NFL Draft

HEIGHT: 6'0 1/8"

WEIGHT: 212

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 6'4"

40-YARD DASH: 4.34

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 10'10"

POSITIVES

— Physical tackler who triggers quick to the run. All gas, no breaks. Delivers crushing hits with no regard for himself.

— Secure tackler who gets the ball-carrier down and isn't afraid to front up ball-carriers.

— Shows good awareness and vision when playing the pass. Identifies threats well when in zone.

— Straight-line player who shows good explosiveness. Has quick feet to get out of breaks.

NEGATIVES

— Poor eye discipline at times. Can get sucked in with play action.

— Decent hip fluidity but can be slow with lateral movement and redirecting.

— Can struggle playing in man coverage at times. Lacks confidence in his pedal at times. Stops his feet and reaches too often.

2021 STATISTICS

12 G, 66 TOT, 3.5 TFL, 3 SK, 3 INT, 2 PD, 2 FF

NOTES

— All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2019, 2020, 2021).

OVERALL

Nick Cross is an explosive athlete who excels in linear movement, which was verified by his 4.34-second 40 yard dash and 37" vertical at the combine. He has a high motor that allows him to flash all over the field. 

Cross is athletic enough to cover down over the slot, showing quick feet and burst to get out of breaks in the short game. He can be a leaner at times when in man coverage, causing penalties or allowing receivers to gain position on him. He also has shown some tightness when opening to cover downfield. 

Cross has decent ball skills to play the ball in the air, although can be late locating the ball at times. Although he's an explosive athlete who runs well, he doesn't always use it to his advantage. Displaying good fluidity and flexibility in coverage, he sometimes allows receivers to gain a step and has to recover to regain position.

Cross does his best work when playing the run. He makes quick reads and triggers downhill at full speed. He does a great job of filling running lanes with great angles and getting the ball-carrier down on the ground. Whether he breaks down or he runs through at full speed, he does a great job of not letting the ball-carrier leak for extra yards.

Ultimately, Cross is a good defender who has the athletic ability to defend the pass along with the physicality and strength to hold his own in the run game. He will need to continue to work on his pass coverage in the NFL, but he's able to play the pass from all levels. He has the skills to be a potential starter.

GRADE: 7.4 (High-level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 68

POSITION RANK: S6

PRO COMPARISON: Darnell Savage Jr.

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 5'11 1/4"

WEIGHT: 204

HAND: 9"

ARM: 32 1/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'3 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.38

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP 

VERTICAL: 31"

BROAD: 10'1"

POSITIVES

— Long strider with the speed to get to the edge. Asked to run vertical routes out of the backfield and beats defenders down the field.

— Plants his foot and gets north when needed. Not scared to run in between the tackles.

— Willing to be a blocker in protection and for teammates, even if technique leaves something to be desired.

— Good hands out of the backfield.

—.Has kick return experience.

NEGATIVES

— Long-legged and can get caught running up into the back of his offensive linemen.

— Will get tripped up on low tackles a bit too easily.

— Needs work on eyes and technique in protection.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 182 ATT, 1,092 YDS (6.0 AVG), 13 TD, 15 REC, 216 YDS, 1 TD

NOTES

— 2021 second-team All-ACC.

— Transfer from Tennessee.

OVERALL

Ty Chandler has the potential to contribute on all three downs because of his ability to be productive in different run schemes and flashes as an explosive-play receiver. He has enough overall athleticism and speed to be able to get to the edge on outside run plays and to take plays the distance.

Chandler is also willing to run behind his pads if there is not a lot of space to attack and get the yards he can. He has upside as a receiver out of the backfield because of his long speed, which makes him more useful on longer routes than shorter ones.

Chandler is inconsistent with his tempo and can end up running into the back of his linemen too quickly, limiting his ability to find a hole to burst through. HIs long legs will also get tripped up a bit too easily on contact to his lower body.

Overall, Chandler can contribute as part of a running back committee who is useful on a variety of run plays with some potential for designer passing plays. His lack of size will put a cap on the touches he can receive, but he can hit explosive plays when given a runway and shows some willingness as a blocker. Chandler has past experience as a kick returner that also contributes to his value. His ability to take a run the distance and enough toughness between the tackles will help him find a role early, and he would fit best on a team that majors in outside zone.

GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 136

POSITION RANK: RB8

PRO COMPARISON: Lamar Miller

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

HEIGHT: 5'11 1/2"

WEIGHT: 226

HAND: 8 1/2"

ARM: 29 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 5'11"

40-YARD DASH: 4.67

3-CONE: 7.01

SHUTTLE: 4.33

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 10'0"

POSITIVES

— High-energy player. Always looking for work and swarms to the ball.

— Violent player despite smaller frame. Willing to bring it to blockers and ball carriers.

— Explosive tackler. Does well to run through tackles and play with all his weight in his pads.

— Functional speed. Has enough juice to work to the sideline and make plays.

— Above-average trigger against the run. Quick to fire downhill and try to fight through traffic.

NEGATIVES

— Light frame with terrible length. Susceptible to getting swallowed by NFL OL with ease.

— Poor play strength. Can not free himself from blocks if OL latch on.

— Limited coverage ability right now. Often slow to read out concepts in his zone and break on the ball.

— Has spurts where he gets too uncertain and jumpy. Ends up taking himself out of plays.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 89 TOT, 7.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 INT

NOTES

— Brother of Penei and Noah Sewell.

— 2-star recruit in 2017.

— Started for two seasons at Nevada in 2017 and 2018 before transferring to Utah in 2019. Started 2020 and 2021 seasons for Utah.

— 2021 first-team All-Pac-12 (AP).

OVERALL

Nephi Sewell has some NFL skills but is fighting an uphill battle against his small frame.

At just under 6'0" and 226 pounds, Sewell will enter the league as one of the smallest players at the position. Moreover, Sewell has a sawed-off wingspan, measuring in the 1st percentile in both wingspan and arm length.

That lack of size and length bleeds into Sewell's film. Though he plays with plenty of willingness and violence, Sewell often struggles to free himself from blocks once offensive linemen latch on. Likewise, he does not have the power to knock blocks back and condense space in the box. Sewell sometimes shows hesitation and jumpiness when trying to navigate the box because he wants to avoid blockers rather than go through them.

That being said, Sewell plays well enough in space to warrant serious interest. He has good speed from sideline-to-sideline and plays with his hair on fire when working to kill plays on the perimeter. Outside runs and screens will be where Sewell has the most impact. Not only does Sewell have the speed, but he plays with excellent tackle technique and surprising strength in that regard, making him a reliable tackler in space.

Sewell needs to improve his coverage skills, but he has the athletic tools. As of right now, Sewell is not yet comfortable feeling out his zones and breaking on the ball effectively. That said, he runs well and has enough change of direction ability to be a quality coverage piece, in theory.

Sewell's range, tackling chops and high-energy play style make for a great depth player and special teamer. That said, Sewell is likely limited to being a run-and-chase WILL and will need years of development with respect to coverage and play strength before being ready to contend for a starting job.

GRADE: 6.0 (High-level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 225

POSITION RANK: LB22

PRO COMPARISON: Khaleke Hudson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'8 1/2"

WEIGHT: 205

HAND: 9 1/8"

ARM: 29 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'1 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.60

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Tough runner who is willing to lower his shoulder and run behind his pads.

— Good hands working out of the backfield. Comfortable reaching out and snagging the football.

— Gets better and more in a rhythm as the game goes along.

— Runs with good balance and a solid base.

— Willing blocker in pass protection.

NEGATIVES

— Has only average size with almost 800 career touches on his odometer already.

— Will be in too much of a hurry to get north and won't let his blocks develop.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 299 ATT, 1,479 YDS (4.9 AVG), 15 TD, 22 REC, 184 YDS

NOTES

— 2021 C-USA Player of the Year.

— 2020 C-USA Player of the Year.

— 2021 first-team All-C-USA.

— 2021 first-team All-C-USA.

— 2019 C-USA Rookie of the Year.

OVERALL

Sincere McCormick is an average-sized running back who received plenty of touches at UTSA and will consistently run behind his pads. He runs with a solid base with good balance and gets better as the game goes along and defenses get worn down.

McCormick is willing to lower his head and get north and consistently runs tough, but he can be in too much of a hurry to work forward and doesn't always properly set up his blockers. His vision is also just OK and can lead to some missed opportunities when he decides to lower his head instead of perhaps adding another cut.

