Jeremiah Sirles NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report and More

Jeremiah Sirles, RT, Nebraska, (HT: 6'6 3/8"; WT: 312)

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand	Wing
6063	315	34 1/8"	9"	82 1/8"

Positives

• Durable player who played extensively through all four of his seasons at Nebraska.
• Tough prospect who played through injury during the final four games of the 2013 regular season.
• Big, long arms.
• Long and formidable presence on the edge of the line. Kicks well and generally sets to proper depth in pass protection.
• Consistently puts himself in good position to execute assignments.
• Good lateral agility and above-average feet—especially for a near-6'7" athlete.
• Clearly a model student like his linemate Spencer Long, Sirles is mentioned by the Nebraska Athletic Department as a decorated player in academic and community service accolades.
• Good at getting defenders moving laterally. Long arms aid in his ability to reach-block and carry defenders toward the sideline.
• Plays with a good motor and works hard.
• Put a great game on tape as a run-blocker in 2012 versus Penn State, facing off frequently against Senior Bowl standout defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
• Played at both the right and left tackle positions through the games reviewed.
• According to NFLDraftScout.com, his three-cone drill time at his pro day was 7.63, which would have landed him 15th among offensive line participants at the combine.

Negatives

• Made more news for wearing an upside-down Texas Longhorns logo at the Shrine Game than anything he did on the field through the week of practices.
• Was not invited to the combine.
• Doesn't stick on blocks and lets defenders off too easily.
• Is not overly powerful and would not be considered a mauling tackle prospect.
• Has shown he is susceptible to interior conversion moves and spins from opposing pass-rushers.
• Small hands.
• Hesitates firing out of his stance at times, which sacrifices power.
• Can get his head down when engaging athletic defenders off the edge, which results in bad outcomes.
• Struggles with hand placement and got away with a lot of holds at the college level that will draw NFL penalty flags.
• Appears top-heavy and often loses his feet far too early in the play when attempting to drive-block opponents.
• Lack of upper-body strength confirmed by a very underwhelming 21 reps on the bench press at his pro day.

Personal Notes (via Nebraska Athletic Department)

• Jeremiah was born on Aug. 8, 1991 and is the son of Phil and Nora Sirles.
• A management major at Nebraska, Sirles earned his bachelor's degree in May of 2012.
• Sirles was a second-team academic All-Big 12 choice in 2010, a three-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and a two-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll choice.
• He was named to the 2012 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team for his involvement in NU’s outreach programs.
• Sirles has volunteered his time with American Education Week, Special Needs Basketball Tournament, local football banquets and team hospital visits.

Grades by Alex Dunlap

Overall

In draft prospects, NFL evaluators look for elite traits.

In Sirles, many are likely to see a diamond in the rough. Upon review, Sirles is a player with tremendous length, formidable size and above-average agility. His body appears suited to continue filling out in a way his frame should handle well.

Sirles struggles mightily against slippery edge presences and low-anchoring interior ones due to a myriad of technical, functional issues in his game that can be witnessed at times through contests. These issues have very little to do with his understanding of assignments and more to do with current physical limitations.

While Sirles has a good motor, he can lose his balance in some cases and simply be overpowered in others at this point in his development.

Sirles should have been invited to the combine and should also be drafted on May 8.

Draft Projection

Seventh-round pick.