Warren McClendon Jr. NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Georgia OT

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 306

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 82 3/4"

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40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: N/A

BROAD: N/A

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POSITIVES

— Shows good initial quickness, efficient footwork and the necessary range to shave off space, reach his landmark and protect the corner against widely aligned rushers

— Has good enough windup speed as a lead blocker on the move to track, line up and connect with jarring force on smaller targets

— Above-average upper-body strength to maintain a flat-back posture with eyes up and a strong base to hold the point and give minimal ground

— Delivers stiff strikes with his head out of the block that create impressive stopping power

— Effectively cuts off the backside with the quickness to overlay and overtake on 'B' blocks and execute man cut-offs on 4i techniques to create seals and alleys or torque and displace laterally

— Extremely physical, aggressive playing style that borders on ill-advised (multiple personal foul penalties in 2022) that he uses to routinely finish downfield, inspect and add to piles

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NEGATIVES

— Tall, high-cut frame that pairs with below-average reactionary quickness and redirect skills

— Fast-flowing, scraping backers that tempo their speed with stutters get his feet stopped and slip across his face too easily off of double-team climbs

— Upright playing style at the point of attack leads to losing leverage and control quickly against stout run-defenders that establish first meaningful contact into his frame

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 starts at RT

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NOTES

— Former 4-star offensive tackle recruit from Brunswick High School in Georgia

— 37 career starts all at RT

— Routinely moved over to LT in-game during the 2022 season as part of a rotation at tackle

— Suffered a knee injury in the SEC championship game against LSU and didn't start the two playoff games in 2022, but he did play against TCU in the national championship game

— Was a passenger in the fatal car crash that killed roommate and teammate Devin Willock and Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy the night after Georgia's national championship celebration.

— Invited to the 2023 Senior Bowl but injured his knee after the second practice and missed the remainder of the week

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OVERALL

Warren McClendon Jr. was a three-year starter inside Georgia's balanced offensive approach that featured a multiple run scheme with a mix of zone and gap concepts. McClendon has a high-cut frame with good arm length and a thick, well-rounded build. He is a solid overall athlete with good initial quickness and windup speed on the move to get to spots on time with some stiffness on sudden, change-of-direction attempts.

McClendon shows good upper-body strength with stiff, jarring strikes that he uncorks on defenders while keeping his head out of the block, and he has the length to keep them at his fingertips. McClendon brings top-notch physicality as a run-blocker with the torque to create lateral displacement and dig out defenders on angle-drive blocks, create a wall on down blocks and has a mean streak to finish to the echo of the whistle.

While he has the stoutness to hold the point and displace, McClendon is slow to adjust leverage and quickly loses control against adept hand-fighters when equally strong run-defenders establish first meaningful contact into his frame. He excels on zone concepts using good initial quicks on the backside to overlay and overtake 'B' blocks, plus cut off tight inside shades to create a seal. McClendon will struggle with stop/start quickness that leads to getting overextending against slippery defenders, but he has the necessary windup speed as a pull and lead blocker to track and erase force defenders on pitches, screens and sweeps.

McClendon can close and shave space on wider alignments in pass-protection using angled, 45-degree sets to reach his landmark with the length and posture to keep rushers at his fingertips. He shows solid range to expand his landmarks while maintaining balance and control up the arc against high-side rushers. McClendon has good upper-body strength to absorb force and find his anchor to sustain the width of the pocket. He does show stiffness in his lower half late in reps that leaves him high with his feet stuck having to suddenly redirect laterally, but he is usually in good enough positions to avoid having to recover.

Overall, McClendon has enough athletic ability to stick at right tackle with the needed play strength to kick inside if necessary. He brings a lunchpail mentality to the field with good size and understanding of how to play to his strengths that give him a shot at becoming a quality backup right away in a multiple run scheme with spot starter potential within his first contract.

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GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 131

POSITION RANK: OT11

PRO COMPARISON: Martinas Rankin

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn