Hundreds of pounds, millions of dollars

At different points today you will see the power of accidental and essential genetics. And you'll see why they're worth millions.

In the white, gold, black and Tiger Hawk, you have Riley Reiff, a 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Parkston, S.D. He's a tough, athletic left offensive tackle who wants to bury defensive ends in the turf and, perhaps, spit chewing tobacco on them.

"His attitude going into a game and the whole week, he has that attitude that says, I'm better than the guy in front of me and I'm going impose my will on him," Iowa guard Adam Gettis said. "That's what he does every game."

And in the cardinal, gold and I State is Kelechi Osemele, a 6-6, 347-pounder from Houston who not only wants to bury D-ends but wants to put them in the fetal position mentally and physically.

"It's a man's game, an alpha male's game," he said. "The goal is to dominate."

Dan Shonka, general manager and national scout for Ourlads Scouting Services, believes there will be $15 to $20 million dollars worth of NFL offensive linemen on the field when the Hawkeyes (1-0) visit Iowa State (1-0) today.

Throw in ISU guard Hayworth Hicks, all 336 pounds of him, and Iowa right tackle Markus Zusevics -- both of whom Shonka calls bona fide NFL prospects --  Shonka says the NFL potential adds up. So do the millions.

"Well, if Reiff comes out and Osemele goes in the first . . ." Shonka said. "Say a couple of them go in the middle of the first round and Zusevics goes in the second . . . I'd say between all of those guys you're looking at $15 to $20 million. You're talking about some high-level prospects."

The fact that Reiff and Osemele are potential left offensive tackles in the NFL drives up that price tag. Left tackle is the position that protects the right-handed quarterback's blindside. That includes the Patriots' Tom Brady and the Packers' Aaron Rodgers.

Tyron Smith was the first offensive tackle taken -- No. 9 -- in last April's draft. He signed for $12.5 million in guaranteed money, $500,000 more than quarterback Jake Locker who went one pick ahead of him. Former Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi went at No. 29 and received $7.06 million guaranteed.

"As a quarterback, not only do you need good protection, you need to be able to trust your line," said ISU quarterback Steele Jantz, who's a righty. "That way you can be calm back there. And I do trust my line, not just Kelechi, but everyone. It's huge."

Shonka, who's scouted NFL players for 39 years, is extremely high on Osemele and Reiff. What sold Shonka on Osemele was his tape against former Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith, who went No. 7 to the 49ers in last April's NFL draft.

"He's so big to run around and he's got excellent feet," Shonka said. "One thing you need as a left tackle is lateral range, and he has really good slide and adjust. He can block the edge and he can recover against two-move defensive ends."

There's the whole thing with Reiff, a junior, about whether or not he'd come out. He has said he plans to be at Iowa the next two seasons. But he's also been projected by many internet draft sites as a potential first rounder. Shonka said the 2012 NFL draft class is light on tackles, which might also coax some underclassmen into the draft.

Iowa recently has seen the underclassmen door to the NFL open, with tight end Dallas Clark, running back Shonn Greene, cornerback Amari Spievey, offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga and safety Tyler Sash.

"Reiff has got that left tackle kind of personality, the aggressiveness," Shonka said. "He's technically sound, like most Iowa

offensive linemen. He's got everything you're looking for -- a knee bender, keeps his head up, moves his feet and excellent body control and the ability to recover."

There's that and then there's the No. 1 factor that makes Reiff the player he is, Shonka said. He's a competitor, and by that, Shonka means Reiff carries the fight.

"We're always trying to finish," Reiff said earlier this summer. "We're trying to get the last punch in, as you call it. It makes or breaks a lot of plays.

"To be successful and put us over the top, we have to play that way. It's those little details that are going to matter. Finishing a block or giving that little bit of extra effort go a long way on the football field. People don't notice it, but it does."

Osemele, who has already received his degree from ISU, has the competitiveness. He also has incredible size, which, believe it or not, can work against him. Weight is an issue that Osemele tracks constantly.

Osemele injured an ankle in camp and didn't play a lot in last week's opener against Northern Iowa.

"His ankles are ones that you can't tell if they're swollen or not, the guy's so big," ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.

ISU O-line coach Bill Bleil said it could affect where Osemele, a fifth-year senior, would play in the NFL.

"I know he can play guard," Bleil said. "I believe he can play tackle, I believe he can play tackle, if he keeps his weight down. He's struggling right now, he fights it all the time. He keeps it in the 320. I'll tell you what, on a good weekend, he can get up to 340 really quick."

Today, forget the NFL and the millions. Put yourself in the shoes of the defensive ends on the Jack Trice Stadium turf. This is what you're up against.

"You hate to say dirty, but that's a good word," Reiff said. "As an offensive lineman, you like that word. So, anything extra, anything to give a little extra. . . . As an offensive lineman, you like to have the last say."

And from the other side, "The more you go out and punish people right off the bat, they more they don't want to come back and play the next snap," Osemele said last year.

But hey defensive ends, at least you'll get scouted.

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 Extra quotage:

KF

I know they've got a good left tackle, is that what you're referring to? He's really a good player. He's big, he's athletic and has a good temperament and knows how to play. I told our team I'm so disinterested right now in NFL talk. I'm thrilled for Chad Greenway. That is great. We've had our share of guys do well, and I'm really happy for him. This was the cut weekend, so a lot of guys really are either making the team or being on practice squads. I think with good futures of the really happy for them. But at the end of the day it's really a by-product of them having good careers here and playing well at their given positions, and doing a good job off the field, too. That really enhances everybody's chance to have a good career in the NFL. Right now, we're trying to find a way to worry about winning against Iowa State. If they play well this week, that will help them move down the road, for sure.

COACH FERENTZ: I'd like to take credit for Riley Reiff, knowing he was a defensive end when he came here. It's like a lot of our guys end up at spots maybe by -- not by accident, but it's usually a little bit of a journey. Robert came as a tight end, skinny tight end -- or lean tight end, not skinny. So, you know, he played there, and he was right guard, right tackle. So, we just try to get somebody who can play that position in the offense

"Big tall guys who can move. --

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz made his name coaching Iowa's

offensive line for nine years (from 1981-89), sending 11 players to

the NFL. Ferentz moved on to coach the offensive line for the

Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens (from 1993-98), where he

developed undrafted college free agents into all-pro linemen.

"It all starts at the top with Coach Ferentz, who arguably

could be the best offensive line coach in college football or the

NFL," Morgan said. "It's his trademark. It's

something he takes pride in, good, strong line play."

Gettis

His attitude going into a game and the whole week, he has that attitude that says, I'm better than the guy in front of me and I'm going impose my will on him. That's what he does every game. He's a great player, a great guy off the field, I'm just glad he's on my team. -- Mean? -- He has a little edge to him, but I think every O-lineman needs to have an edge to them. You've got to get down and dirty in a game. Off the field, he's a great guy. On the field, he's a good guy, but you don't want to push his buttons. -- What makes left tackle -- He came in as a D-lineman and moved to left tackle and thrived.

Who's meaner, Riley or James? -- [Big laugh.] You know, that's pretty tough. I've played with both of them, but I've got to go with Riley. He's a tough sonofagun. It is a close call. I think they're neck and neck. James gets after people really well. -- said anything -- They show it in their actions. -- They get a little pissed off every once in a while, that's the fun of the game. -- Zuse, edge too.

Rhoads

O-line better with guys back -- I do, because those are significant guys. Kelechi spent a good deal of training camp on a sprained ankle. He did it again, so he'll be playing somewhat at not 100 percent full speed again come this Saturday, although he ran pretty well yesterday.

Hurt all year -- Hard to say. His ankles are ones that you can't tell if they're swollen or not, the guy's so big. We've got two more games and an open date, I wouldn't think he'll spend the whole year limping around on that.

More -- A right-handed quarterback can, I don't know if relax is the right word, but be comfortable in that he's being taken care of. Kelechi is more than capable of doing that. He knows with a little bit of a bum ankle it's going to take some grit on his part to play through pain and bend like he has to to get that executed especially against this defensive line this week.

Jantz

As a quarterback, not only do you need good protection, you need to be able to trust your line. That way you can be calm back there. And I do trust my line, not just Kelechi, but everyone. It's huge. -- Righty -- Run game -- We don't because we trust both sides of the line. -- Where does KO rate? -- I don't know if he's the biggest, but he's definitely up there. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone bigger. -- KO and HH -- I think it will make a difference, but not to say the other guys did a bad job. I thought they were great. It's just nice having that experience on the O-line, that's the biggest thing.

Binns

Most QBs are right handed, LT protect blindside. To do that, you definitely have to be a phenomenal athlete. You have to have good technique and watch the film. -- What makes a tackle hard to get around -- It's just having good technique. If a guy speed rushes you, you need to keep your hands up. If a guy bull rushes you, you need to beast out and handle it. If there are gimmicks, you have to be stout. That's what makes a good tackle. -- Lebron vs. KO -- It's going to be a tough challenge. We'll have to figure out something, because he is a good tackle.

Reiff AND JF

Head coach Kirk Ferentz and Morgan have made "the edge" one of the canons of offensive lines. Robert Gallery had it. Bryan Bulaga had it. Marshal Yanda certainly had it.

"It's a toughness, a mentality, a demeanor," Morgan said. "It means I'm going to go out and I'm going to have a little bit of a physical edge that we like our guys to have. Bulaga had it. When I say edge, that's a compliment. He's got an edge to it."

Junior tackle Riley Reiff took it a step further.

"We're always trying to finish," said Reiff, a 6-foot-6, 300-pounder. "We're trying to get the last punch in, as you call it. It makes or breaks a lot of plays."

"You hate to say dirty, but that's a good word," Reiff said. "As an offensive lineman, you like that word. So, anything extra, anything to give a little extra."

"We try to make sure we're being physical, but play within the boundaries of the rules," James Ferentz said. "We try to pride ourselves on being a physical unit."

"I've played against really physical players, too," James Ferentz said. "When a guy is beating on you consistently, it's difficult to come back to him every snap. You try to impose that same physical mentality on the other guy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."

"A nasty offensive lineman is someone who plays hard through the whistle," Ferentz said. "He really wants to make sure the other guy knows he's there."

"To be successful and put us over the top, we have to play that way," Reiff said. "It's those little details that are going to matter. Finishing a block or giving that little bit of extra effort go a long way on the football field. People don't notice it, but it does."

It's not dirty, but it's not dainty.

"As an offensive lineman, you like to have the last say," Reiff said.

Bliel

He hadn't had a lot of snaps when we came in here and sometimes that's a Godsend for a kid.

When you get a new staff, some kids get a new evaluation and start fresh. We liked his athleticism and we needed a tackle there. We had Reggie Stephens, we had Lamaak, we had Alvarez, we needed a left tackle and it worked out. He's progressed really well. Obviously, he's big and strong and he moves really well for his size. He's learned the game. He understands the game a whole lot better than he had. I don't think he had played a lot of football. Right now, he coaches the young kids and does a nice job. -- Raw -- He soaks in everything. He really does. And the kids voted him a captain, that's kind of odd for an offensive lineman. There aren't a lot of guys who get that, it's usually the guys who throw it and catch it and do those things. -- He's a very intellegent guy, already graduated. We're excited. We think there are a lot of things out there in front of him. -- develop 1st round or second -- I don't know. I've had a number of kids who've gone in the third or fourth round, but never a first- or second-rounder. Obviously, I think he's as good or better than those guys. He's bigger and more physical. I know he can play guard. I believe he can play tackle, I believe he can play tackle, if he keeps his weight down. He's struggling right now, he fights it all the time. He keeps it in the 320. I'll tell you what, on a good weekend, he can get up to 340 really quick. He and I need to go on the same diet sometimes. He's staying in the 320 range and he wants to be at a manageable weight. C -- average B pretty good A exc D didn't get done MA is an F --

Dan Shonka