Offensive Guard ~ Lael Collins ~ Louisiana State Fighting Tigers ~ 6045/304
Regarding Offensive Guards
I consider Offensive Guards far more crucial to their Teams's Prospects that most consider them to be.
The Gutters are riddled with the Corpses of Teams that were built around so-called "skill" Players ~ teams that delighted their Fantasy FootBall Fans every Year, all the way until January...until The Only Games That Really Matter.
It is then, of course, that the Capacity ~ or lack thereof ~ to Move The Chains and protect the QuarterBack against PlayOff Caliber Defenses rears its ugly head. And another Team built for Fantasy FootBall bites the dust.
This is how I break things down, when I'm evaluating Offensive Guards:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Torso Power is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body Strength in the world will still fail if you simply can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables an Offensive Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.
Combat Skills: Paw Power, Mechanics ~ Hand Speed & Positioning ~ and of course: Frame.
Intangibles: Processing Speed and Motor. Processing Speed or Diagnostic Velocity is about how quickly and effectively one Reads & Reacts to how the Rapidly Roiling Tactical LandScape effects Blocking Schemes, and Motor is about Endurance and Drive: How much Work has been put into Conditioning, and how it manifests itself.
Run Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Pass Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power ~ lower body Power. Core Power trumps Torso Power. Tyrannosaurus Rex had exceptional Core Power.
* Torso Power ~ upper Body Power. Important, but not crucial. T Rex had lousy Torso Power...yet was King.
* Anchoring Strength in the Passing Game. The capacity to Stand one's Ground.
* Drive Power in the Running Game. The capacity to drive your man back.
Agility
* Fluidity, above all things: Core Agility & Flexibility makes everything possible.
* Launch Velocity ~ Speed into Contact off the Snap.
* Acceleration ~ Short Speed or Quickness.
Combat Skills
* Paw Power ~ The Power & Speed of the initial Punch.
* Paw Velocity ~ How active the Hands are.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Frame ~ Above all: WingSpan.
Intangibles
* Processing Speed ~ Field Vision. Reading Defensive Schemes quickly and effectively, and finding 2nd Level Targets.
* Motor ~ Intensity and Duration.
Run Blocking
* Power ~ Drive Power to project Power in the Running Game.
* Agility ~ especially Acceleration DownField or to the Flank.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Pass Blocking
* Power ~ Anchoring Strength to reject Power in the Passing Game.
* Agility ~ especially Fluidity to Mirror the Pass Rusher.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
The Gutters are riddled with the Corpses of Teams that were built around so-called "skill" Players ~ teams that delighted their Fantasy FootBall Fans every Year, all the way until January...until The Only Games That Really Matter.
It is then, of course, that the Capacity ~ or lack thereof ~ to Move The Chains and protect the QuarterBack against PlayOff Caliber Defenses rears its ugly head. And another Team built for Fantasy FootBall bites the dust.
This is how I break things down, when I'm evaluating Offensive Guards:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Torso Power is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body Strength in the world will still fail if you simply can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables an Offensive Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.
Combat Skills: Paw Power, Mechanics ~ Hand Speed & Positioning ~ and of course: Frame.
Intangibles: Processing Speed and Motor. Processing Speed or Diagnostic Velocity is about how quickly and effectively one Reads & Reacts to how the Rapidly Roiling Tactical LandScape effects Blocking Schemes, and Motor is about Endurance and Drive: How much Work has been put into Conditioning, and how it manifests itself.
Run Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Pass Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power ~ lower body Power. Core Power trumps Torso Power. Tyrannosaurus Rex had exceptional Core Power.
* Torso Power ~ upper Body Power. Important, but not crucial. T Rex had lousy Torso Power...yet was King.
* Anchoring Strength in the Passing Game. The capacity to Stand one's Ground.
* Drive Power in the Running Game. The capacity to drive your man back.
Agility
* Fluidity, above all things: Core Agility & Flexibility makes everything possible.
* Launch Velocity ~ Speed into Contact off the Snap.
* Acceleration ~ Short Speed or Quickness.
Combat Skills
* Paw Power ~ The Power & Speed of the initial Punch.
* Paw Velocity ~ How active the Hands are.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Frame ~ Above all: WingSpan.
Intangibles
* Processing Speed ~ Field Vision. Reading Defensive Schemes quickly and effectively, and finding 2nd Level Targets.
* Motor ~ Intensity and Duration.
Run Blocking
* Power ~ Drive Power to project Power in the Running Game.
* Agility ~ especially Acceleration DownField or to the Flank.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Pass Blocking
* Power ~ Anchoring Strength to reject Power in the Passing Game.
* Agility ~ especially Fluidity to Mirror the Pass Rusher.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Lael Collins Scouting Report
Power: Extraordinary. Impressive Anchoring Strength in Pass Protection and Outstanding Drive Power in Run Blocking.
Agility: Adept. Moderate Fluidity, but impressive Launch Velocity and exceptional Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Impressive. Outstanding Paw Power and a tremendous Frame. Raw Mechanics, mind you.
Intangibles: Outstanding. Impressive Field Vision and Processing Speed, and an absolutely phenomenal Motor.
Run Blocking: Tremendous. Outstanding Drive Power and exceptional Acceleration DownField and to the Flanks.
Pass Blocking: Proficient. Impressive Anchoring Strength. Moderate Fluidity. Please do keep in mind: I'm grading Collins as a Guard. My Pass Blocking Grade would be far, far different for'm as an Offensive Tackle.
Agility: Adept. Moderate Fluidity, but impressive Launch Velocity and exceptional Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Impressive. Outstanding Paw Power and a tremendous Frame. Raw Mechanics, mind you.
Intangibles: Outstanding. Impressive Field Vision and Processing Speed, and an absolutely phenomenal Motor.
Run Blocking: Tremendous. Outstanding Drive Power and exceptional Acceleration DownField and to the Flanks.
Pass Blocking: Proficient. Impressive Anchoring Strength. Moderate Fluidity. Please do keep in mind: I'm grading Collins as a Guard. My Pass Blocking Grade would be far, far different for'm as an Offensive Tackle.
Lael Collins Prospectus
In keeping with my Methodology of categorizing Prospects not by what Position they played in College, but as I see them optimally projecting in the Pros, I'm categorizing Lael Collins as an Offensive Guard ~ preferably Right Guard.
I absolutely love this kid. What a joy to watch a guy who blasts off and attacks through the whistle on every single Snap!!
I believe that Collins has a tremendous Future. My only concern is his Fluidity, which manifests itself in occasional Fails both in Lateral Agility and in Lunging. But the serpentine way he blasts out'f the Blocks belies those Indicators, and I'm inclined to conceive that he'll have considerably less issues there as he develops over the next few Years.
He's an extraordinary Run Blocker, demonstrating outstanding Power at the Point of Attack, a voracious Appetite for Contact UpField, and an impressive Capacity to rapidly read the roiling Tactical LandScape and acquire additional Targets.
I believe that he could cut it as a Right Tackle, but has the potential to become an extraordinary Right Guard.
Whether or not the Team that drafts him sees it that way may well have an enormous Impact on'is Future.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
I absolutely love this kid. What a joy to watch a guy who blasts off and attacks through the whistle on every single Snap!!
I believe that Collins has a tremendous Future. My only concern is his Fluidity, which manifests itself in occasional Fails both in Lateral Agility and in Lunging. But the serpentine way he blasts out'f the Blocks belies those Indicators, and I'm inclined to conceive that he'll have considerably less issues there as he develops over the next few Years.
He's an extraordinary Run Blocker, demonstrating outstanding Power at the Point of Attack, a voracious Appetite for Contact UpField, and an impressive Capacity to rapidly read the roiling Tactical LandScape and acquire additional Targets.
I believe that he could cut it as a Right Tackle, but has the potential to become an extraordinary Right Guard.
Whether or not the Team that drafts him sees it that way may well have an enormous Impact on'is Future.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Beast ~ Par Value!!
| Market Value 1st/2nd Round | Yankee Grade 1st/2nd Round |
Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
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