6’5” – 320 lbs.
Has been working with the first team since he arrived on campus. Started all fifteen games at right tackle as a true freshman before sliding over to left tackle beginning with his sophomore campaign, a year in which he started all thirteen games he played in. Started another thirteen games on the blindside this past year, then declared for the draft. Team captain. Listed height is just adequate for a pro offensive tackle, so official measurements may be important, but otherwise carries his weight very well and has excellent bulk for the position; appears to have solid length. Pass sets and technique look very good. Bends at the knees, keeps his hands loaded and his back straight, and gets good depth in his kickslide to protect the edge against speed. Quick, with excellent footwork; a much better athlete than is typical for his size, allowing him to mirror easily. Remains light on his feet through contact. Very active with his hands, using his punch effectively to knock opponents off-balance and demonstrating a killer instinct to finish them off. Able to reset his hands quickly for a second punch if needed. Rarely needs to sell out or abandon his technique in order to protect the edge; plays with pretty good discipline and has a good feel for when he should pivot back in to protect against inside rushers. May be a little bit stronger in his upper body but overall anchor strength is solid. A very good athlete in space who works hard to get out and lead the way on screens; can occasionally get a little bit outside of his frame because of his aggressiveness, but has excellent speed and change-of-direction skills to hunt down linebackers. Plays the game with a nasty, physical temperament; very competitive through the whistle. Looks powerful on initial contact. Able to execute difficult hook blocks in the run game because of his short-area quickness. Can chip one defender and block down on another, or climb to the second level and engage a linebacker. Does a good job of keeping his feet churning after contact, although he’s not quite a mauler in a phone booth; more of a gritty street fighter who works to stick with opponents than someone who blows defenders off the line of scrimmage. Capable of sustaining blocks through the whistle because of his effective hand placement and solid grip strength. Not the tallest or most powerful blocker in a phone booth, but those are relatively minor concerns. A three-year SEC starter who combines an excellent temperament, incredible athleticism for his size, and sound technique; looks like a franchise left tackle and high first-round pick.
DRAFTEXAMINER 