Browns: Jedrick Wills is not a Top 10 tackle but Jack Conklin absolutely is

Experts say Jedrick Wills and Jack Conlin aren’t Top 10 tackles in the NFL.

ESPN ranked the top offensive tackles in the NFL on their ESPN+ subscriber page and made a point to not include Jedrick Wills or Jack Conklin. This despite other tackles from Wills’ draft class being included on the list. Who made the list from the 2020 NFL Draft class? Mekhi Becton and Tristan Wirfs. Becton was ranked sixth on the list, while Wirfs eighth. According to USAToday, Conklin did get votes but fell short.

When it comes to Wills not making the Top 10, I can totally agree with that. He’s not a Top 10 tackle and isn’t anywhere close to being one. Yes, he’s an upgrade over Greg Robinson but a two-leg bar stool would’ve been an upgrade. Wills is a fine tackle and he’ll be a nice piece to keep for years to come as long as he doesn’t out-price himself. Fans just need to realize that he’s not going to be Joe Thomas.

You can do the whole “well he was just a rookie…” and then list your thousands of excuses but just keep in mind that it’s ok for Wills to not be Thomas. No one is going to be Thomas. He’s the greatest tackle in the history of football.

Being good enough can in fact just be good enough in the case of WIlls.

Jack Conklin is an elite player and he deserves that respect

Conklin, on the other hand, is in fact an elite tackle in the NFL. He’s a two-time First-Team All-Pro at tackle, which trumps being a Pro Bowler. Pro Bowl is as much to do with popularity and talent while being an All-Pro is all about talent and execution.

Conklin may rank as one of the biggest and most talented free agents the Browns have signed since 1999, competing with Erich Steinbach, LeCharles Bentley, and Orpheus Roye. Granted, Bentley never played a down but he was arguably the best guard in football. Conklin is among the best in the league at tackle and if it wasn’t for a down season in Tennessee in 2017, would have the respect he deserves.