Vadal Alexander NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Raiders Rookie

POSITIVES

A four-year starter on the LSU offensive line, Vadal Alexander has experience at both left guard (25 starts) and right tackle (21 starts). Alexander was named a team captain for the 2015 season.

Scouts who love size and length will find Alexander tempting. At 6’5” and 326 pounds, he looks the part with 35 ¼-inch arms and big, strong hands (10 ½”) that allow him to reach outside defenders on a punch. A bowling ball when he gets moving, Alexander is unstoppable on inside runs, where he’s able to fire out and clear a path. Straight-line movement from the senior right tackle is a strength, and LSU running backs had success following him to daylight and cutting off his massive frame.

In a phone booth, Alexander can dominate, and throughout his career, he flashed as a downhill blocker in the run game. In space, length and timing allow Alexander to compensate for his lack of flexibility and quickness.

NEGATIVES

Alexander has struggled with his weight during his time at LSU. He weighed in at 326 pounds at the combine, down from 336 pounds at the Senior Bowl one month before. His weight in the spring of 2014 was rumored to be 345 pounds.

On film, and in testing, Alexander is slow. He showed that consistently at the Senior Bowl during drills and team work when he struggled to get to the second level to connect on blocks. He’s a heavy-footed player who has little to no pop off the ball. In a zone-blocking scheme, he’ll have to rework his body and conditioning to survive.

Balance and body control are negatives for Alexander. He doesn’t show flexible hips and will get caught standing straight up out of his two-point stance. When asked to get in a three-point stance, Alexander looks uncomfortable and unbalanced and fires out with limited burst.

Alexander must move to guard to have an NFL career with his current athleticism. He has tools—you don’t start for four years at LSU without them—but to become a quality NFL player, he needs a lot of help. Those players tend to fall on draft day.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 326 lbs.

40 Time: 5.57s

Arm Length: 35 ¼"

3-Cone: 8.04s

Short Shuttle: 4.90s

PRO COMPARISON: Billy Turner, Miami Dolphins
FINAL GRADE: 5.70/9.00 (Round 4—Backup Caliber)