2023 NFL Draft: G/C Rankings
G Rankings:
1
Andrew Vorhees
School: USC
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 310 lbs
Strengths:
Vorheers brings tremendous strength to the table as an interior offensive lineman. He anchors quite well against beefy interior rushers, showing good grip strength and determination to last through the whistle. There are plays where he loses early leverage, which really puts his strength to the test. In these situations, he has been able to reset his positioning and quickly anchor down, before any real damage could be done. He shows off his intelligence on a consistent basis. Vorhees does well to put himself in good position. He also keeps his head on a swivel, and looks for work when he has some free time. In the run game, Vorhees creates plenty of forward movement, and can seal things off. The lanes he opens up are pretty big, and the way Vorhees drives his opponent forward makes it tough for the defender to get back in the play, if he manages to disengage. Vorhees has experience playing both G and OT spots. Though he is exclusively a G at the next level, the versatility isn’t a bad thing to have. You never know when you might need it in a pinch.
Weaknesses:
Vorhees is an average athlete, which limits his overall upside. He looks a bit sluggish when pulling across the line, and isn’t always able to reach his block in time. The same can be said for when he blocks in space. As a pass protector, he sometimes lets quicker interior rushers with agility get by his edge. He doesn’t always have enough agility to recover when rushers create early penetration. His tall frame, at times, is used against him. It can get high early into some of his reps, and his opponents have sometimes been able to get in a good strike and knock him a bit off balance. Luckily for him, he was able to recover on most of these plays. However, things will be tougher in the NFL, and you would rather not be in recovery mode. His arm length is also on the shorter side. The issue is lessened by keeping him at G, as opposed to OT, but it can still present some challenges from the inside.
Summary:
Vorhees is a G prospect with the strength and power to be a mainstay as a starter for many years. He creates a lot of push in the run game, and his anchoring ability is impressive. Due to average athleticism, there will be some limitations to his game, and he will be best suited in a power based scheme. While he doesn’t have all the traits that would point to elite upside, he should still be a quality starter, especially if he can clean up his technique a little bit.
| Grade: 82.3 | Round Grade: 2nd |
2
Chandler Zavala
School: North Carolina State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 322 lbs
Strengths:
Zavala is a good all around player who has the ability to execute various assignments at a relatively high level. He shows solid anchoring strength, and his toughness enhances his ability to hold up against power. This demeanor is also very evident on running plays, where he looks to keep driving his opponent forward, right through the whistle. Zavala generally plays with good technique. His footwork is clean and his hand strikes are powerful and well timed out. Zavala’s skillset is rounded enough for him to have some scheme diversity.
Weaknesses:
Zavala has a rounded skill set, but doesn’t appear to have one elite trait. Athletically, he is smooth in short areas, but he can be a bit more limited when asked to travel farther away from home. As well, his strength is good, but I do think higher end power rushers could make things a lot tougher for him. From a technical standpoint, he is generally sound. However, there are some instances where his alignment isn’t quite centred, which can allow some leaks to get through.
Summary:
Zavala is a prospect with a diverse enough skill set to carry out different assignments. His strength is good enough to both create movement in the running game, and to anchor in pass protection. That said, he doesn’t have any elite traits, which seemingly gives him the upside of a good, but not great player. His athleticism is good enough to carry out basic tasks, but he is a bit limited as well, and will have some inconsistencies if asked to do too much. As well, I suspect he’ll need to get stronger in order to handle the top interior rushers. Zavala, even without the highest ceiling, has the tools to become a good starter in the NFL.
| Grade: 78.5 | Round Grade: 3rd |
3
O’Cryus Torrence
School: Florida
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 330 lbs
Strengths:
Strength and power is the name of the game for Torrence. At his best, he is completely bullying guys in the run game. For him, it is not enough to just generate some movement. He wants to put guys on the ground. Needless to say, these kinds of plays can be huge for a RB looking to find room to get loose. Torrence plays a similar game when it comes to his pass blocking. When at his best, he is neutralizing power pretty easily. Torrence can anchor against strong pass rushers, and keep his QB clean long enough for him to scan the field.
Weaknesses:
Athleticism is sub-par, which leads to some big limitations to his game. Starting with the run game, Torrence is best used close to home, and can become a liability as he gets further up the field. He lacks the quickness to consistently land his blocks on the move. Torrence, in pass protection, got beat around his edge more than I was comfortable with. His lack of footspeed was evident when quicker rushers tried to create quick penetration, and it was something they were able to exploit a decent bit. Additionally, Torrence can struggle to keep his pad level down, which does often negate some of the advantages that come with his strength. There were instances of him getting walked backwards towards the QB.
Summary:
Torrence is a strong, powerful G that will need to play in a power-based scheme to succeed in the NFL. His lack of quickness and agility provide him with some challenges as a run blocker and pass protector, but his natural strength also allows him to bully opponents at the point of attack. Cleaning up his technique should allow for more consistency against high end competition, and the right scheme will allow him to maximize his talents. In the right system, Torrence should be a solid starter.
| Grade: 76.1 | Round Grade: 3rd |
4
Nick Saldiveri
School: Old Dominion
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 318 lbs
Strengths:
Saldiveri is a pretty smooth athlete for his size, and has shown to be capable of mirroring pass rushers. He has inside/outside versatility. On the outside, Saldiveri is capable of defending the edge and matching speed rushers around the arc. His nasty demeanor makes him a nice fit for the interior. He isn’t necessarily the strongest guy out there, but he still has been able to make his presence felt, through his tenacity and toughness. Saldiveri is effectively used to pull across the line. He has the speed and quickness to land his block, and he builds up enough momentum to deliver a solid blow. In the open field, he shows the footspeed to react to and hit moving targets.
