Josh Ball NFL Draft 2021: Scouting Report for Dallas Cowboys OT

HEIGHT: 6'7 3/8"

WEIGHT: 308

POSITIVES

—Starter-level foot speed and twitch in his vertical and angle sets to get to his landmark against Wide 9 speed rushers

—Impressive mobility in his hips and ankles for being nearly 6'8"; plays with the pad level and leverage of someone 6'5"

—Has plenty of lateral quickness to execute in the zone run game with the heavy handiness to knock over defensive tackles on Deuce blocks

—Shows the recovery balance and core strength necessary to stay latched after initially losing position

—Packs a strong punch with controlling grip strength to deliver jolt and tie up defenders

—Very physical and aggressive play demeanor; drove several defenders 10-plus yards off the ball and let them know about it

NEGATIVES

—Habitually overaggressive with heavy, mistimed strikes at the point of attack that open his hips and create a soft inside shoulder for easy inside access

—Unreliable with his set points and landmarks with the tendency to over- or underset rushers and lose position on the block

—Operates at one speed on the move, resulting in inaccurate angles to his target, oftentimes having to wrap them up to prevent run throughs

2020 STATISTICS

—Eight starts (seven at right tackle, one at left tackle)

—First team All-CUSA

NOTES

—Invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl before it was cancelled

—34 career game appearances with 18 career starts (10 at left tackle, eight at right tackle)

—Originally committed to Florida State as a four-star recruit, and after starting nine games at left tackle for the Seminoles in 2017, he was kicked off the team after a school judicial panel found he committed dating violence against an FSU student

—Attended Butler Community College for a year in 2018

OVERALL 

Ball is an 18-game starter who will require temperance and proper vetting before committing to. On tape, he is clearly a step above the competition in physical traits and raw talent. Ball is explosive in short areas out of his stance, in his pass set and at the point of attack, with heavy hands to jolt and halt momentum on command.

He is scheme-diverse as a run-blocker, with the proper blend of quickness and strength to execute a variety of tasks, and he has a tone-setting play demeanor to compete at a higher level. He is unrefined in the finer aspects of the position with an overaggressive, frenetic playing style that results in too many quick, glaring losses, but he has the physical traits, demeanor and movement skills to compete for a swing tackle spot and develop into a potential starter down the road.

GRADE: 7.5/10 (Late Round 3/Early Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 91/300

POSITION RANK: OT12

PRO COMPARISON: Longer Mike Remmers

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn