can bend his knees which is rare for a big, tall kid. He’s got a chance.”
(Blocking is a leverage game, and the “knee-benders” usually get better leverage.)
Virginia’s Aboushi isn’t as flashy as some of the other top tackles in terms of athleticism, but brings some Brooklyn toughness to the table – which is where he’s from. Syracuse’s Justin Pugh may end up playing guard after being measured in with only a 31½-inch reach. (Longer arms are desirable for NFL tackles for punching out on pass rushers.)
Like most Wisconsin offensive linemen, Rick Wagner is super competitive and smart. But he’s a little stiff in his movements and may be a right tackle only, or maybe a guard in the NFL. Small-school prospect Garrett Gilkey of Chadron State has been working at guard at the Senior Bowl.
Alabama’s mammoth D.J. Fluker (6-5, 355) attended Monday’s weigh-in/measurement session, but then excluded himself from Senior Bowl practices and Saturday’s game because of a groin and calf problems.
MOBILE, ALA. • During his recruiting trip to Central Michigan, Eric Fisher couldn’t help but notice Joe Staley’s picture displayed prominently on the wall.
“I told myself I want to be that guy, too,” Fisher said.
Fisher should get that chance. Staley was a first-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2008 out of Central Michigan who has blossomed into one of the NFL’s top left tackles. Staley’s a two-time Pro Bowler who will be blocking for Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore & Co. in Super Bowl XLVII against Baltimore.
As the top offensive tackle competing in this week’s Senior Bowl, Fisher looks like a sure thing as a first-rounder in April’s NFL draft. The decisions by Jake Matthews of Texas A&M and Taylor Lewan of Michigan to stay in school have pushed Fisher up the chart. Some observers project him as the second-best tackle in the draft pool this year, behind only Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M.
“I try not to pay attention to that stuff,” Fisher said. “I just try to become a better offensive lineman every day. I’ve really worked on my game, and this is a huge opportunity for me down here coming out of a MAC school to play against some of the elite.”
The Rochester, Mich., native was not heavily recruited out of high school, getting only one other scholarship offer – from fellow Mid-American Conference school Eastern Michigan. He was lean 242 pounds entering college, which may partly explain it. But he has gradually filled out his 6-foot-7 frame, weighing in at 305 pounds at the Senior Bowl.
After starting games at right tackle, left tackle, and right guard as a freshman and sophomore, Fisher settled in at left tackle his final two seasons at Central Michigan. As his success and reputation increased, so did the comparisons to Staley.
“I get that a lot,” Fisher said. “I like watching Joe play on Sundays. He’s a very athletic (tackle). I take pride in being an athletic offensive lineman. I think it’s kind of changing in the league to more athletic offensive linemen. So I just try to play how I’m comfortable playing. It’s working out pretty good.”
That’s for sure. Fisher has performed well during the first two days of Senior Bowls workouts, and that may push him out of draft consideration for the Rams, who have the No. 16 and No. 22 overall picks in the first round. Not to mention a pressing need at offensive tackle.
This season’s primary starters were Rodger Saffold at left tackle and Barry Richardson at right tackle. Richardson is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and Saffold is entering the final year of his contract. So the shelves have to be re-stocked at that position.
Russ Lande of NationalFootballPost.com and a former NFL (and Rams) scout, thinks Fisher could go as high as No. 11 overall to San Diego.
“He’s tremendously athletic,” Lande said. “He can pull. He can get out in space. The only issue is he’s a little bit of an upright guy when you watch him block. He’s a real tall kid. A lot of those tall guys have that issue.
“He’s not a real powerful kid; you can jolt him and drive him. But when I look at what he can do – holy cow. He’s so athletic, and he’s a real nasty guy.”
Fisher and North squad defensive ends Datone Jones of UCLA and Alex Okafor of Texas have had some intense practice battles so far this week, so there’s no doubting Fisher’s competitiveness. And that helps explain why he’s so excited to be in Mobile this week.
“I think a lot of people, including myself, wanted to see me go against the elite competition,” Fisher said. “Going against these guys from the SEC and stuff in this game will be great for me I think just to prove that I am worthy of being here.
“It’s a great honor to be here. Not many players get to come here. I think I’m only the third player out of Central Michigan to come here.”
The next tier of offensive tackles behind Fisher includes Lane Johnson of Oklahoma and Oday Aboushi of Virginia, both members of the South squad.
Johnson was a high school quarterback and played QB for a year in junior college. But he kept growing, and at Oklahoma went from tight end, to defensive end, to a third-team all-American offensive tackle as a senior. Johnson (6-6, 303) played right tackle as a junior and left tackle as a senior.
“He’s a long, linear kid,” Lande said. “He can bend his knees which is rare for a big, tall kid. He’s got a chance.”
(Blocking is a leverage game, and the “knee-benders” usually get better leverage.)
Virginia’s Aboushi isn’t as flashy as some of the other top tackles in terms of athleticism, but brings some Brooklyn toughness to the table – which is where he’s from. Syracuse’s Justin Pugh may end up playing guard after being measured in with only a 31½-inch reach. (Longer arms are desirable for NFL tackles for punching out on pass rushers.)
Like most Wisconsin offensive linemen, Rick Wagner is super competitive and smart. But he’s a little stiff in his movements and may be a right tackle only, or maybe a guard in the NFL. Small-school prospect Garrett Gilkey of Chadron State has been working at guard at the Senior Bowl.
Alabama’s mammoth D.J. Fluker (6-5, 355) attended Monday’s weigh-in/measurement session, but then excluded himself from Senior Bowl practices and Saturday’s game because of a groin and calf problems.