Weaknesses:
Saldiveri can play G or OT, but on the edge, his arm length seems to hurt him a little bit. On some plays, he can be a bit late getting his hands on speedier edge rushers, and he is forced to abandon his technique in order to just stay in front of his opponent. Saldivery will need to get stronger as he transitions to the next level. His demeanor makes up for it a little, but stronger players can still make things difficult in pass protection, and creating movement as a run blocker is also something he isn’t always able to do with consistency.
Summary:
Saldiveri’s quickness and toughness will draw scouts and coaches to him. He has played OT and G in college. Though many seem to have him as an OT, I think a move to G is in his best interest. It will help minimize his length issue, and his athleticism will shine in the interior. Saldiveri will need to get stronger to handle power rushers, whether on the inside or outside. As well, he’ll have to clean up his technique a little bit. He might not start immediately, but with some work, it could happen within a year or two.
| Grade: 73.2 | Round Grade: 4th |
5
Jordan McFadden
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 303 lbs
Strengths:
McFadden is a quick and twitchy offensive lineman. He shoots out of his stance, and has a noticeable spring in his step. Everything is smooth when pulling across the line, and he is able to seal things up. When blocking up the field, his play is quite impressive. He gets to his target quickly, and he doesn’t waste any time landing his block and then moving onto the next. He stacks his blocks well. In pass protection, his kick slide is smooth. McFadden has the ability to mirror edge rushers around the arc, and this athleticism will shine in a transition to G. He isn’t someone who will easily let a pass rush specialist shoot the gap and enter the backfield.
Weaknesses:
McFadden’s height and length fall below the standards for that of an OT, and will likely have to transition inside to G. Even for a G, most would consider him undersized. While he has the finesse aspect to his game, he lacks that raw power to match up against beefier interior rushers without any worry. Even on the outside, he would get pushed around a little bit, and his length is definitely something that teams could potentially exploit, whether he plays on the inside or outside. Similarly, he blocks well on the move, but I question how effective he’ll be when tasked with just putting his head down and creating movement as a run blocker.
Summary:
McFadden is a college OT who will likely be transitioning to G due to his lack of size and length. While the length issue is somewhat mitigated on the inside, it does still exist. This transition will also present him with more powerful opponents, which could challenge him a decent bit. But on the other side of the coin, McFadden has high end athleticism for an interior lineman. He blocks extremely well on the move, and his experience playing tackle gives him versatility that coaches love. With the transition expected, he is likely a work in progress at this point. Strength will definitely need to be added, and technique can be refined. In the right system, he can be a quality backup with versatility. With enough improvement, I would not be surprised to see him starting one day.
| Grade: 73.1 | Round Grade: 4th |
6
Emil Ekiyor
School: Alabama
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 314 lbs
Strengths:
Ekiyor plays with a nasty demeanor, looking to knock people to the ground on a consistent basis. He is a smart player, who does a good job of keeping himself in good position as often as possible. His pad level usually remains low, and he does well to stay square to his opponent. Ekiyor looks for work, and will help out his fellow offensive linemen when he is unoccupied, in some instances, knocking an opponent of one of his teammates to the ground. As both a pass protector and run blocker, he shows flashes of winning with strength, and his aggressive playing style helps him to match up against players who still might have a physical advantage.
Weaknesses:
Strength and power comes in flashes, but inconsistencies are also present. Beefier interior rushers are still able to beat him. In many cases, they take advantage of poor balance. A powerful strike or two can sometimes be enough to knock him off balance, which gives the defender an opening to attack and push him backwards. Ekiyor isn’t a great athlete, and will be better off staying close to home. Things like pulling, or blocking in space, can expose his poor lateral agility. Quicker iDL also expose this from time to time by attacking his rush edge. His technique will need some fine tuning
Summary:
Ekiyor is a tough player who also shows flashes of play strength that can be tough for opponents to match up against, whether on a passing play or a run. However, these plays are limited to flashes because interior defensive linemen are able to knock him off balance too often, and also take advantage of athletic deficiencies. His positioning is usually good, but finer technical issues do show up, and will need to be corrected at the next level. Some development is needed, but Ekiyor could potentially be a decent starter if the right strides are made. If not, he still has enough tools to be a reliable depth option at G.
| Grade: 70.4 | Round Grade: 4th |
7
Anthony Bradford
School: LSU
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 332 lbs
Strengths:
Bradford is a big, beefy offensive lineman, whose natural strength gives him a chance against any opponent. He plays with a mean attitude, looking to bully guys at the point of attack, and when he lands his jab, can knock his opponent backwards. Bradford has anchoring ability in pass protection, but also paves nice lanes as a run blocker, when blocking closer to home. He has shown the ability to effectively execute double teams. Bradford also has experience playing multiple positions, bringing some versatility with him to whatever team drafts him.
Weaknesses:
Bradford lacks the lateral agility and overall athleticism to play in different schemes. Though he has enough juice to pull across the line, blocking up the field is a bit too tall of a task. In pass protection, a lack of foot quickness is also evident, as twitchy rushers are able to penetrate the gap before he can adjust and seal the rush edge. He looks like a bit of a waist bender, and doesn’t have the flexibility or quickness to stay square against these kinds of players. Bradford, at times, can get his pad level up, and the timing of his hand jabs can be off. In these instances, stronger opponents are able to land their strike, and kick him off balance, making him unable to anchor.
Summary:
Bradford’s power and nasty playing style allows him to win handedly on a number of plays. He has anchoring ability, and is also capable of clearing up lanes for the runner. However, he lacks the overall athleticism to operate away from home, and quicker, twitchier pass rushers can penetrate the gap before he is able to recover. Bradford can find more consistency by cleaning up his technique, but he will be limited to power-based schemes in the NFL. In the right scheme, and with some refinement, he has the chance to be a solid starter. But the ceiling is a bit capped. It is likely he starts out as a depth player, before potentially working his way up.
| Grade: 69.2 | Round Grade: 5th |
8
Jaxson Kirkland
School: Washington
Ht/Wt: 6’7”, 321 lbs
Strengths:
Kirkland is actually pretty light on his feet, which is impressive, given his size. He redirects nicely, and when not occupied, he can fly over and rescue a fellow offensive lineman in trouble. He has experience playing tackle and guard, and in all honesty, his agility isn’t too bad for the tackle position. As a guard, he is easily able to handle pulls and down field blocks. In the run game, I like his determination. He keeps his pad level impressively low (for his size), and works hard to create some movement.
Weaknesses:
I wouldn’t say that he is weak, but Kirkland is lacking the strength to consistently hold up against powerful bull rushers. Even when technique is on point, he can get pushed back, and on a good day, he is getting into stalemates. Kirkland gets his pad level too high too often in pass protection. Rushers are able to gain leverage, and push him right back. In the run game, he blocks well on the move, but consistency in the downhill game is not there. He has to work very hard for the movement he creates, and sometimes, his efforts go unrewarded. Kirkland comes with a bit of an injury history, and will be an overaged prospect.
Summary:
Kirkland is an effective blocker on the move, and is good in pass protection when he isn’t required to win with just strength and power. His athleticism is an asset that can allow him to be a good player in the right system. The limitations are with his strength. At his pont, he can’t consistently match up against power, both as a pass protector and run blocker. Adding strength should help round out his game. But if he is unable to, he will be a scheme dependent player, who might end up being a backend starter if he can improve his technique. If he doesn’t start, he has the versatility to serve as a solid backup, which makes him a solid mid round prospect. But his injury history and age may bump him down a bit.
| Grade: 69.1 | Round Grade: 5th |
9
Nick Broeker
School: Ole Miss
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 305 lbs
Strengths:
Broeker is a nimble athlete in shorter areas. He has a smooth slide, showing the ability to mirror pass rushers. You see him pull across the line quite often, and he has been effective at sealing up the back side. His effectiveness as a puller is also evident in the run game, as he is able to land his blocks quickly, allowing the lane to open up as the ball carrier is about to burst through. Broeker is on the smaller side, but his strength is decent. It won’t blow you away, but he is capable of anchoring. His glass eater mentality helps him supplement, in a sense. Broeker plays through the whistle, often looking to drive opponents right into the ground, even if it is away from the play.
Weaknesses:
Broeker is undersized, and matchups against bigger, beefier defensive linemen can prove to be too much sometimes. In these cases, his anchor is not always well sustained, and he can find it hard to create push in the run game. Length is an issue that further adds on to these issues, and playing with leverage is not something he can do very easily.He is a good athlete in short areas, but I haven’t really seen it translate into longer distance stuff. When blocking further up the field, Broeker looks a bit more sluggish, which I do find a bit surprising. His combine testing would tell me that I shouldn’t be surprised, but given how nimble he looks as a pull blocker, it is hard not to be a little surprised at his lack of effectiveness further up the field.
Summary:
Broeker shows good short area athleticism, and his strength is halfway decent, given his size. I love the fight that he shows on each play, as well. These tools make him a nice candidate to be a solid depth player, but his lack of size and length will limit him at the next level, and will give him a very tough time working his way up to a starting position. I suppose he has an outside chance, but a solid backup seems like the most likely outcome here.
| Grade: 67.4 | Round Grade: 5th |
10
Antonio Mafi
School: UCLA
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 338 lbs
Strengths:
Mafi is a bulldozer playing guard. He is one of the most powerful offensive linemen in this class. Mafi takes up a huge amount of space, making it tough for interior rushers to get around him. He can just engulf the smaller ones, while he is able to fight power with power when going up against the space eaters on the other side of the ball. Mafi anchors well in pass protection when his technique is applied right. In the run game, he blocks nicely when he can just plough guys right off the snap. He can create some significant movement at times. Mafi is a glass eater, and his playing style complements his physical skill set. When he gets a shot in, he doesn’t just do enough to stop you from getting to the QB, or to open up a running lane. He looks to completely flatten you. This style will appeal to a lot of OL coaches.
Weaknesses:
Mafi is a subpar athlete. Even in spite of his size, defenders are sometimes able to squeak through the gap, bending around his rush edge before he is able to recover. He is sluggish pulling across the line, and even less mobile when tasked with blocking upfield. His technique is still in need of some development. He can be late getting his hands up, and his placement can also be off. As well, Mafi’s footwork could be cleaned up. There are instances where his pad level will rise, allowing defenders to take leverage from him. Even with his size and strength, he is not immune to getting pushed back when he loses the leverage battle.
Summary:
Mafi is a big, strong, and powerful G prospect. He has a road grader attitude, showing that he can plough guys off their platform in the run game, and anchor in pass protection. Mafi, however, is a very limited athlete, meaning his best usage will be limited to power-based schemes. He isn’t great blocking on the move, and can allow leaks to get through when going up against twitchy opponents. That said, the mid round guards that end up carving out a solid career for themselves often have this kind of build. His usage ceiling may not be super high, but he can be an effective player if used the right way, and has the potential to out play his draft position.
| Grade: 63.1 | Round Grade: 6th |
11
Brandon Kipper
School: Oregon State
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 326 lbs
Strengths:
Kipper has a massive frame that is capable of engulfing opponents at the point of attack. But what really caught my eye was the burst and acceleration ability that he possesses. He shoots out of his stance and can get up field in a hurry, stacking up blocks one by one. Kipper shows flashes of being able to anchor against stronger opponents, and also has enough quickness to recover when initially beaten. He brings G/OT versatility.
Weaknesses:
Kipper has nice physical traits, but is a mess from a technical standpoint. He fails to consistently square up to his opponent, instead allowing leaks to get through on either side. His hand placement and timing is often off, and a high pad level further concedes leverage to his opponent. Sloppy footwork goes on to make things worse. As a result, you see some pretty ugly losses.
Summary:
Kipper is a developmental prospect with the size, strength, and athleticism to one day be a quality starter. But before we even start thinking about him as a potential starter, there will be a lot of work to be done on his technique. From hand technique, to footwork, positioning, and beyond, all of it will need to improve for him to eventually work his way into a backup role. From there, he might move up further, once his traits are allowed to shine a little brighter.
| Grade: 57.9 | Round Grade: 7th |
12
Tashawn Manning
School: Kentucky
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 327 lbs
Strengths:
Manning has a big frame and the tools to match up against power as a pass protector. He has flashed anchoring ability, and can deliver a powerful strike with his hands to derail his opponent’s attack. Manning has shown that he can block in a phone booth. When it is just pure strength on strength, you have to like your odds, given his strength and physicality. As a run blocker, he can pave running lanes, and can get some pop into his blocks when he does manage to land them further down the field.
Weaknesses:
Athleticism is below average. Specifically when it comes to lateral mobility. Rushers are able to shoot the gap quickly before he gets a chance to adjust. He is heavy on his feet and is unable to match that of some of his opponents. Manning’s technique is quite sloppy, which hinders him a lot. His hand placement needs a lot of work, as well as his timing. Manning loses those smaller battles early in the rep, and then his pad level will rise as it progresses. Things kind of spiral and he ends up beat on the play. As a run blocker, I don’t see him being used often in space. I actually don’t mind his speed to get out there, but once he is there, he doesn’t have the movement skills to go and land very many blocks. He lacks the quickness to adjust to moving bodies, and bad angles make things even tougher.
Summary:
Manning will have some appeal to teams looking for a guard prospect with size, strength, and power. The flashes he has shown of being able to anchor, as well as his impressive run blocks, and tough playing style paint a picture of what he is capable of. However, athleticism will limit what he is ultimately able to do, and his technique will need a lot of work before he is ready to see meaningful snaps. Manning is a developmental prospect.
| Grade: 57.0 | Round Grade: 7th |
13
TJ Bass
School: Oregon
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 317 lbs
Strengths:
Bass has some solid traits that he is able to use to maximize his chances of success. Strength is pretty good. Though not a super powerful player, he is able to hold his own against power rushers, as long as his technique is clean enough. It is a similar story for him in the run game. It is a bit dependent on technique, but at his best, he can create some movement. Bass will be a guard at the next level, but his experience playing on the outside isn’t a bad thing, and could help him in a battle for a depth spot.
Weaknesses:
His strength is only average. Bass doesn’t have the agility to play OT, and it is still only average for a G. Likely doesn’t have starter upside. His traits would still be passable, but his lack of length really compounds these issues. He has short arms, whether at OT or G. Bass can fail to get a decent grip on his opponent, and defenders don’t always find it difficult to fall off the block. He loses leverage as a pass protector because of this issue, and defenders can have him end up unbalanced and out of whack.
Summary:
Bass projects as a potential backup at the next level. He has enough strength, and just enough athleticism for a depth guard, and his positional versatility can’t hurt either. All that said, he will need to find a way to overcome his poor length if he wants to work his way up a depth chart and be more than a bottom of the roster guy.
| Grade: 55.4 | Round Grade: 7th |
14
Brent Laing
School: Minnesota Duluth
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 304 lbs
Strengths:
Laing is a very smooth athlete. He was athletic enough to play some tackle in college, and his kickslide looked very clean. Laing pulls across the line quickly and efficiently to seal up the back side. He bulbs up momentum as a run blocker and is able to create some drive through his legs when he engages with an opponent. I like how quickly he gets up the field as a run blocker. He identifies his target and has the ability to adjust his angle midway through the play. In pass protection, he can redirect smoothly, and won’t easily allow leaks to get through the rush edge. He has experience at G and OT, and has shown that he is capable of playing C, as well.
Weaknesses:
Laing’s frame and length are both on the smaller side. His lack of length will likely keep him on the inside in the NFL, barring emergency situations. Even on the inside, this hurts his ability to gain leverage, and poor hand technique compounds the problem. Laing doesn’t currently have the strength to match power with power in the NFL. Even at the small school level, he was straining when trying to sustain his anchor, at times. His footwork can also get a bit sloppy, which can cause defenders to gain position and push him back. Laing’s college competition was a lot inferior to what he will face in the NFL. It will be a steep transition.
Summary:
Laing’s smooth athleticism makes him an appealing prospect, and his ability to play anywhere on the line bodes well for his chances of making it as a backup in the NFL. However, he faces a steep step up in competition at the NFL level, and will need some time to adjust. Laing will need to get a lot stronger to handle NFL power, and also improve his technique. He is a developmental player, but has potential to be a quality backup at multiple positions, with the right development.
| Grade: 54.5 | Round Grade: UDFA |
15
McClendon Curtis
School: Chattanooga
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 324 lbs
Strengths:
Curtis has a massive frame and just a nasty, nasty demeanor on the field. He plays a tough, gritty style of football, looking to put someone on the ground every chance he gets. In flashes, Curtis has shown capable of anchoring against powerful opponents, and his length can be a big advantage. In the run game, he is annihilating people when playing at his best. On occasion, when pulling across the line, he used his momentum to knock his target right out of the play. Curtis has some versatility, as he has played tackle and guard in college.
Weaknesses:
Curtis is an extremely raw prospect. His footwork is often very sloppy, and he is unable to consistently stay square to his opponent. Despite the power and strength he possesses, opponents out leverage him, and either walk him back or slip through the gap. Curtis is lacking when it comes to foot speed. Quick, savvy rushers give him trouble in pass protection, while he is unable to consistently block in space in the run game. Even when blocking in a phone booth, his faulty technique limits his effectiveness.
Summary:
Curtis has great size and strength for the OL. He is a certified glass eater, and his nasty demeanor on the field will have OL coaches intrigued. But for all of the tools, his game tape is littered with poor technique that limits his overall effectiveness. His lack of athleticism for the position also leaves his game with limitations. At this point, he is a late round or UDFA developmental project for a team looking to build around his size and strength. He could be a practice squad candidate, or perhaps earn a backend roster spot, depending on how he does in camp.
| Grade: 52.9 | Round Grade: UDFA |
16
Jon Gaines
School: UCLA
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 303 lbs
Strengths:
Gaines is a pretty good athlete with the ability to be used in space. He’s got a spring in his step, and gets out of his stance quickly. He is very efficient pulling across the line, and also wastes no time getting out into space. Gaines generally takes good angles when blocking on the move and delivers a decent enough blow when his momentum has built up. He has a low centre of gravity and he keeps his pad level in a good spot to maximize his chances of winning the leverage battle. Gaines brings some versatility, having spent time at all three OL positions, and his combine testing should boost his draft stock.
Weaknesses:
Gaines looks undersized on tape, and often gets manhandled by bigger, stronger opponents. I don’t see a lot of anchoring ability, and interior rushers are able to push him back. He has trouble sustaining his blocks, partly due to his lack of strength relative to his opponents and poor length. But his technique is also in need of some work. His hand placement and timing are off, and it gives his opponent a chance to get in a strike that can land him off kilter. His footwork also looks choppy at times, and inefficient. Because of this, opponents can still beat him around his rush edge, despite the athleticism that he possesses.
Summary:
Gaines is a good athlete who has shown the ability to effectively pull block and block upfield. However, he lacks the strength to consistently match up against the power that he would see often in the NFL. Gaines will need to clean up his technique in order to maximize his chances, but his deficiencies will be hard to overcome. Some development time on the practice squad, or perhaps at the back end of a roster seems most likely.
| Grade: 52.1 | Round Grade: UDFA |
C Rankings:
1
Steve Avila
School: TCU
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 332 lbs
Strengths:
Avila is a big, sturdy player who can stand up to interior defensive lineman who look to bully their opponents. He possesses an abundance of strength to keep the pocket clean on his end when faced with a bull rush. Avila anchors well, planting his feet and refusing to be driven back. In the run game, Avila generates a good amount of movement, opening up running lanes for the ball carrier. He has enough quickness to execute shallower pulls, and he is able to seal up the backside. Though it is not his calling card, he is also capable in space. In Avila, you’re getting a versatile player. He is able to play C or G at a high level, and he further showcased this at the Senior Bowl.
Weaknesses:
Avila can have some lapses at times, especially when teams throw stunts and/or late blitzes his way. He isn’t always able to recognize it, and even when he does, he doesn’t always have it contained. Athletically, he is solid, but not elite by any means. You do see a little bit of restriction when he is required to block further up field. Avila possesses a lot of strength, but doesn’t always play with a mean streak. He is content completing his assignment, but more aggressiveness and desire to put someone on the ground would be nice. From a technique standpoint, he can do a bit better with his hand placement.
Summary:
Avila is a good all around C/G prospect who should be able to start right away. His strength is a big asset, allowing him to handle NFL power on a consistent basis. Though not an elite athlete, I think he’s got enough. Improving his play recognition and playing a bit meaner could help take his game to another level.
| Grade: 85.0 | Round Grade: 1st |
2
Joe Tippmann
School: Wisconsin
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 313 lbs
Strengths:
Tippmann is a high end C prospect with an abundance of tools that should allow him to be a good starter in the NFL. He has size and strength, which he uses to anchor against some very powerful opponents. When he engages first, good luck getting off the block. His grip strength is very good. Tippmann plays mean, consistently driving his opponent to the ground, as opposed to just settling for some movement or a stalemate. He takes it the distance. Tippmann is a good athlete, and a great one for his size. He has the agility to seal up his rush edges and pull across the line. The overall athleticism is there to make blocks in space. Tippmann does well to keep himself square to his opponent, and use good, clean footwork throughout the play.
Weaknesses:
Tippman is tall for a C, and can have some leverage issues. When unable to keep his pad level down, bull rushers can generate movement towards the QB and collapse the pocket. The biggest issue looked like his hand technique. His placement was often too wide, rather than just striking his opponent right in the middle of the chest. Placement was bad, and the process takes too long on some plays, and it opens up the opportunity for his opponent to engage first. In these instances, Tippmann takes hand strikes, rather than dishing them out, and he loses ground. On other occasions, his hands can get twisted around. These are some of the few instances where he allows a leak to get through his rush edge.
Summary:
Tippmann has high end size, strength, and athleticism for the position. Overall, you most often see him anchoring nicely against powerful rushers, and sustaining his blocks. He can create movement in the run game and complete a wide variety of assignments. His pad level does rise up a bit high at times, which is understandable, given his size. The biggest issue that needs to be fixed is his hand technique. Regardless, he still should be able to start on day 1, but cleaning up his technique should allow for less growing pains in the early stages.
| Grade: 83.6 | Round Grade: 2nd |
3
John Michael Schmitz
School: Minnesota
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 301 lbs
Strengths:
Schmitz possesses a nice all around skill set and is capable of carrying out all of the basic requirements that are associated with the C position. He has good strength to anchor in pass protection, and you see a bit of aggressiveness as he goes to battle. Schmitz creates some nice running lanes when blocking closer to home, and he even has decent enough athleticism to pull across the line and execute shallow assignments north of the line of scrimmage. He is a smart player who sees the field well. Stunts and different tricks do not phase him, and he is able to take care of them.
Weaknesses:
Schmitz has good, but not great athleticism. It starts to become a bit more of a question mark as he gets farther away from the line of scrimmage. He is agile, but maybe not quite enough to be a high end blocker in space. Poor angles don’t help. As well, he has short arms that hurt his ability to engage in blocks first. He sometimes gets caught lunging, as a result, and will then find himself out of position. Lunges and overextensions also show up in pass protection, and he can allow rushers to sneak through the gap. Keeping his pad level lower is also something he will have to do more consistently.
Summary:
Schmitz is a good all around C prospect, who can help a team as a pass protector and run blocker. I like his strength, as he has shown the ability to hold up against power. Enough athleticism is there for the basic stuff, but maybe not quite enough for the longer range tasks. He is not one of those all power, not athleticism type of players. I mean, he can block in space. But maybe not up to the high level that he does a lot of other stuff. Schmitz has some technical issues that will need to be ironed out, but he should be able to start on day 1.
| Grade: 81.2 | Round Grade: 2nd |
4
Luke Wypler
School: Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 303 lbs
Strengths:
Wypler is a good athlete which, at this point, makes up a large part of the foundation of his game. He slides well in pass protection, and is able to keep quicker rushers with bend from beating him around the corner. Wypler is smooth when pulling across the line, but is also very good when blocking further down the field. He has the reactionary athleticism to block moving targets in space. His strength was surprisingly better than I anticipated going into his film study. While it won’t blow you away, I believe he can add on to it, which will help round out his game. When he can, he makes an effort to play with good technique, timing his hand strikes nicely, and operating with good footwork.
Weaknesses:
Despite showing more strength than I was expecting, it is still an area of his game that will need improvement. He just isn’t physically imposing at this point, and beefier DL can give him a lot of trouble. On some occasions, while he is battling to sustain his block, his waist will bend and he will no longer be square to his opponent. Opposition players have taken advantage of these moments, using them to get by the rush edge. In between flashes of anchoring ability, players have been able to bull rush him with success, as he doesn’t have the strength to win all of his matchups. His short arm length is also a big issue. It costs him leverage on a lot of plays, and is a big reason why he isn’t always able to sustain his blocks.
Summary:
Wypler’s athleticism is a likeable trait, and he has been able to take advantage of it. He can lock down smaller, twitchier rushers, and also effectively block up field, or across the line. He showed more strength than I was expecting, but there is still room to grow. While that issue can be improved on, his length can’t, which likely means that his upside is capped. If he can get stronger and improve his ability to anchor and sustain blocks, Wypler can become a solid starter. However, I don’t see high end upside.
| Grade: 76.4 | Round Grade: 3rd |
5
Olusegun Oluwatimi
School: Michigan
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 309 lbs
Strengths:
Oluwatimi has pretty solid strength. He has shown the ability to deliver a pop on his own when an opponent tries to beat him with power. His hand strikes are powerful and his placement is generally good. He is quick to strike, making an effort to beat his opponent to the punch and gain an advantage on the play. Oluwatimi has decent enough lateral quickness for shallower pulls. He gets some decent acceleration as a mover, and allows his power to build up before finally delivering a significant blow at the end of the play. In the run game, he creates a solid amount of forward push, opening up some running room. Oluwatimi comes with a lot of starting experience, and his developed football IQ is visible.
Weaknesses:
Oluwatimi is a waist bender, and this hurts him in pass protection. His opponent can sometimes gain leverage, and he is forced into recovery mode. From that point, his recovery athleticism isn’t quite up to par. In general he is an average at best athlete. Can do the basic stuff, but might not block upfield consistently at the next level. I would like to see a bit more nastiness as a run blocker. He creates some early push, but he doesn’t always finish the play off. It looks like he lets up a little bit at the end, affording an opportunity to disengage from the block. Oluwatimi will need to play with better balance in order to let the full effects of his strength and power shine through. However, even with some improvements, length will be an issue that follows him.
Summary:
Oluwatimi brings a solid amount of strength and power to the table, but a nastier attitude would help him milk more production out of those traits. He is a decent enough athlete for the simple movement type blocks, but shouldn’t be used consistently on the longer range stuff. Length is also a limitation that will linger. But if he can centre his pad level and be more consistent as a finisher, Oluwatimi could potentially end up as a starter or high end backup.
| Grade: 70.0 | Round Grade: 4th |
6
Jarrett Patterson
School: Notre Dame
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 306 lbs
Strengths:
Patterson has the strength to win power battles in a phone booth. He has a well built, sturdy frame, and he fights hard to maintain his positioning and not get pushed back. Anchoring ability is there, and he sustains his blocks relatively well, despite not having great length. Patterson plays a bit angry in the run game. It is a good fight until the end of the play, and he remains active through that battle, looking to give his opponent as little of an opportunity as possible to free himself up. He plays the game with good technique, generally staying at a good enough pad level, and avoiding bad mistakes that might lose him leverage.
Weaknesses:
Patterson is a clunky athlete. Though he was used a good bit in space at Notre Dame, he was largely ineffective. He doesn’t have the speed to get out there fast enough, nor does he have the quickness to land blocks on moving bodies with any consistency. His lack of quickness and agility can give twitchier pass rushers an opportunity to beat him around his rush edge. The recovery athleticism isn’t there. Patterson has below average length. Though he has been able to overcome it a lot of the time, it will still cause some issues, especially as he faces better technicians in the NFL.
Summary:
Patterson has decent potential for a power-based scheme, where he is allowed to stay in his phone booth and just block. I wouldn’t say he has overwhelming power, but he is strong and consistent in most instances. Blocks that require more movement is where he will struggle, and perfection cannot be expected, especially with teams now using more athletic situational guys on the inside. Further, his length will give savvy players a chance to gain leverage on him. But all in all, his strength and anchoring ability does give him a decent enough floor, and the same can be said about his ability to run blocks near the line of scrimmage. In the right system he can be a solid starter or quality backup.
| Grade: 67.9 | Round Grade: 5th |
7
Alex Forsyth
School: Oregon
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 303 lbs
Strengths:
Forsyth is a solid, reliable player. Went up against some strong competition and held his own. He generally stays square to his opponent and does well to keep his pads at a good level. Forsyth can absorb some power, and his large wingspan makes it tough for pass rushers to navigate around. His hand technique is polished and footwork is solid too. He can create some push in the run game, and is able to use leverage to his advantage.
Weaknesses:
Forsyth looks like a stiff athlete on tape, and his testing at the combine didn’t do anything to change that. He does some basic work in space, but looks sluggish when asked to do a bit more. In pass protection, quicker rushers can penetrate the gap before he can recover. As a whole, I wouldn’t say his traits are anything to write home about. He can handle himself against power, but he doesn’t have that strength to overwhelm opponents, and most of his wins look like stalemates. While he is more of a phone booth blocker due to his limited athleticism, he isn’t a people mover. Floor looks decent, but the upside is limited.
Summary:
Forsyth seems to have a solid floor as a pro prospect. While he doesn’t have any overwhelmingly positive traits, he is strong enough to hold his own against power, and his body of work against top tier competition should translate well to the pros. Adding strength would help him win more of his reps outright, as opposed to stalemating, but his limited athleticism puts a cap on what his ceiling is. Forsyth looks like a good, reliable backup at the next level, who maybe can end up as a “good enough” starter in the right situation.
| Grade: 67.0 | Round Grade: 5th |
8
Ricky Stromberg
School: Arkansas
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 306 lbs
Strengths:
Stromberg shows baseline strength on the football field, and is capable of playing with some power. He shows good initial pop, and digs his feet in nicely when power rushers try to move him off of his platform. In the run game, Stromberg shows some aggressiveness, and has the ability to create some movement. Enough athleticism is there to execute shallower pulls. His football IQ is good, which is especially important for the C. Stromberg is aware of his surroundings consistently, and will help out a teammate if left unoccupied.
Weaknesses:
Stromberg has a number of good flashes on a game to game basis, but there seems to be a lot of inconsistency to his game as well. He has that initial pop to counter power, but his grip strength isn’t on the same level, and he sometimes allows his opponent to disengage from the block. Hand technique will need improvement, and perhaps filling out a little more will also help. In some of these cases, his man was able to make a play on the ball carrier. Athleticism is solid for the shorter stuff, but he can be more shaky when asked to travel longer distances. I like him better closer to home. Stromberg is battle tested against some strong competition, but unfortunately, his performance took a dip in some of these games.
Summary:
Stromberg is a solid prospect that has had some good moments. However, when matched up against tougher competition, he wasn’t always up to it. He has some good pop to his game, but bulking up and playing with better hand technique should help him sustain his blocks longer. He is an average athlete, and you pretty much get middling results when asking him to block on the move. Nothing about him blows me away, but he has enough developmental upside to be a quality backup one day, or perhaps a back end starter.
| Grade: 64.8 | Round Grade: 6th |
9
Alan Ali
School: TCU
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 301 lbs
Strengths:
Ali has a solid blend of strength and athleticism. He generally holds up pretty well when his opponent just straight bull rushes him. The power to neutralize it is there. Though not a perfect athlete, Ali shows enough speed to block in the open field. He is able to identify his target and possesses enough quickness to land his block, and make mid-play adjustments if he needs to. Ali plays tough, showing a sense of determination when blocking bigger interior defensive linemen, and showing some grit when run blocking. The ability to drive his opponent is there, and his attitude contributes to this, in addition to his strength.`
Weaknesses:
Ali has a solid set of tools, but they probably aren’t super high end. He generally has the ability to anchor, but bigger NT type players can give him all he can handle, and then some. Game goes for his athleticism. He can operate in space, but are you really getting high end execution here? Not really. He is capable, is how I’ll put it. The big problems lie in his technique. Ali can be late getting his hands up, and gives his opponent a free chance to get a shot in. He can also be slow to react when defenders are looking to penetrate the gap with quickness. Looking at his footwork, it can be sloppy a lot of the time, and his balance isn’t always good. There are times where it almost looks like he is falling back off of the snap, and this can give his opponent the chance to really push the pocket, and perhaps worse.
Summary:
Ali has a solid blend of strength and athleticism. They aren’t at a level that will wow you when you watch his tape, but he should come with scheme versatility. Ali will need to improve his technique quite a bit before teams can rely on him to play meaningful snaps. He is a developmental player, but has enough tools to become a solid backup that might overachieve and string together some starts once he gets that first chance. But it could take some time before we are at that point.
| Grade: 59.1 | Round Grade: 7th |
10
Juice Scruggs
School: Penn State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 301 lbs
Strengths:
Scruggs has decent enough reactionary quickness to handle twists and twitchy interior rushers trying to penetrate the gap. There is also enough for him to do some blocking on the move. He does a good job of staying square to his opponent and maintaining a good pad level. Both of these things help him win leverage over his opponent. Hand technique is also pretty good. You can see that he is a smart player, not only through his clean technique, but also through the way he sees the field. His head is on a swivel and he looks for work when left unoccupied.
Weaknesses:
Size isn’t great, and Scruggs can have trouble against bigger opponents. Power rushers will push him back into the pocket too often, and this will only get worse at the next level. Even when he wins, actually calling it a win may be a stretch. It is more like a stalemate. This is typically the best case for him in both the passing and running game, as he just doesn’t create a lot of push.
Summary:
Scruggs plays a technically clean game, and does well to be aware of his surroundings and put himself in good positions. However, his traits are average-below average. Enough athleticism is there to act as somewhat of a workaround in both phases. But still, his lack of size and raw power created problems, which will likely follow him to the NFL. If he can get a bit stronger and continue to play with good technique, he could potentially carve out a role as a depth player.
| Grade: 58.6 | Round Grade: 7th |
11
Jake Andrews
School: Troy
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 305 lbs
Strengths:
Andrews has enough baseline strength to fight off power rushers. He flashes anchoring ability when he is able to firmly latch on, and he has enough lower body strength to dig his feet and prevent backwards push. Andrews plays with good balance in the run game, and shows the ability to drive average sized iDL forward. His hand technique is well developed, and he is able to win some of the smaller battles that occur as the play progresses.
Weaknesses:
Andrews lacks the length to be fully effective in either phase. When he latches on, he is capable of holding things down. But longer pass rushers are able to prevent him from getting a good grip, and they disengage when they feel good and ready, while Andrews has little control. His strength is good, but not great. Beefier opponents can still knock him back, and he can go from trying to win the rep to just trying to prevent as much damage as possible when forced into recovery mode. He is not the best athlete, so these recovery situations can be tough, especially considering his short arms already put him at a leverage disadvantage. In the run game, he isn’t someone you will see away from home too often.
Summary:
Andrews lacks ideal athleticism, but also isn’t as strong as your typical phone booth blocker. He has enough baseline strength to anchor against average opponents, and his technique is generally clean enough. Andrews has the football IQ and enough measurables to develop into a depth option, but they might not be enough for him to work his way up into a starter role. He will also face a step up in competition, compared to what he typically faced at Troy. Andrews will likely spend his early years battling for a roster spot. If he doesn’t make it initially, he should have no trouble making a practice squad.
| Grade: 55.7 | Round Grade: 7th |
G Rankings:
- Andrew Vorhees (82.3, Rd 2)
- Chandler Zavala (78.5, Rd 3)
- O’Cyrus Torrence (76.1, Rd 3)
- Nick Saldiveri (73.2, Rd 4)
- Jordan McFadden (73.1, Rd 4)
- Emil Ekiyor (70.4, Rd 4)
- Anthony Bradford (69.2, Rd 5)
- Jaxson Kirkland (69.1, Rd 5)
- Nick Broeker (67.4, Rd 5)
- Antonio Mafi (63.1, Rd 6)
- Brandon Kipper (57.9, Rd 7)
- Tashawn Manning (57.0, Rd 7)
- TJ Bass (55.4, Rd 7)
- Brent Laing (54.5, UDFA)
- McClendon Curtis (52.9, UDFA)
- Jon Gaines (52.1, UDFA)
Notables Not Graded:
- Jovaughn Gwyn
- Sidy Sow
- Henry Bainivalu
C Rankings:
- Steve Avila (85.0, Rd 1)
- Joe Tippmann (83.6, Rd 2)
- John Michael Schmitz (81.2, Rd 2)
- Luke Wypler (76.4, Rd 3)
- Olusegun Oluwatimi (70.4, Rd 4)
- Jarrett Patterson (67.9, Rd 5)
- Alex Forsyth (67.0, Rd 5)
- Ricky Strombers (64.8, Rd 6)
- Alan Ali (59.1, Rd 7)
- Juice Scruggs (58.6, Rd 7)
- Jake Andrews (55.7, Rd 7)
