We're bringing you college highlights of the top guard prospects entering the 2016 NFL Draft based on Mike Mayock's top five position-by-position post-combine rankings.
CODY WHITEHAIR, KANSAS STATE
Height: 6-4, Weight: 301
OVERVIEW FROM NFL.COM
As the Wildcats' strongest and most athletic lineman, Whitehair (6-4, 309) has been moved from right tackle to left guard, back to right tackle, and finally to left tackle for his last two seasons. His play on the blind side earned him first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2015 (following two second-team nods and an honorable mention as a freshman), as he not only possesses the footwork to hold off edge rushers but understands the angles needed to free space for running backs. His versatility and technique make him among the top linemen in the draft class.
JOSHUA GARNETT, STANFORD
Height: 6-4, Weight: 312
OVERVIEW FROM NFL.COM
Garnett, the son of an NFL nose tackle (Scott Garnett), played in the shadow of other NFL-ready Stanford linemen like 2015 first-round pick Andrus Peat before his senior year. He emerged from that shadow this fall, however, winning numerous All-American honors and the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman. His combination of size (6-5, 325) and movement dropped jaws around college football -- especially when he takes an occasional turn as an H-back. Add intelligence and a nasty streak, and Garnett's got everything an offensive line coach would want to be part of his group.
CHRISTIAN WESTERMAN, ARIZONA STATE
Height: 6-3, Weight: 298
OVERVIEW FROM NFL.COM
Westerman was a top national recruit who attended Auburn for his first two years, losing most of his redshirt freshman season due to injury before deciding to return to his home state of Arizona to finish his career. He excelled last fall in his first season as a starter for the Sun Devils, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 notice for his stout play and mobility at left guard. Westerman's play his senior campaign did not disappoint, as his attitude, stoutness, mobility, and solid technique made him a second-team all-conference performer.
VADAL ALEXANDER, LSU
Height: 6-5, Weight: 326
OVERVIEW FROM NFL.COM
After starting for two years next to La'el Collins at left guard (earning second-team All-SEC honors as a junior), Alexander moved back to right tackle (where he earned freshman All-American honors in starting the final seven games in 2012) for his senior year. He played well enough on the outside to earn first-team All-SEC honors in 2015. Alexander shed at least 30 pounds since arriving on campus, giving him a shot to stay at tackle when he arrives in the NFL. Otherwise, he projects as a powerful inside player.
CONNOR MCGOVERN, MISSOURI
Height: 6-4, Weight: 306
OVERVIEW FROM NFL.COM
One of the strongest players in college football, McGovern has broken weight room records at Mizzou (like a 690-pound squat) and actually tore his pectoral muscle trying to bench 515 pounds. The Gatorade High School Player of the Year in North Dakota in 2010, McGovern's not just all muscle. He's started for three years at right guard, right tackle, and then left tackle as a senior. Though McGovern was solid for the Tigers at tackle, scouts consider him a better interior prospect due to that strength and his underrated movement skills. He hopes to move up boards throughout the process, just like his teammate, Mitch Morse, who was picked in the mid-second round by Kansas City in the 2015 draft.
