Panthers reserve right tackle spot for Otah

By Darrell Laurant  |   Monday, May 12, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Pittsburgh Panthers
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In the battle for Jeff Otah's football future, it was the NFL Scouting Combine versus YouTube. And at this point, it's pretty clear who won.

Otah, a two-year starter at offensive tackle for the University of Pittsburgh, looked sluggish and slow at both the combine and Pitt's pro day. His 40 times were poor, even for a lineman. His mobility was suspect. And, like the heroes of that 1970s TV show, he appeared to be lost in space.

Obviously, that didn't bother the Carolina Panthers. Not only did they make the 6-foot-6, 329-pound Otah their second pick in the first round of the draft, but they traded up to get them. Then, before Otah even arrived at minicamp, they moved Jordan Gross to left tackle, LT Travelle Wharton to left guard, and installed the new guy as an instant starter at right tackle.

It cost the Panthers next year's first-round pick, along with a third-round choice, to trade with Philadelphia and move up to draft Otah last month.

"There will be people who will question that," said general manager Marty Hurney, "but we felt like it helped us."

Carolina's first choice in the draft was power back Jonathan Stewart out of Oregon, leading to speculation that John Fox was going to move even more to a grind-it-out running game. A key component of that strategy is Otah, described as a "massive mauler" by one scouting service. Another scout observed "He never loses a battle once he's locked on."

Hence the numerous YouTube videos showing Otah bulldozing opponents (he had 101 knockdown blocks as a Pitt senior). He even handled Virginia DE Chris Long, the No. 2 pick in the draft.

"I play to the whistle," he said at his post-draft press conference. "I try to dominate a guy the whole game."

It was apparently a sore ankle that caused Otah's subpar performance at the combine, the same lingering injury that kept him from much activity in the Panthers' minicamp. If there is a knock on him, it's that he may not have the quickness to heed off speed rushers like Dwight Freeney in pass blocking. Chris Long may disagree.

On the other hand, Otah played two years of basketball in high school and has exceptionally long arms. A native of Nigeria, he's the latest in a series of African-born players to make the NFL (Rutgers OT and New Orleans draftee Jeremy Zuttah, whose parents came from Ghana, is another).

Stewart, who will be running behind Otah, approved of the pick.

"That's a big fellow there," he said.
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