Coming out of college, Tennessee Titans first-round pick and offensive lineman Peter Skoronski is being labeled as an offensive tackle.
However, there are some experts out there who believe his best position will be at guard as a result of his short arms that have been a hot topic of conversation, both leading up to the draft and after it.
Knowing that, and with the Titans having Andre Dillard available to play left tackle, it’s possible Skoronski spends at least one year as a guard. And, based on my early starting O-line projection, he’ll likely be on the left side.
When asked about sliding inside, Skoronski admitted it would be an adjustment for him but he’s ready to do what the team asks.
“I’m just trying to do what I can do to help the team and so if that’s what I’m asked to do, I’ll definitely do it,” he said, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “Obviously it’s an adjustment having only played tackle.
“The game’s a lot faster there and a lot different, but that’s just going to come with reps and just drilling technique. But obviously just happy to do it if it helps the team. That’s just my mentality and I’ll get the hang of it for sure.”
When asked about his short arms, Skoronski had a great answer as to why that isn’t the end-all, be-all for an NFL tackle.
“Obviously it was a big talking point. I just feel like my opinion is that there’s so much more that goes into being a good tackle than just arm length. There’s so much more to blocking than that,” he said, per Paul Kuharsky.
“I think at the end of the day, it’s just about blocking people,” he added. “There’s so much in terms of footwork and punching, and efficiency with your hands I think matter. That’s something that I have to continue to work on and get better at, but I think that sort of matters more than just your arms are this measurement. So, yeah, I think there’s more to it than that and that’s why I feel like I can play the tackle position.”
Thankfully, Skoronski comes to the NFL with great technique and an ability to absolutely explode off the line, two traits that will help him overcome shorter arms.
He may start at guard, but I think Skoronski’s future is as the Titans’ franchise left tackle.
