Player Analysis of Jake Long

After writing about the Miami Dolphins' offensive line, I think it is only appropriate to write about one of the premiere tackles in the NFL on the Dolphins.

Jake Long

Long is a huge 6'7" 315 pounds of pure blocking talent. He won three Offensive Lineman of the Year in college when he played for Michigan. He was the first pick of the 2008 NFL Draft. He is one of only three other offensive linemen ever to do such a thing.

When Miami drafted him with their first pick, there were a lot of people who were skeptical about the choice, because usually teams pick up a running-back, or a quarterback, or a wide receiver. That wasn't the case for Miami, they saw that he could make a big addition to the team.

And they were right.

Thanks to Long, Miami was able to beat New England. He is a crucial part of the Dolphins success.

Here is an analysis of Long's abilities:

Strengths:

Long is very big, with a strong upper-body. He also has very big hands and a long reach, which is good for grabbing onto rushers. He is able to win almost any battle against a defender with brute strength and grip.

Even with his size, he is able to move very quickly and with good body control. That, and a strong upper body, is a dangerous combination for any defender trying to get past him.

He is also a good leader and he can take charge of the line easily. He is very vocal,  which is important, because if linemen don't talk to each other, then they won't work together.

Long is also a very passionate player, who is willing to listen to everything the coach has to say. Ask anyone who coaches a team sport, and they will tell you that coachability is a very important part of team sports.

Weaknesses:

He isn't the best at immediately changing directions, which can sometimes be a problem.

Long also isn't too good at working with long distances. He is much better in a short area because of his long reach.

Conclusion:

Despite him not being able to work in too big of an area, or being able to change directions quickly, Long is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.

He can out-muscle almost any rusher in the league, and his leadership and coachability make him invaluable to any team. He is a leader on the Dolphins team.

Without him (directly or indirectly), we might not have won at all this year.