Top 10 interior offensive linemen in the 2019 NFL Draft

#9 Lamont Gaillard, Georgia

Gaillard headed the powerful Bulldog O-line these last two years, which averaged 250 yards rushing and 5.9 yards per carry during that stretch

As a top five defensive line recruit out of North Carolina, Gaillard switched to the offensive side of the ball in spring of 2015. After appearing in just two games as a reserve his freshman year, he became a full-time starter the following season at right guard.

He finally settled in at center in 2017 on Georgia’s road to a National Championship game appearance and was a first-team All-SEC selection as a senior at that spot.

Gaillard headed the powerful Bulldog O-line these last two years, which averaged 250 yards rushing and 5.9 yards per carry during that stretch.

Along the way he buried a bunch of SEC nose-tackles, but also showed the agility and appropriate footwork to reach guys in the A-gap or even right over the guard and locking them out to open up easy running lanes.

Gaillard continues to drive his legs and roll his hips through contact, while having huge hands to dig into the frame of defenders and a finisher mindset. He displays excellent mobility to make up a lot of ground quickly in the outside zone game.

Gaillard brings his hips around quickly on double-teams to allow his guard to pass the initial defender on and head towards a linebacker. The center also puts in excellent work as a drive-blocker to allow one of his teammates to pull, even when lined up at three-tech at times.

He smooth climber to the second level ad gets in front of people, beating them to the spot on several occasions.

The former Bulldog quickly gets into his shuffle in slide protection sets and has a strong anchor with trunky legs to withstand charging blitzers as well as 300+ pounders trying to break him. If beaten across his face, Gaillard can hook the rusher and drive him past his quarterback.

He has the ability to really sell the run by stepping into a drive block and then flipping his hips back around to pick up a charging linebacker in the gap behind him.

Gaillard leeps active eyes and hands when uncovered in the passing game and stays ready with opposite arm if a defender is crossing the face of one of his guard to deliver a stab against other stunters.

He also does a nice job peeling off and putting hands on the first guy on the second level on draw plays.

Gaillard doesn’t have the size NFL scouts covet. He lunges over his toes a little too much with that initial punch in pass protection, as more savvy defensive linemen can knock away his arms and throw him off balance at times.

He was taken to school quite a bit by Alabama’s Da’Ron Payne in the 2018 National Championship game.

At times Gaillard is caught turning his shoulders to help too much and is a little late to pick up the looper and in general he is too concerned with what is happening outside his area, which opens up lanes for delayed blitzes.

The three-year starter already has some veteran tricks up his sleeve when you look at how he releases on screen passes and grabs the pads of D-tackles while bringing his feet around on reach-blocks.

Gaillard really improved as a team captain in his second season at center with the mobility, agility and football IQ to be a dominant player in college football’s most physical conference. I really enjoyed watching film on him.