McCormick has above-average burst to work through the hole and to get to the edge on run plays, but he is not an overwhelming athlete overall. He has enough long speed to create some explosive plays, but they need to be blocked up for him.

McCormick has good hands when working out of the backfield. He is more than comfortable extending and adjusting for throws away from his body. He also is a willing blocker, but like most running backs entering the NFL, he'll need to continue to work on his diagnosing for pass protection.

Overall, McCormick is a tough back who plays bigger than his size, but he lacks a true trait that makes him stand out. He is a solid overall athlete who doesn't consistently create more than what is blocked for him. He has good balance to keep his feet through contact and when cutting, but he had inconsistent tempo and vision, which can put a strain on his blockers. You appreciate his toughness but wish he was more patient before hitting the hole.

He projects as a No. 3 RB as part of rotation who can grow into a three-down role because of his protection and hands out of the backfield. He could have some special teams potential because of his toughness, but his lack of size might hinder that upside.

GRADE: 6.3 (High-level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 192

POSITION RANK: RB16

PRO COMPARISON: Corey Clement

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

HEIGHT: 6'3 7/8"

WEIGHT: 297

HAND: 9 1/4"

ARM: 33 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'9 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: 5.00

3-CONE: 7.89

SHUTTLE: 4.81

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 9'4"

POSITIVES

— Powerful hands. Plays with a good punch.

— Uses his length effectively to pry open gaps. Can split double teams.

— Does well to cross face against blocks in the run game. Effective arm over move.

— Good leverage. Comes off the ball low and maintains a square base.

— Violent player. Always looking to fight and work for better hand positioning.

— Smooth mover in space. Effective on twists and stunts.

NEGATIVES

— First step is average, at best.

— Below average ability to settle and anchor immediately upon engagement.

— Lacks juice in his lower body. Not particularly explosive.

— Pass-rushing effectiveness is mostly limited to stunts and twists right now.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 47 TOT, 8.5 TFL, 5 SK, 1 FF

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2017.

— Two and a half year starter.

OVERALL

Matthew Butler is not a flashy prospect, but he has all the makings of a stalwart interior defender that sticks around for a long, long time.

Butler's effectiveness in the run game is the result of upper-body strength, leverage and smooth movement skills. Butler packs a mean punch when engaging with opponents and does well to continue fighting for advantageous positions. His strong, quick hands also prove useful when he crosses face in the run game, showcasing a nice arm over move. Likewise, Butler has the upper body strength and length to pry open gaps between double teams and when working laterally down the line of scrimmage. Pair that together with his smooth movement and redirection in space, as well as his ability to keep his pads low and square, and you have a player with enough tools to make plays versus the run.

On the other hand, Butler has some deficiencies that primarily stem from his lower body. For one, Butler does not come off the ball. He will not be the type to crash the backfield instantly. Butler's anchor also wavers despite his quality technique and scrappiness. Part of that is related to his 297-pound frame being on the lighter side, but his anchor is still a little underwhelming at times even with that in mind. Lastly, Butler does not provide much as a pass-rusher by himself right now. He is effective when moved around as a twist or stunt piece, but not as a standalone weapon.

Butler's lack of explosion and consistent anchor may bar him from holding a starting position in the NFL. However, as a steady rotational player, Butler's feistiness, technique and smooth movement skills will get good value. Butler could fill in anywhere between three-technique to five-technique, though the former should probably be his home.

GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 125

POSITION RANK: DL11

PRO COMPARISON: Khyri Thornton

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'8"

WEIGHT: 178

HAND: 9"

ARM: 27 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 5'7 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.44

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Good athlete with very good balance. Always plays under control when coming out of route breaks. Can throttle down and find soft spots when working against zone coverage.

— Willing to lay out for throws and come up with more difficult catches.

— Primarily lined up in the slot. Kentucky found various ways to try to get the ball in his hands.

—.Good route-runner who can stay tight with his route path.

— Has the long speed to take the top off defenses.

— Overall a competitive player.

NEGATIVES

— Undersized with short arms and can have trouble versus more physical defenders.

— Had drops come up with throws at his body.

