Billy Price   OC/OG   Ohio State

TALENT
ROUND
2

STRENGTHS
Billy is a quality offensive lineman who can play multiple interior offense line position. His impact talent that he will bring to your team is leadership and consistency and the passion to get better. He has good feet and can be used in a pulling offensive line blocking scheme. He does a good job going out to the second level to make his blocks and has the strength, size and quickness out of his stance to handle those big defensive tackles playing directly up on him and in his face. Billy is smart and shows excellent leadership skills. He gets excited and prideful when the whole offensive line is blocking like a well oiled machine. I call him Billy (Work Pail) Price because he goes to work every day with a full work pail willing to share whatever he has with his teammates.

CONCERNS
Work pail Billy has a technique issue when run blocking. When he fires out to drive block he lunges and is off balance and does not bring his feet and continue to drive his opponent. It’s an issue I’m sure he will work on and get better at the next level. At times blocking for the run Billy gets too aggressive and loses techniques and this causes him to be off balanced when pulling, missing his block because he doesn’t break down and doesn’t have the change of direction skills to adjust. Billy lacks the foot speed to be used on sweeps and some screens but as a pulling offensive lineman in short zones he is excellent. Now I’m done with the nit picking, Billy is a good football player. Oh yeah I forgot, he is a better center than he is a guard. Don’t ask me why but he just is. Maybe it’s a pride thing? Maybe he likes being a center more than a guard, or maybe it’s because playing guard magnifies his poor techniques more when run blocking?

BOTTOM LINE
With the need in the NFL for offensive line man with size, solid athleticism and leadership skills like Billy possesses, don’t be surprised if Billy sneaks into the latter part of the first round. Billy does a good job pass blocking and has improved dramatically in this area through the years. He does a good job mirroring his opponent and is strong and shows good balance to stay with his opponent until the whistle blows. His run blocking is solid but needs improving and Billy can get beat by 1 gap attack type of defensive lineman but all of these issues are technique issues that he will work on and get better. Billy makes all the snaps and shows good overall athleticism and has the leadership skills and maturity you need to have at the center position to have a playoff caliber offensive line. If he doesn’t improve his drive blocking than you might not go up the middle on the goal line or third and short downs or fourth and inches but really isn’t that why you have four other offensive lineman and a blocking Tight End? Just coach better, it’s really that simple. Billy (Work Pail) Price, you draft him and the center position is set for the next ten years.

Drew Boylhart   DEC.2017