At one point in his career, Las Vegas Raiders center Andre James was an offensive tackle.
It’s common for guards to transition to center in their careers and vice versa, but it’s rare to see an offensive tackle move to center. James is a rare case in this instance.
James was undrafted out of UCLA, where he played a lot of left tackle. When he caught on with the Raiders, he transitioned to center, and the rest is history. James has become a stabilizing presence on a much improved Raiders’ offensive line.
But does James ever get the urge to play tackle again? He answered that question on the latest episode of defensive end Maxx Crosby’s podcast, "The Rush with Maxx Crosby."
“I do, but then I watch dudes out there, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m good,’” James said. “If I was 6-8, then yeah, I think I could still do it. I was just getting by with athleticism, but it’s like, dude, you need to be long out there or be a freak athlete. I watched Jermaine [Eluemunor]; I’m like, ‘Bro, you’re my height.’ He’s just a dancing bear. It’s like, ‘How are you out there going against,’ -- but it’s like, you do need length out there at tackle because it helps even it out.”
James said offensive tackles don’t often get the recognition they deserve for as tough a job as they’re doing.
“If you look at what a tackle does, you’re going backward versus someone who’s way more athletic than you," he said. "It’s a tough position, it really is. It’s a tough position.”
James elaborated on the intricacies of the position.
“Those silent counts, those tackles, their timing off of me, it’s so important," he said. "That’s why all week long, it’s like, ‘Okay, what’s your timing? What’s your timing?’ Because if you don’t get off like a hair trigger, he’s going to beat you. He’s going forward, and the tackle’s going backward. It makes zero sense.”
James knows what it’s like to play offensive tackle but also understands it’s much tougher at the NFL level. It’s probably nice for Raiders offensive line coach James Cregg to know he would be willing to play tackle in a pinch, though.
Click here to watch the full podcast episode with James and Crosby.
