Once upon a time, offensive guards were the forgotten men in the interior. Tackles drew the attention of the masses, as they were often tasked with handling the most imposing pass rushers on the other side of the football. Centers were known for what they offered in terms of being another coach on the field, calling out protections and helping the quarterback.
Guards? They were often described as pavers. Road graders. The guys who helped with the running game.
But times sure have changed. As more defenses kick pass rushers inside on passing downs, or have elite players such as Aaron Donald who can destroy worlds from the interior, the days of the road grader are gone. Now guards need to do it all, and do it well, otherwise offenses will struggle.
Here are the NFL’s top 11 offensive guards, all of whom do it all very well indeed.
