Tag Archives: Linemen prospects for NFL Draft

Scouting the OTs: Menelik Watson, Florida St.

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menelikwatson2Last Name:  WATSON  First Name:  MENELIK   Position:  OT

Ht:  6’6     Wt:  320  

 STRENGTHS:

  • Carries his weight well.  At 320lbs, player has a well-built frame.  Clearly works in the weight room.
  • Shows the necessary athleticism to get to the 2nd level in the run game.  One of the fastest (linear speed) linemen in the 2013 Draft (on film).
  • Adequate to plus strength for the position.  Can lock onto defender and drive the bus (when applying proper technique). Virtually stonewalls bull rush in pass protection.
  • Plus footwork in pass protection.  Showcases ability to shuffle and slide as well as mirror edge rushers.
  • Plus athletic ability to reach and seal on the edge and to seal LBs on second level.  Very coordinated and balanced. 
  • Displays ability to sit in stance and anchor well vs. bull rush.  Needs to become more consistent at LOS, both in stance and get-off at snap of ball.
  • Scheme diverse.  Projects as an equally effective ZBS prospect. 

WEAKNESSES:

  • Can be slow to move off the snap of the ball which causes him to be vulnerable to speed rusher on edge.
  • Relatively inexperienced after playing only two seasons of American football (born in Manchester, England). Only one year of major college football (JUCO level in 2011).
  • Can be inconsistent with technique.  When technique is off (hand-placement, especially) he tends to throw his body in the direction of the defender. 
  • Lack of experience results in some poor angles on second level. 
  • Struggles, at times, to diagnose assignment on blitz.  Needs to improve overall football IQ.

OVERALL:

Born and raised in Manchester, England, Watson is a former college basketball player who began playing football in 2011.  After finishing his collegiate basketball career at Marist, Watson transferred to Saddleback College where he quickly established himself as one of the top JUCO prospects in the Country.  Watson began his Florida State career in 2012 and started every contest at right tackle.  It should be noted that Watson will enter the NFL as a 24-yr-old rookie.  He will turn 25 in December of his rookie season.

Menelik Watson is one of the most physically gifted players in the entire 2013 NFL Draft.  Watson is a big, well-built prospect who’s 6’6, 320lb frame is thick but not fat.  He has good muscularity, suggesting that he works hard in the weight room.  His weight is well-distributed throughout his body, complimented by a thick and powerful lower-half. 

Watson is a plus athlete for the tackle position.  His film displays rare linear speed for an offensive lineman, with the ability to jump out and on top of  a linebacker on the second level.  While his inexperience causes him to take poor angles at times, his overall athletic ability is exciting.  In addition to Watson’s plus athleticism in the run game, he  displays the necessary coordination and agility needed in pass protection.  Watson slides and shuffles his feet well and has little trouble mirroring oncoming pass rushers.  That said, he needs to improve on his timing off the snap of the ball.  On many occasions, Watson is one of the last linemen to move at the snap, leaving him vulnerable in pass protection.  He’s big, strong and long enough to recover now, but he must become more explosive at the snap to project to the left side in the NFL. 

Watson is plenty strong enough to compete and win at the NFL level.  He uses his overall size to his advantage, often-times locking on to the defender and controlling the action.  He will have to clean up his technique, however, as he can be inconsistent sitting in his stance and anchoring down in pass protection.  He has the potential to pack one of the better punches in this Draft class, but he needs to display it on a more consistent basis.  When Watson’s technique is on, there are few linemen available in 2013 that will be a more effective in-line blocker. 

Watson is scheme diverse.  He is a plus athlete that will be equally effective in a ZBS.  Watson’s film showcases a plus ability to reach and seal, both on the edge as well as on the second level vs. LBs.  If selected by a team that incorporates the ZBS, Watson will have to be coached up on the angles he takes and his overall ability to finish a block in space.  That said, he is a rare 320lb player that can move with light and nimble feet. 

Menelik Watson’s collegiate career has largely been on the right side of the offensive line.  And while he is an inexperienced player, his athletic ability suggests that he will be able to play on the left side in the NFL.  In fact, had Watson returned for his Senior season at Florida State, we might be talking about one of the first 10 players off the board.  There is very little separating Lane Johnson (Oklahoma) and Menelik Watson other than experience at left tackle.  Watson is a legitimate first round talent, and a player that could emerge as one of the best in this year’s Class.

GRADE:  8.2 (see grading scale)

PROJECTED ROUND:  1st Round Selection

Scouting the OGs: Kyle Long, Oregon

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kylelong2Last Name:  LONG  First Name:  KYLE  Position:  OG

Ht:  6’6     Wt:  304

STRENGTHS:

  • Good pedigree.  Father (Howie) and Brother (Chris) both play(ed) in NFL at very high level.
  • Intriguing physical makeup. Has potential to add bulk to his frame.  Looks like he could add another 15 lbs without hindering skillset.
  • Room for growth (technique-wise).  Only two years experience playing offensive line (one year on major college level).  Enticing for NFL coaching staff.
  • Runs well for a man his size.  Has enough linear speed to get to second level.
  • Adequate footwork in pass protection when asked to shuffle and slide (from OT position).
  • Adequate in the run game when asked to reach and seal.

