Ryan Van Demark NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for UConn OT

HEIGHT: 6'7"

WEIGHT: 307

POSITIVES

— Solid initial quickness with a towering frame and excellent arm length.

— Gets out of his stance efficiently on jump sets to quickly eliminate space and flashes the ability to establish first meaningful contact on rushers.

— Covers up defenders on angle-drive blocks with the ability to wall them off to create lanes off his backside.

— Fluidly gets out in space to lead in the run game, with enough burst and size to line up and seal smaller targets.

— Good finisher; stays physical and aggressive through the whistle.

NEGATIVES

— Bad habit of being late out of his stance at the snap of the ball, putting himself in compromising positions by giving up ground quickly.

— High, upright playing style with subpar weight distribution and balance.

— Disjointed, clunky footwork when redirecting to protect his edges causes him to overextend, lean and lunge into contact.

— Negates his arm length with low hand carriage and being late and wide with his hand placement, allowing easy access into his frame.

2021 STATISTICS

- 10 starts at LT.

- Team captain.

NOTES

— Former 2-star offensive tackle recruit out of the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey. Also lettered in volleyball.

— Turned 24 in March.

— 43 career starts; 34 at left tackle and nine at right tackle.

— Missed two games in 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols.

— Invited and accepted an invite to the 2022 Shrine Game in Las Vegas.

OVERALL

Ryan Van Demark was a four-year starter inside UConn's multiple run scheme with 43 career starts predominantly at left tackle, including 10 during the 2021 season. Van Demark has a towering frame, well-rounded build, excellent arm length and high-end testing numbers from his pro day.

Van Demark has flashes of above-average initial quickness and burst out of his stance as a run- and pass-blocker, but he's often a second late coming off the ball with an upright, high playing style that saps much of his raw athletic ability. He excels on jump sets by quickly eliminating space on rushers, with the reach and big body to initially blot out rushers and the ability to cover up down linemen on angle-drive blocks in the run game.

Van Demark excels on the move leading in space, with the fluidity to line up and seal off smaller targets. He shows some ability to generate torque through contact to keep defenders pinned away from the ball and plays with consistent physicality and aggressiveness through the whistle.

On true dropback, angled pass sets, Van Demark carries his hands low with high pad level. He's often late and wide with his hand placement, allowing defenders to gain easy access into his frame for quick control.

Van Demark's footwork is disjointed when transitioning up the arc, with a tendency to get a narrow base, become top-heavy and fall off blocks far too easily. This lack of centered weight distribution and balance also shows up in the run game, and he has a bad habit of stepping under himself to redirect laterally, which further negates his base.

Overall, Van Demark has ideal size along with the raw athletic ability and right mindset to earn a spot on a roster and potentially carve out a backup role over time. However, he has significant balance and timing issues that will require major improvement over a short period of time due to his advanced age.

GRADE: 5.3 (Backup/UDFA With Roster Potential)

OVERALL RANK: 297

POSITION RANK: OT19

PRO COMPARISON: Tommy Doyle

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn