Is Christian Darrisaw Elite?
Christian Darrisaw is entering Year 4 in the NFL. Already, he is among the game’s better left tackles. Would it be fair to call him elite?
Few, if any, would say that he doesn’t have the potential to become elite. Whether he’s fully there could lead to a bit more debate. The 2021 1st-Round selection recently had his 5th-year option picked up by Minnesota, a definitive sign that the franchise holds the lineman in high regard. How high can Darrisaw soar?
Christian Darrisaw as a Franchise Cornerstone and Elite LT
Christian Darrisaw looks like an NFL left tackle.
He stands at 6’5″ and weighs 315 pounds. Even at that size, Darrisaw moves well. Kevin O’Connell can ask his LT to block in open space and Darrisaw is capable of doing so.
Take a look at a great example:
And check this one out:
The highlights are pretty abundant with Mr. Darrisaw, but that’s only part of the story.
A spot like PFF tries to give a more comprehensive view by taking more plays into account. Across three NFL seasons, Darrisaw gets strong grades:
- 2021: 71.9, 36th Overall.
- 2022: 90.4, 2nd Overall.
- 2023: 82.4, 8th Overall.
So, pretty good stuff, at least per the PFF assessment. They insist that Darrisaw was responsible for allowing 6 sacks, 13 hits, and 31 pressures last season. Both team and player will be looking for each one of those numbers to decrease.
Another way of assessing an offensive lineman’s performance is by looking toward ESPN’s pass- and run-block win rates. Brian O’Neill lands at 3rd for pass-block win rate but Darrisaw isn’t in the top twenty. And then he doesn’t land within the top ten for run-block win rate. So, maybe a bit more reason for pause within the ESPN assessment.
And does it matter at all that he has yet get voted into the Pro Bowl? Plus, there has yet to be an All Pro nomination. Those honors, though, look like just a matter of time.
On June 2nd, Christian Darrisaw is going to turn 25. The tackle is quickly becoming an NFL veteran and yet he’s still firmly within his prime. If he isn’t elite right now, Darrisaw is very close. At worst, he’s an excellent left tackle who has solidified himself as a cornerstone player in Minnesota.
His three seasons in the NFL have featured increased playing time in all three years, going from 653 snaps, to 853 snaps, to 982 snaps on offense. He has yet to play a full seventeen games. Part of the next step for Darrisaw is to be fully available from start to finish as he eliminates a few of the rough moments.
When he does those things, Christian Darrisaw will start gaining more recognition around the NFL.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.