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Thayer Munford NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Las Vegas Raiders' IOL
April 30, 2022
HEIGHT: 6'5 3/4"
WEIGHT: 328
HAND: 10 1/8"
ARM: 35 1/8"
WINGSPAN: 7'0 5/8"
40-YARD DASH: 5.39
3-CONE: DNP
SHUTTLE: DNP
VERTICAL: 22"
BROAD: 8'8"
POSITIVES
— Has good length to establish first meaningful contact on defenders with the grip strength to sustain once latched.
— Efficient puller with solid initial quickness to get on his track, close space on his target and kick out or log block depending on the defender's leverage.
— Solid play strength with the girth and length to cover up defenders in the run game, displace and be functional on drive and down blocks.
— Extensive time spent at several positions on the line, including left tackle, left guard and right tackle.
NEGATIVES
— Plays with a perpetual forward lean that results in overextending, reaching and falling off of blocks against shifty defenders.
— Hands tend to get wide in pass protection with a habit of catching rather than striking rushers, allowing easy access into his frame and a tardy anchor.
— Contact balance is shaky due to not gaining consistent control with hands and playing with either too wide or narrow of a base.
— Below average foot quickness to redirect against counter moves, providing easy access to his edges.
— Needs to stay inside in the NFL, lacking the range, quickness or technique to survive on an island.
2021 STATISTICS
— 12 starts (11 at left guard, one at left tackle).
— First-team All-Big Ten selection.
NOTES
— Former 4-star offensive tackle prospect out of Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio.
— 2019 second-team All-Big Ten selection and 2020 first-team All-Big Ten selection.
— 45 career starts between left tackle and left guard.
— Moved to left guard in 2021 after exclusively playing at tackle during his first three seasons.
OVERALL
Thayer Munford was a four-year starter with the bulk of his time spent at left tackle before switching to left guard in 2021. He had 45 career starts inside Ohio State's zone-heavy run scheme.
Munford has a large frame with good thickness in his lower half and above-average arm length. He excels in pass protection against tightly aligned defensive tackles that he can get his hands on quickly using his girth, length and grip strength to cover them up and keep them at his fingertips. Using the same traits in the run game, Munford generates solid displacement on angle-drive, down and combo blocks with enough quickness to obstruct linebackers at the second level when he releases off of combo blocks.
Munford does a nice job as a puller working inside out or 'logging' and pinning targets based on their leverage. While he has functional elements of his game, he plays with an inconsistent base and perpetual forward lean with his head in too many blocks, resulting in marginal contact balance. His hand carriage and placement are often low and wide, giving easy access to his frame and catching rather than striking at the point of attack.
Munford's adequate foot quickness will give him the best chance to succeed as a pro inside, but his experience makes him an option for a team to get out of a pinch at tackle if need be.
Overall, Munford's size, length, grip strength and experience at multiple positions make him a worthwhile developmental piece for an offensive line. Several bad habits in his game will need to be ironed out for him to have a chance at carving out a long-term role, though.
GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)
OVERALL RANK: 193
POSITION RANK: IOL21
PRO COMPARISON: Colton McKivitz