Draft Review: Joe Staley

GOSSELIN DRAFT ANALYSIS: Staley began his career as a skill player, catching 24 passes with seven touchdowns in high school at Rockford, Mich. He also set a school record in the 200-meter dash and participated in the relays. Staley then spent his true freshman season at Central Michigan in 2003 as a backup tight end, catching 11 passes with one touchdown. But he gained 40 pounds and moved to offensive tackle as a sophomore in 2004 where became a three-year starter. Staley started 11 games at right tackle as a sophomore and the final 25 games of his career at left tackle, twice earning All-Mid-American Conference acclaim. His pass blocking was particularly stout as quarterback Dan LeFevour set school single-season passing records for yards and touchdowns in 2006. Staley measured 6-5 ½, 306 pounds at the NFL scouting combine with 27 repetitions in the bench press. He also ran an eye-popping 4.79 40-yard dash. Gosselin rated him the No. 3 offensive tackle behind Hall-of-Famer Joe Thomas and Levi Brown and placed him at No. 20 on his Top 100 board. The San Francisco 49ers claimed Staley in the first round of the 2007 draft with the 28^th overall selection.

Here are the pre-draft comments from 12 NFL talent evaluators on Staley:

Scout: Could be a late first.

Offensive line coach: Staley at the top of the second round would be a damn good pick. I like his intelligence and speed but his anchor concerns me. Any time a guy has to worry about his anchor he starts leaning into the pass rush. That’s the No. 1 thing you look for in an offensive tackle – can he pass protect?

Head coach: Second round.

Head coach II: Over-rated. We see small-school guys like this every year – Michael Roos (second-round pick by Tennessee in 2005).

Personnel director: Has more upside than Levi Brown.

Personnel director II: The only thing he lacks is thickness in his frame. He has anchor problems. Everything else is very positive. His arrow is pointing up.

Personnel director III: A smart, tough, aggressive and willing guy. But his lack of an anchor concerns me. On tape he’s not worthy of a high pick. But he’s like Andy Heck – you draft him and he’ll play 10 years for you.

Personnel director IV: A starting right tackle who will play 10 years for you.

Personnel director V: The mushrooms (NFL offensive line coaches) are pushing Staley. They like smart, tough, coachable guys. He’s very athletic. He reminds me of John Fina (late first-round pick by Buffalo in 1992). He lacks the anchor but he can get in and up on you quickly. He gets his hands on you and can get you to the second level. Good player.

General manager: Had a bad week at the Senior Bowl.

General manager II: Quickest of the offensive tackles by far.

General manager III: Our third OT.

HALL OF FAME RESUME: Staley became a walk-in starter at right tackle, then moved to the left side in his second season in 2008 and remained there for the next 12 years. He went to the first of five consecutive Pro Bowls in 2011. Staley missed three games with an injury in 2016 and missed out on the Pro Bowl, but returned to health and the all-star game for a final time in 2017. Staley was voted to the NFL’s 2010s all-decade team. His blocking helped the 49ers reach four NFC championship games and two Super Bowls. Staley is in his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Rick Gosselin spent 20 years as the NFL columnist for the Dallas Morning News, including 20 offseasons studying and researching prospects for the NFL draft. He didn’t watch any tape – he was a writer, not a scout – but he talked to the men who did watch tape. He built a network of NFL general managers, head coaches, personnel directors, scouts and assistant coaches from all 32 teams who would share with him their analyses of players. Gosselin used their insights to build his own draft board, Top 100 board and mock drafts. For 10 consecutive years he had the best Top 100 board in the country (2001-10), according to the Huddle Report, and three times he produced the best mock draft. Gosselin resurrects his college scouting reports to see how NFL talent evaluators viewed the top draft prospects coming out of college.