OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas* (6’7”, 309)
Background:
Redshirted, then started thirteen games at right tackle the following year, flipping to the blindside the following season. Finished his junior season early after eight games to prepare for the draft.
Positives:
Tall and carries his weight well. Light on his feet with good lateral quickness and smooth movement skills. Does a good job of bending at the knees and getting depth in his kickslide to protect the edge; rarely gets beaten by pure speed rushers. Texas felt confident enough in his ability to frequently leave him on an island against opposing primary pass-rushers. Keeps his back straight and his head up into contact, playing within his frame. Able to place and reset his hands effectively to stay engaged versus counters. Chippy with a powerful shove to knock opponents off-balance but needs to be more consistent about using it. Would fit a zone-blocking scheme well. Work rate is consistent on a snap-to-snap basis. Capable of blocking down in the outside shoulder and sealing. Can chip one defender at the line and climb to the second level to successfully engage linebackers. Keeps his feet churning after contact in the run game and works to sustain through the whistle. Recovers well and can get the upper hand to wash defenders down the line even when losing the initial engagement. Shows a killer instinct to finish when he’s in position.
Negatives:
Will need to adjust to playing out of three-point stances. As a taller lineman, plays a little bit high at times. Can lapse into absorbing bull-rushers instead of firing out with his hands to be the aggressor. Drops his anchor a little bit late and can be pushed back into the pocket. Consequently, may need to develop more functional strength and could potentially be limited to playing left tackle despite some experience on the right. Would like to see him get more consistent extension with his arms to lock out defenders. Can occasionally be caught throwing a shoulder at an opponent instead of engaging with his hands. Looks better getting depth against the speed rush than he does pivoting back to stop inside moves. A little bit on the tall side and doesn’t always get the best of it at the beginning of a snap.
Summary:
A tall, athletic left tackle who is very temperamentally-suited to playing on the line, can defend against speed, and can reach assignments in space in the run game, but who still has to add some functional strength and get more aggressive with his punch. The value of his position could potentially earn him a spot in the first round of the draft, likely on a team which prefers more athletic zone-blocking linemen. There’s some risk here, but no inherent limitations on his ceiling.
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