6’3” – 317 lbs.
Background:
Started at right guard as a true freshman, then sat out the following season after being arrested for sexual assault. Was reinstated after the charges were dismissed, starting two of twelve games the following year. Started all nine games he appeared in as a junior, missing one due to injury, then started eleven games at left guard this past year, finishing his career with 34 total starts, 22 of which came on the left vs. 12 on the right.
Positives:
Comes with three years of starting experience for a major program, having started on both sides of the line. Has solid length and a thick, strong build for an interior offensive lineman; looks like he carries his weight well. Brings a physical temperament to the game. Really uses his length well, getting full extension. Has a lot of power in his hands to turn defenders out of the hole or overwhelm them with power on contact. Actually looks surprisingly fast in a straight line when asked to climb to the second level, or when pulling to the right side of the offensive line. Anchors easily against opposing bull-rushers on passing downs. Keeps his head on a swivel and shows a powerful shove as the help blocker.
Negatives:
Height is on the lower side of what teams look for. Doesn’t have much lateral quickness to speak of; looks like he’ll be limited to inline/power schemes. Ends up attacking opponents’ shoulders instead of crossing and positioning himself effectively. Can be found lowering his head or bending at the waist, causing him to fall off of blocks. Not low enough or active enough with his feet to generate consistent push in the run game; ends up being more of a wall-off blocker despite his size/strength. Doesn’t have a ton of knee bend. Hand placement can be a little bit too high and outside. Susceptible to quicker gap-shooter types; looks a lot better when someone’s coming directly at him. College arrest may eliminate him from some draft boards.
Summary:
A big, strong, experienced offensive guard from college football’s most difficult conference, he should draw interest from teams running an inline/power blocking scheme for his ability to generate power at the point of attack and to absorb power in pass protection. However, his range is limited by below-average lateral quickness, which could cause him to slip to the mid-rounds.
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