WEAKNESSES:

  • Tends to stand straight-up out of stance.  Fails to display a snap in his hips off the ball.  Lacks  initial quickness, first-step.
  • Sloppy with his hands.  Fails to consistently get inside position on defender’s chest plate.  A grabber.
  • While he did pull some as an OG this past season, projects more as a reach and seal player than an athlete that can set the corner.
  • Not an ideal ZBS prospect.
  • Plays with poor leverage, compromising his overall strength.  Plays weaker than he will likely test.  Can get pushed around by strong bull rush.
  • Gets jolted back in pass protection due to poor hand placement.  Defender able to get to his chest and knock him off balance.
  • Lacks the get off burst to create a real jolt in run game when asked to in-line block.
  • Appears uncomfortable when asked to block in space.  While possessing enough speed to get to second level, often fails to complete assignment.  Likely due to inexperience.
  • Loses balance more than you’d like.  Ends up on ground quite a bit.

OVERALL:

After leaving Florida State (baseball scholarship) for academic reasons, Kyle Long began his college football career at Saddleback College in 2010.  Much like his Hall of Fame father (Howie) and current NFL star brother (Chris), Kyle started his collegiate career on the defensive line.  It wasn’t until 2011 that Kyle made the switch to the offensive line, and after one year of JUCO ball he transferred to Oregon to join Chip Kelly’s offensive machine.  During the 2012 season, Kyle Long started at both tackle and guard.  His NFL career will likely be at the guard position.

Standing at 6’6 and 304lbs, Long will be on the taller side of what NFL teams look for in an interior lineman.  However, his short arms (32 1/8) and  poor hand usage will limit his ability to be a successful tackle on the next level.  In addition, Long’s lack of initial quickness out of his stance and tendency to stand straight up will make him a liability at tackle in pass protection.

Kyle Long needs a lot of work.  He is a player with very little experience on the offensive line, and it shows on his film.  While he flashes a nice combination of size/speed (linear), Long isn’t the most coordinated athlete in space.  Often times, he ends up on the ground or takes a bad angle when attempting to complete an assignment on the second level.  He plays with poor pad level and can get pushed around as a result of being a tall, open target for bull-rushing defensive linemen.  Long needs to do a better job of sitting in his stance, keeping his back straight, and delivering a strong, initial punch.

Long displays adequate footwork when asked to shuffle and slide (tackle), and has enough athleticism to mirror a defender.  However, his lacking technique leaves him susceptible to both speed and power moves.

The buzz around Kyle Long started peaking around Senior Bowl week, but after a thorough film review of the inexperienced prospect, it’s clear that he is a major work in progress that will take multiple seasons of coaching in order to ascend to a starting role.  Long projects as a 3rd day prospect and career backup in the NFL.  That said, if he ends up with an organization willing to be patient with the 6’6 ball of clay, he could emerge sometime around year 3 of his career.

GRADE:  6.2 (see grading scale)

PROJECTED ROUND:  late-4th, early-5th round selection

Scouting the OTs: Dallas Thomas, Tennessee

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dallas thomasLast Name:  Thomas    First Name:  Dallas    Position:  OT

Ht:  6’5     Wt:  310  

STRENGTHS:

  • Ideal frame for the position.  Plus length.  Well-built 310 lb lineman.
  • Lots of experience vs. high level of competition.  37 consecutive starts in SEC.  25 at left tackle, 12 at left guard.
  • Plays with good pad level and knee bend.  Showcases plus flexibility.
  • Adequate strength for the position.
  • Adequate athletic ability for the position.  Displays competent footwork.  Coordinated when sliding and shuffling his feet.  Diplays the ability to mirror  defender in pass protection.
  • Anchors well vs. bull rush.  Displays adequate strength to hold up vs. NFL defensive linemen.  Showcases proper hand placement in pass protection, allowing him to control the defender.
  • At his best when in-line blocking. 

WEAKNESSES:

  • Fails to deliver a real jolt on contact.  Rarely will he completely dominate the defender.
  • Susceptible to the speed rush.  While he possesses adequate athleticism, he can be a bit slow out of his stance at times and becomes vulnerable to speed around the edge.
  • While he did pull some as an OG this past season, projects more as a reach and seal player than an athlete that can set the corner.
  • Not an ideal ZBS prospect. 

OVERALL:

A 2012 3rd Team All-American guard, Dallas Thomas projects more as a left tackle prospect for the NFL game.  Possessing the requisite measurables for the position, Thomas is likely to be given every chance possible to play the left side in 2013.  After starting 25 consecutive games at left tackle for the Tennessee Volunteers, Thomas was kicked inside this past season for all1 2 contests.  While his positional versatility enhances his overall value for this April’s Draft, another season at left tackle in the SEC would have done him well.

Thomas’s 2011 film showed a left tackle that possesses adequate strength and athleticism needed to protect his qb’s blindside in the NFL.  While sometimes vulnerable to the speed rush, Thomas consistently showed the ability to slide and shuffle his feet well.   He  mirrors his opponent with ease while maintaining good knee bend and pad level.  Not the strongest prospect in this year’s Draft, Thomas will have to put some work in the weight room in order to hold up against the NFL’s best.  This isn’t to say that Thomas’s strength is a red flag; it’s not.  Thomas presents as a player that has enough strength to lock onto the defender and control the action just long enough.  However, you’d like to see some more impact, jolting hits/blocks on his film. 

While Thomas is a solid athlete, he is best suited as an in-line blocker.  He will struggle in space, and is not a good fit for a ZBS.  He pulled quite a bit this past season at guard, but it looked like a struggle for him to get moving.  Thomas will be able to reach and seal on the edge if need be, but it won’t be a strength. 

Dallas Thomas projects as a solid 3rd round selection for a team looking to add an experienced, technically sound left tackle prospect with the chance of starting early in his career.  Thomas’s experience at guard will help him transition to the inside in the event he is unable to keep up with the speed rushers in the NFL.  However, I think Thomas will make a fine left tackle with a starting job in the NFL at some point before his 2nd year is over. 

GRADE:  7.0 (see grading scale)

PROJECTED ROUND:  3rd round selection