— Rarely worked from the outside.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 104 REC, 1,334 YDS (12.8 AVG), 7 TD, 7 ATT, 111 YDS (15.9 AVG)

NOTES

— 2021 second-team All-SEC

OVERALL

Robinson is a good route-runner who uses his very good balance and body control to keep his route breaks tight. He will consistently stay friendly to the quarterback and understands how to maintain a path despite contact when going against man coverage. His body control allows him to throttle down his speed and find soft spaces when working versus zone coverage. Robinson has just above-average burst with the ball in his hands and when working out of his break. He can allow defenders to close the separation he creates with his good quickness. He also has enough long speed to create some vertical stretch on defenses.

Robinson projects as a slot-only receiver at the next level. He rarely worked from the outside at the college level, and his lack of size and length limits his projection to do so in the NFL. He has the ability to win from the slot with his speed, quickness and route-running ability, and he is willing to work over the middle despite his smaller frame. You wish he could create a little bit more with the ball in his hands, being more OK than overly dynamic. Overall, Robinson can step in and contribute as a No. 3 WR early in his career who can be a nice weapon to add for a team with options already in place on the outside.

GRADE: 7.0 (High-level Backup/Potential starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 112

POSITION RANK: WR18

PRO COMPARISON: Cole Beasley

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

HEIGHT: 6'2 1/2"

WEIGHT: 248

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 30 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'4 1/4"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Great first step and acceleration. Consistently threatens the corner with first three steps.

— Very good flexibility. Can drop hips to get low as well as tilt his body to run a wide corner.

— Good speed in space. Closes on quarterbacks and makes plays in space versus the run.

— Varied pass-rush approach with quick hands. Keeps OL guessing.

— Surprising upper body strength for a lighter player.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average leg drive. Will struggle to win through or inside OTs at the next level.

— Poor anchor. Regularly gets moved in the run game.

— Poor length. 30⅞" arms ranks in the 1st percentile among edge prospects since 1999.

— Run defense approach needs work. Not a gap sound player right now.

— Taken off the field for run defense purposes in many situations or games.

2021 STATISTICS

11 G, 31 TOT, 9 TFL, 8.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 FR

NOTES

— Started in 24 of 34 appearances over the last three seasons.

— 3-star recruit in 2017.

— 2021 second-team All-SEC (Associated Press).

OVERALL

Tyree Johnson is the best bang-for-buck bet on speed and bend in this draft class.

Johnson's first step pops off the film. He immediately threatens offensive tackles around the edge. Johnson also has the acceleration to follow-up and further threaten the edge with a pure speed rush. From there, the 6'2½", 248-pounder regularly shows impressive flexibility, both in his ability to drop his hips and get low as well as being able to get wide and really run the arc.

Moreover, Johnson is fairly thoughtful in his approach. Johnson showed off an arsenal of moves—long arm, two-hand swipe, rip and dip, etc.—and unleashed quick, violent hand usage to make them all effective. Granted, he is sort of pigeonholed into moves that allow him to attack outside, but he does well through that lens.

Where Johnson falls short is with regards to size, play strength and overall run defense. In terms of size, not only is Johnson a bit light, but his arm length is as short as it gets for the position. NFL offensive tackles will be able to latch on and take control of him. Similarly, Johnson's anchor and lower-body strength are not there. He struggles to bull rush or push the pocket inside, and he is regularly knocked out of his gap in the run game. Johnson's run defense issues are also rooted in poor gap integrity and, again, lack of length.

Johnson is likely a pass-rusher only. His frame and overall play strength suggest he will not hold up as a three-down player, at least early in his career. That said, Johnson has the speed, bend and craftiness to be a highly effective pass-rusher off the bench or in sub-package situations. Johnson would be best in a four-down front where he can be allowed to pin his ears back and go.

GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 127

POSITION RANK: EDGE17

PRO COMPARISON: Discount Yannick Ngakoue

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/4"

WEIGHT: 346

HAND: 10 3/8"

ARM: 32 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'6 3/8"

40-YARD DASH: 5.66

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Rare size. Hard to find players with this build.

— Comes off the ball with better leverage than expected.

— Covers ground once he gets moving in a direction. Plays better in space than he looks.

— Great upper-body strength. Can toss people aside once engaged properly.

— Flashes good leg drive to be a pocket pusher.

NEGATIVES

— Poor length. Has short arms, and it hurts him on film.

— Poor stop/start athleticism. Struggles to stop, redirect and burst to another direction.

— Below-average balance and anchor. Too often struggles to keep a strong base under him.

— Slow, wild hands. Late to bring his hands up to engage, and they are often placed too wide to take control of blocks.

— Doesn't add anything as a penetrator. Get-off and the ability to get skinny are not there.

2021 STATISTICS

46 TOT, 6.5 TFL, 1 SK, 1 FR

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2017. Originally committed to Mississippi State.

— Three-year starter.

— 2019 season cut short because of injury. (unclear what the injury was)

— 2021 All-Big Sky honorable mention.

OVERALL

Noah Elliss is a planet-sized defensive tackle who will need a bit of work before his potential is fully realized.

In run defense, Elliss' profile is complicated. He comes off the ball with good leverage despite being on the taller side for the position, which helps him win reps early. Believe it or not, Ellis moves relatively well in space once he gets rolling, too. He can cover decent ground if he ever gets a run-through.

Elliss also packs some mean power in his hands, allowing him to really toss linemen around when he gets a clean strike. However, Elliss' ability to get that clean strike is poor right now. Not only does Elliss have short arms, but he plays with slow, wild hands and struggles to continue scrapping for better hand positioning. Additionally, Elliss does not have the anchor his size suggests. His raw play strength is adequate, but Elliss' slow feet often prevent him from keeping his base under him properly, resulting in poor balance. Elliss also lacks the stop/start explosiveness to be a playmaker.

Elliss does not bring much as a pass-rusher. His lack of length and quickness hurt him a lot. That said, Elliss does have moments of quality leg drive and high energy, showcasing the ability to be a pocket pusher. He should not be expected to produce in the passing game, though.

Elliss is a bet on size more than anything. Only so many people are potential NFL athletes at over 340 pounds. Elliss will need training to help speed up his footwork and sharpen his hand usage, but he could develop into a quality backup nose guard in due time.

GRADE: 6.0 (High-level developmental prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 226

POSITION RANK: DL24

PRO COMPARISON: John Jenkins

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/4"

WEIGHT: 308

HAND: 9 1/2"

ARM: 34"

WINGSPAN: 6'10 1/4"

40-YARD DASH: 5.19

3-CONE: 7.83

SHUTTLE: 4.56

VERTICAL: 28.5"

BROAD: 8'9"

POSITIVES

— Above-average movement skills with impressive explosiveness out of his stance and lateral quickness to gain positional leverage on defenders.

— Very good length that he uses to establish first meaningful contact and keep defenders at his fingertips.

— Does a nice job staying inside-out and square in his pass set to force rushers outside.

— Varies his strikes and utilizes independent hands in pass protection to disrupt the rush plan of his opponent.

— Good stopping power and grip strength; delivers jolt and ties up defenders once locked in.

— Physical and competitive playing style; runs his feet and fights to stay attached to blocks through the whistle.

NEGATIVES

— Shows too much rigidity late in the rep on angle-drive blocks, delaying his ability to drop his pads and releverage, causing him to get slipped and fall off too often.

— Hand carriage tends to drop and get too low, forcing him to be wide and late on contact, giving easy access to his frame.

— Needs to learn to reset and refit his hands more quickly after defenders gain access to his frame to prevent getting walked back in his anchor.

— Shows adequate range when on an island at tackle against wide rush angles, base tends to narrow and hips open early to create two-way gos.

2021 STATISTICS

- 11 starts; 10 at left guard, one at left tackle.

NOTES

— Former 3-star offensive line prospect out of Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, with scholarship offers from Yale, Cornell and Dartmouth.

— 28 career starts.

OVERALL

Ezeudu is a two-and-a-half year starter inside UNC's multiple run scheme with 11 starts in 2021. He primarily played left guard but had one start at left tackle and switched between the two positions in the majority of games that I studied from this past season.

Ezeudu wins with good initial explosiveness out of his stance and lateral quickness that allows him to get to his spots quickly in pass protection while remaining square with inside-out positioning on rushers. He shows impressive refinement in his pass sets, mixing up flat, angled and vertical sets with independent hand usage and very good length to establish first meaningful contact.

Ezeudu excels as a zone run-blocker with the initial quickness to cut off defenders shaded to either shoulder and to climb and intersect smaller targets in space off of combo blocks. When he can get attached to blocks early in the rep, he does a nice job locking in with good grip strength and body positioning to keep defenders walled off. He has enough square power and pop in his hands to block down, displace and create a crease off of his backside. He can also pry open and torque the frontside end. Ezeudu shows good competitive toughness to fight and strain through contact, run his feet and finish through the whistle.

