Top 10 offensive tackles in the 2019 NFL Draft

#8. Chuma Edoga, USC

This former All-state pick from Atlanta was plugged in at right tackle twice as a freshman and played in just nine games the following year while being suspended for one of them. Over these final two years, he has started all but two games at right tackle, being named second-team All-Pac-12 as a senior. He is also one of the guys above 300 pounds that I’ve ever heard about running the 100 meters.

Edoga consistently was the first one to fire off the ball along the Trojan offensive line outside of their center of course. He engulfs defenders in the run game with consistent leg drive and staying attached to his target. Edoga displays fluid transitions to the second level off combo-blocks and smooth adjustments of angles on the move as well as to defensive linemen stunting inside. However, he gets physical with those secondary guys as well, showcased by pushing Stanford’s Bobby Okereke ten yards backward in their 2018 matchup. Edoga can be tasked reach-responsibilities, as he displays outstanding technique at cutting off the backside of zone run plays, going across the knees of the down-linemen across or inside of him. He was also pulled to the outside with a tight-end taking on his D-end and was highly effective at getting in front of defenders in space. Edoga showcases very crafty technique in the screen game his direction when he leads his man upfield and then arm-overs him to get out in front.

The two-year started played right tackle at USC, but he has excellent feet that might allow him to move to the blindside at the next level. Edoga jumps out of his stance and covers a ton of room with his kick-slide while his head stays static. He forces opponents to widen their rush and guides them around the quarterback. When those guys try to purely win with his speed, he has the agility to stay stride for stride with edge rushers and really drive them past the ball. Once Edoga recognizes that a defender is crossing his face and becomes the responsibility of somebody else, his eyes immediately go to the closest threat and he shuffles over to put himself in front of that opponent, as he trusts in his teammates. Moreover, he is not thrown off balance by blitzes from the slot and if his defender is gone and nobody is out there on the edge, he closes the space to his guard and helps him protect the B-gap.

On a negative note, his hand-placement is a work in progress. Edoga’s mitts slide up towards the shoulders of his opponent a lot as a run-blocker and he gets pretty wide when trying to slow down pass rushers. His base as a drive-blocker is too narrow and he is pretty inconsistent with it in protection. The biggest issue in his game at this point is the lack of an ability to set the anchor against explosive edge rushers. He puts his head out in front in pass pro at times and can lose balance that way. He also received plenty of help by tight-ends to secure the edges during his time at USC- I think Edoga needs to finish plays better overall as you see him standing around while his ball-carrier is still alive or the quarterback hasn’t even released the ball yet.

The former Trojan tackle did an outstanding job in one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl and I didn’t count a single lost rep all week long. His tremendous foot quickness, hip mobility and overall athleticism make his a very intriguing prospect, but his lack of functional strength is holding him back in a big way. Even though he doesn’t even quite reach 6’4”, I’m not concerned about his length with a 35-inch arm. It will be up to his strength coaches to get him ready for the league and I think he could turn out to be a franchise tackle, although he might also end up as a career backup if he doesn’t hit the weight room heavy enough.