Rookie appreciation: Taylor Lewan

Taylor Lewan has his warts. He has had some issues with the law, and he is one of those college offensive tackles that is just so good that you have to put him at left tackle, even though he has the disposition of a right tackle. However, he is one of the most athletic tackles that you will watch on film, and his fire and passion make him look like a David Stewart clone, only less sloppy.

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If you were going to pick out one game to say, this is what Taylor Lewan is, that game has to be 2013's matchup between Michigan and OSU. Michigan vs OSU is one of (if not the) best rivalries in football, where it doesn't seem to matter what either team has done all season. Every player plays their heart out, and it is tough sledding for 60 minutes.

In this game you see Lewan do everything that you want from an offensive lineman. He does the little things right, like getting leverage despite his size, getting to the second level, caving defensive tackles down the line, and nullifying talented pass rushers.

What makes this game impressive however, is the things he does that very few other lineman can. Twice in the game he makes an athletic play on a screen pass to spring the running back for major yards after the catch. In the redzone he moves over to a jumbo tight end position and almost always provided a nice lane for the running back or quarterback to go through.

Lewan's unique experience at jumbo tight end (or swing tackle whatever you want to call it) and his ability to make plays anywhere on the field is why the Titans took him number one. In my opinion, his floor is a very good right tackle while his ceiling is an top-10 left tackle for the next eight years.