Dohnovan West NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Arizona State IOL

HEIGHT: 6'3 1/4"

WEIGHT: 296

HAND: 9 1/2"

ARM: 33"

WINGSPAN: 6'6"

40-YARD DASH: 5.27

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 28"

BROAD: 9'4"

POSITIVES

— Efficiently comes out of his stance with very good snap timing, quickness and light feet.

— High-level burst and change-of-direction skills to close space, line up and fit on smaller targets as a puller and on climbs to the second level.

— Has good mobility in his lower half with loose hips and plenty of snap in his hands to jar, lift and create leverage on blocks at the first (base/back/double-team blocks) and second levels.

— Strong backside hand in the zone run game to protect against penetration across his face, widen and displace defenders laterally to clear up the read for runners.

— Shows a good mix of patience, aggressiveness and alertness in pass protection to not bite on stutters when covered, plus stay alert to the most dangerous man and find work when uncovered.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average girth and sand results in a shaky anchor and middling stopping power; too often gets knocked back on to his heels, walked back and pulled off his base against bigger/longer defenders.

— Low hand carriage leads to being too wide and/or late with his hands, giving easy access to his chest.

— Worst game of the 2021 season came against the best competition he faced in UCLA DT Otito Ogbonnia.

2021 STATISTICS

- 12 starts at center

- Second-team All-Pac-12 selection

NOTES

— Former 3-star offensive line prospect out of Bishop Alemany high school in Mission Hills, California.

— Lettered three years in wrestling

— Had thumb surgery after the Arizona game, keeping him out for the team's bowl game against Wisconsin.

— 29 career starts with 14 at center, 11 at right guard and four at left guard.

— Doesn't turn 21 years old until May, making him one of the draft's youngest players.

OVERALL

West is a three-year starter in Arizona State's multiple, run-heavy scheme with 29 career starts spread out across all three interior positions on the line (14 at center, 11 at right guard and four at left guard). West has below-average mass and girth on his frame but is compactly built with solid arm length and very good athletic ability.

West is a high-level run-blocker with an impressive blend of quickness, grip strength and ability to generate torque that allows him to excel in both gap and zone concepts. West plays with good natural leverage and has the foot quickness to consistently complete reach blocks on defensive tackles as wide as a 2i-alignment, plus close ground in a flash when tracking smaller targets as a puller and climbing up to the second level. West takes good angles in space with the balance to adjust, redirect and wall off defenders to create rush lanes off of his backside. He packs a punch on contact to create lift while working his hips underneath his blocks with the leg drive and grip strength to sustain through contact and finish at a high level.

He is patient in pass protection when covered to maintain his posture against stutters and hesitations with the lateral quickness to mirror and protect his edges. West patrols the pocket with alert eyes and physicality to deliver a jolt when uncovered to late-loopers and occupied, adjacent rushers.

West had a shaky game against UCLA's Otito Ogbonnia (6'4", 325, 35⅛ inch arms) that exposed his lack of mass, girth and average arm length, which are his main concerns heading into the NFL. Ogbonnia was able to get easy access into his frame to gain control, knock him on his heels and walk him back into the pocket throughout the game. Part of West's struggles were also because of dipping his head into contact with low hand carriage and wide/late hand placement which he improved upon as the year went on to significantly improve his ability to maintain control of blocks.

Overall, West's lack of size and mass will hinder his ability to anchor on command and hold ground against bigger, hulking body types on the interior, requiring guard help in pass protection against those opponents. However, his explosiveness, quickness and natural leverage make him an asset in a zone run scheme. West needs to land on a coaching staff that can build in some additional help for him in certain matchups, but with how young he is, there is a runway for improvement and the tools to develop into a starter in the right situation.

GRADE: 7.0 (High-level backup/Potential starter - Late 3rd/Early 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 111

POSITION RANK: IOL14

PRO COMPARISON: Kendrick Green

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn