Ricky Stromberg NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Washington Commanders' IOL

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 306

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 33 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 5.26

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 32.5"

BROAD: 9'3"

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POSITIVES

— Extremely physical into contact with a keen understanding of pad level and how to connect the crown of his helmet to the chin of the defender to deliver a jolt.

— Instinctive, sticky run-blocker who knows how to utilize body positioning and manipulate leverage to his advantage to wall off, seal and create alleys.

— Efficiently works combination blocks, knowing the right time to overtake and release depending on how the defense is playing.

— Controls the operation pre-snap with active eyes and communication in making calls, "Mike"-points and corrections when needed.

— Excellent transition speed from the snap to establish first meaningful contact on head-up or shaded nose tackles.

— Effectively passes off and picks up line games, stunts and late-loopers.

— Uses quick hands, a wide base and good posture to die slowly in his anchor against the bull rush.

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NEGATIVES

— Underwhelming stature with a thick midsection and a little bit of a sloppy build.

— Has sporadic lapses in balance and body control against fast-flow backers at the second level and movement across his face that result in him overextending into contact.

— Doesn't handle sudden, direct force well on pick attempts, leaving him vulnerable to losing levels.

— Hands tend to drift outside to catch and wrap at the point of attack.

— Adequate change of direction and reactionary quickness result in hit-or-miss tracking ability on the move.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 starts at center

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NOTES

— First-team AP and coaches' All-SEC selection

— Won the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy

— 4-star interior offensive line recruit from Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma

— 44 career starts with 33 at center. Ended his career with 25 consecutive starts

— Turns 23 years old on Nov. 10

— Accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl

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OVERALL

Ricky Stromberg is a four-year starter who ended his career with 25 consecutive and 44 career starts predominantly at center, including 12 at the pivot last season in Arkansas' approximately 65-35 run-pass split offense with a zone-based run scheme and gap concepts sprinkled in. Stromberg has an underwhelming, smaller stature with extra weight around his midsection, solid length and athletic ability.

In the running game, Stromberg quickly transitions from the snap of the ball out of his stance and into first meaningful contact with outstanding physicality and pad level to work underneath his opponent, delivering jolt on contact. This is routinely seen in 2i/1T/0T alignments on tight-zone base blocks and combination blocks.

Stromberg uses the gallop technique to uncork on defensive tackles on combo blocks and knows how to maneuver his body around to complete overtakes and timely releases to backers. He is a fighter through contact, with a keen understanding of how to position his body between the ball and the defender to create seals and alleys off his backside.

He tends to land his hands wide on defenders, which can expose his chest and lead to him getting stabbed and shed quickly. He also has lapses in body control and balance that lead to him getting overextended against post-snap movement across his face and tracking twitchy linebackers.

In pass protection, Stromberg controls the operation pre-snap with active eyes and communication in making calls, "Mike"-points and corrections when needed. He is very alert when uncovered to contain each A-gap and makes snap decisions with solid quickness to pick up late-loopers. He can end the fight quickly against bigger, hulking nose tackles with quick, strong hands and enough of an anchor to die slowly. But he will get moved off his spot and open up against shifty rushers from wider alignments, creating soft edges.

Overall, Stromberg has an unimpressive stature and build, with lapses in body control that will result in some quick losses. But he is a heady player and a very physical, skilled run-blocker who accelerates into contact consistently and knows how to stay leveraged on defenders to seal and wall them off. I expect Stromberg to compete for a center job as a rookie and have a good chance of earning a starting role at some point during his first contract.

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GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 111

POSITION RANK: IOL10

PRO COMPARISON: David Andrews

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn