NFL Combine 2011: Power Ranking Nate Solder And The Top 15 Prospects In Group 1

The 2011 NFL Combine starts tomorrow, as Group One will start it off in Indianapolis.

Group One is made up of offensive linemen and special teams players.

So, since kickers and punters are rarely drafted in the first three rounds, these rankings are going to focus on offensive linemen.

In a tackle-heavy draft, teams looking for offensive line help are in luck.

Guys like Tyron Smith, Gabe Carimi, Nate Solder and Anthony Castonzo can step in and solidify any line in the NFL.

Then there are the interior linemen like Mike Pouncey and Marcus Cannon who can hold their own in the interior.

So, if your team needs some offensive line help, here are 15 guys they should take a long, hard look at in the NFL Combine.

15. Clint Boling, T, Georgia

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 21: Clint Boling #60 of the Georgia Bulldogs against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium on November 21, 2009 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Boling is a huge tackle, standing 6'5" and weighing 315 pounds.

He certainly hasn't been the problem in Georgia the past couple seasons.

The lack of a standout quarterback and a suspect defense has taken some of the luster off of Georgia's strong running game.

14. Joseph Barksdale, T, LSU

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GAINESVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 11: Offensive lineman Joseph Barksdale #78 of the LSU Tigers sets to block against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 11, 2008 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Barksdale is another huge tackle, standing 6'6" and weighing 318 pounds.

He's been at LSU for awhile now and has presided over several outstanding running games.

He also manages to keep his quarterbacks upright, a big key for any tackle.

13. Rodney Hudson, C, Florida State

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TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 27: Rodney Hudson #62 of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates a touchdown during a game against the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Hudson has been working with a possible first-round quarterback in Christian Ponder.

Ponder would probably be the first to tell you that he owes a lot of his success to Hudson and his offensive line.

Hudson has been orchestrating the appropriate blocking schemes for a few years now and that should translate well into the NFL.

12. Jason Pinkston, T, Pitt

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CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 26: Teammates Jason Pinkston #77 and Dion Lewis #28 of the Pittsburgh Panthers celebrates after a 19-17 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on December 26, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty

Pinkston isn't as big as some of the other tackles on this list, but he's still a big 6'3", 305-pound lineman who has been leading the way for Dion Lewis for the past few years.

Lewis is giving Pinkston the love and thanks he deserves in this picture.

11. DeMarcus Love, T, Arkansas

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Ryan Mallett #15 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks to pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew

Ryan Mallett has certainly benefitted from having 6'5", 315-pound DeMarcus Love keeping defensive ends away from him.

Keeping Mallett upright helped him wow scouts by making pinpoint throws 50 yards down the field.

If Love wasn't doing his job, Mallett would have never been able to showcase those skills.

10. Orlando Franklin, G, Miami (FL)

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PITTSBURGH - SEPTEMBER 23: Jacory Harris #12 of the Miami Hurricanes lays on the ground as teammate Orlando Franklin #74 looks on after being sacked by the Pittsburgh Panthers on September 23, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by J

Miami has been a disappointment for the past couple of seasons, leading to the dismissal of head coach Randy Shannon.

That's kept attention away from Franklin, a beast in the middle of the Hurricanes' offensive line.

Standing at 6'7", he's one of the tallest linemen in the draft and could be a force in the middle of an NFL offensive line.

9. Stefen Wisniewski, C/G, Penn State

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EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 31: Brandon Beachum #3 of the Penn State Nittany Lions hops over teammate Stefen Wisniewski #61 and Brian Peters #10 of the Northwestern Wildcats to score a touchdown at Ryan Field on October 31, 2009 in Evanston, Illinois. Penn Sta

Notice how Wisniewski (No. 61) has flattened most of the Northwestern defensive line in this picture?

That's what NFL teams can look forward to if they draft him.

The senior from the Nittany Lions is definitely ready to take on defensive linemen at the next level.

The only question will be whether or not the team that drafts him wants him to be a guard or a center.

My guess is that he'll start at guard.

8. Benjamin Ijalana, T, Villanova

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VILLANOVA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Russell Wooten #12 of the Villanova Wildcats pumps up the team before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at The Pavilion on February 12, 2011 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Villanova is a basketball school. They don't even have an FBS football team.

But, they are a force in the FCS—if anyone pays attention to the FCS.

If you are paying attention to the Wildcats' football team, you've probably noticed that they have a pretty good offensive tackle in Benjamin Ijalana.

The senior is ready to make the next step and be the next solid player to come from a lesser college football program. 

7. Marcus Cannon, G, TCU

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FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 28: Marcus Cannon #61, Kyle Dooley #72 and Alonzo Adams #81 of the TCU Horned Frogs raise the Mountain West Regular Season Championship trophy at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 28, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ronal

Cannon has been a big reason the Horned Frogs have had such a great offense the past few seasons.

He's a dual-threat guard, standing at 6'6".

He can hold his own against the big interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

He also signifies the start of our potential first round offensive linemen.

6. Derek Sherrod, T, Mississippi State

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 15: J.C. Brignone #70 and Derek Sherrod #79of the Mississippi State Bulldogs get ready on the line of scrimmage during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 15, 2008 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Sherrod has been hidden from the national spotlight by being an offensive lineman for a floundering SEC football team.

His footwork might keep him from being a first round pick, but if he can show improvement in that area at the Combine, he should sneak in at the bottom of round one.

5. Mike Pouncey, C/G, Florida

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NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 01: Tim Tebow #15 of the Florida Gators hugs teammate Mike Pouncey #55 after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisana Superdome on January 1, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tim Tebow was a great college quarterback, but he couldn't do it all by himself.

He benefitted from having the Pouncey twins clearing the way in front of him.

Mike's brother Maurkice was a great center for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season and it's not unreasonable to think Mike will be just as good.

4. Anthony Castonzo, T, Boston College

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CHESTNUT HILL, MA - OCTOBER 03: Anthony Castonzo #74 of the Boston College Eagles congratulates teammate Montel Harris #2 after Harris scored a touchdown in the first quarter against the Florida State Seminoles on October 3, 2009 at Alumni Stadium in Che

Castonzo is going to be a first round pick.

But, the 6'7", 295 pounder could actually stand to add a few pounds.

Right now, he's pretty lean for a 6'7" offensive lineman, so he'll need to add some more muscle to make sure defensive ends don't push him around in the NFL.

He'll really benefit if he can put up a huge number of reps in the bench press.

3. Tyron Smith, T, USC

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Matt Barkley #7 of the USC Trojans, flanked by Tyron Smith #70 and Ronald Johnson #83, runs off the field after the Trojans scored a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers

Smith is another tackle who probably needs to beef up a bit if he wants to be a force in the NFL.

But, other than his weight, he has all the tools needed to be a first round draft pick.

Many experts have Smith as the top offensive lineman on their boards, but until he shows he won't get pushed around, I'm a little more skeptical.

2. Gabe Carimi, T, Wisconsin

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 1: Lineman Gabe Carimi #68 of the Wisconsin Badgers sets to block against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2008 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on January 1, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The Volunteers won 21 - 17. (Photo by Al Mess

Carimi is a 6'7" behemoth from Wisconsin.

He's simply everything you think of when you think of an offensive tackle.

He can pass block, he can run block and anything else you could possibly want in an NFL offensive lineman.

He's been slipping down draft boards behind Tyron Smith and Anthony Castonzo lately. I can only hope he falls all the way to the Packers with the 32nd pick.

1. Nate Solder, T, Colorado

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BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 04: Brian Orakpo #98 of the Texas Longhorns rushes against Nate Solder #78 the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on October 4, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Texas defeated Colorado 38-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Solder is a 6'9" mammoth of an offensive tackle from Colorado.

It's unfortunate for him that he was on a team in Colorado that couldn't manage very many wins in his tenure with the Buffaloes.

Whatever team he ends up with in the NFL will instantly be better.

Solder should be the first offensive tackle taken in the 2011 NFL Draft, definitely no later than the 20th pick.