Jack Conklin NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Titans Rookie

POSITIVES

A walk-on at Michigan State, Jack Conklin went from unwanted to unstoppable as an All-American left tackle. A starter for three years as a Spartan, Conklin’s tape was good enough to send him to the NFL a year early as a redshirt junior.

Conklin is a bully in the run game. With 10 ⅜" hands, Conklin can lock horns with a defender head-up and drive him out of the play. Once he has his hands on you, they’re not coming off. When working from the snap to the second level, Conklin shows excellent body control and balance. He arrives at linebackers ready to strike and never looks out of control with his hands or his weight.

The pass game is where Conklin has made plays that wow you. He’s a heavyweight puncher and will stun dudes with his jab. Conklin is the Mike Tyson of this year’s tackle class when it comes to knocking rushers out of the play with his hands. He’s also a stout player against a bull rush, showing that he can sink his feels and arch his back to absorb 300-plus-pounders.

During the last two seasons, the only offensive tackle I’ve seen slow down Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner is Conklin. He’s improved greatly over the last two seasons, and it would be easy to see NFL teams betting on his continued development early in the draft.

NEGATIVES

Conklin is an impressive player both on film and in person, but a lack of top-tier athleticism could cost him on draft day. With heavy, sluggish feet moving through traffic and when sliding to cut off the edge, Conklin can be late to protect. While he’s almost unmovable when bull rushed, a hard outside speed move beats him often.

Two years of charting Conklin’s play leaves you wanting more actual NFL technique from him. The Michigan State offense helped him with a lot of down blocks and double-teams (see the 2015 Oregon game) to handle any pressure on his inside shoulder. Without a smooth kick-step and recovery athleticism, Conklin will often overset on the edge, which opens up inside moves for crafty rushers.

Conklin’s footwork is surprisingly a mess given his success at State. He needs to work on staying balanced and not crossing his feet in his slide and shuffle. Short, controlled, choppy steps will become the goal for him. Because of this, Conklin may start his career at right tackle and could even stay there if his footwork can’t be improved.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 308 lbs.

40 Time: 5.00s

Arm Length: 35"

3-Cone: 7.63s

Short Shuttle: 4.57s

PRO COMPARISON: Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers
FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Round 2—Rookie Starter)