Ezeudu shows adequate range on an island at tackle against wider rush angles with his hips, opening the door early when rushers attack the corner. His feet get jittery and his base narrows against rushers who set him up with stutters, while his hand carriage tends to drop throughout games, leaving him susceptible to being late and wide with his hand placement. Once defenders get inside his frame in the run game, he is slow to reset and refit underneath blocks, quickly losing control.

Overall, Ezeudu has the athletic ability, length, hand-fighting skills and competitive toughness to carve out a role as a guard in the NFL, as well as the ability to kick outside to tackle in a pinch. If he can learn to play with better leverage and sustain blocks more consistently in the run game, he has the physical traits and demeanor to become a starter within his first contract.

GRADE: 6.7 (Potential role player - Mid to late 4th round)

OVERALL RANK: 132

POSITION RANK: IOL16

PRO COMPARISON: Saahdiq Charles

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/4"

WEIGHT: 304

HAND: 10 3/8"

ARM: 33 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'8 3/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.94

3-CONE: 7.32

SHUTTLE: 4.47

VERTICAL: 33"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Light on his feet with very good lateral quickness and loose hips to mirror, redirect, recover and stay attached to blocks through contact.

— Efficient use of independent hands in pass protection (including a refined bait-and-replace technique) to mix up the delivery of his strikes to disrupt the opponent's rushing plan.

— Consistently times the snap well to spring out of his stance and reach his set points square and on time.

— Shows solid hand placement and grip strength to latch inside the frame of defenders, maintain his clench, strain and sustain in the run game.

— Plays with good tempo and timing in the zone-run game to not chase movement across his face and knowing when to release off the first level to line up second-level targets.

NEGATIVES

— Doesn't generate much displacement due to marginal power and torque.

— Lean and slender build, lacking the sand, girth and play strength to hold ground against quality power rushers and run defenders.

— Gets pressed off blocks and walked back in his anchor too often.

— Played in a high-tempo, RPO-heavy offense with simple, redundant concepts that limited his window to finish blocks.

— Tends to have low hand carriage in his pass sets, which causes him to be tardy with his strike timing.

2021 STATISTICS

- 14 starts at left tackle.

- Played a team-high 1,205 snaps.

- First-team All-ACC selection.

NOTES

— Former 3-star offensive line recruit out of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

— Placed third in the state for shot put as a junior in 2015.

— Invited and accepted his invite to the 2022 Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas, where he took snaps at tackle and center.

— Winner of the 2021 Jim Tatum Award, given to the ACC's top senior student-athlete among the conference's football players. Was only the second football student-athlete to enroll in Wake Forest's MBA program.

— Made 37 career starts, with 23 at left tackle and 14 at center.

OVERALL

Tom is a three-year starter inside Wake Forest's RPO-heavy, zone-based run scheme with 37 career starts, including 23 at left tackle (2020 and 2021) and 14 (2018 and 2019) at center. He has a lean build with average arm length and adequate sand in his lower half.

Tom wins using his quickness, fluid redirect ability and impressive balance to recover from compromising positions to stay attached to blocks. He is an adept zone run-blocker who knows how to time and tempo his overtakes and releases on combo blocks, with the movement skills to intersect targets on the move.

Tom does a nice job consistently timing the snap and getting to his landmarks square and on time in pass protection, and his skillful hand usage baits rushers into showing their hand and executing their moves prematurely. He shows an effective inside strike to widen rushers with loose hips and good foot quickness to mirror and redirect against counter moves.

However, Tom's slender build and below-average play strength limits his ability to displace, uproot and generate torque in the run game and anchor against power as a pass-protector.

Overall, Tom has below-average play strength, power and anchoring ability, but he tested like an elite athlete at the combine with comparable play speed and movement skills on the field. He needs to continue to fill out his frame and show that he has enough physicality to stick as a starter, but he is a skillful player with proven positional versatility. That should help him earn a swing backup role, with starter potential down the road.

GRADE: 6.6 (Potential Role Player - Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 142

POSITION RANK: IOL17

PRO COMPARISON: Mitch Morse-lite

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn