STRENGTHS
JC looks to be the type of offensive lineman who wants to do everything right. He is a bit of a technician. He has excellent size and athletic talent to play more than one position on the offensive line. He is very smart and works well with his teammates against stunts. J C Likes to be used pulling and has the footspeed to get out in front and just enough change of direction agility to block in space and to go out to the second level to make a block. When JC is sure of his assignment, he comes with excellent force to defeat his opponent. JC is still learning his position and is doing it by being technically smart and sound and when he gets more comfortable on the field at playing one position I suspect JC will become a Pro Bowl offensive lineman.
CONCERNS
J C is a lot more comfortable as a guard than he is as a tackle. Right, now, he lacks the confidence and quickness out of his stance when pass-blocking as a tackle. When he is covered up, he fires out and makes his blocks quicker but as a tackle, when pass-blocking, he is overthinking and this is slowing him down, and this will get him beat like a drum until he gets better and I believe he will.
BOTTOM LINE: 2.19
I had to watch a lot of film on JC before I realized that he is not slow of the snap, he doesn’t lack lateral agility and because he is on his heels when pass blocking, he will not allow a bull rush against him that kills his QB. Those were my initial impressions of JC. Then I said wait a minute. He plays for Alabama, one of the better universities in developing offensive linemen…what am I missing? So, I held off on doing a profile on him and decided that every other day, before I did a profile on another player, I would take a few minutes to look at JC to be confident in what I saw. I noticed that despite at times, being on his heels when pass blocking, he always had his hands inside and never held, and always seemed to be in control. Then I noticed when he was pulling that his body language and agility had more aggressiveness. Then I noticed that a lot of times, when he makes a run block he never overblocks, keeps his feet and balance, and makes secondary blocks. Suddenly, I realized how much of a technician this kid was. I realized how much he did everything correctly and how much he was thinking way too much. I’m not an expert, never profess to be an expert. I’m just a former athlete who peaked in high school and has watched football for over 60 years. Sometimes I see things right away and I’m amazed how others don’t see the same things I see. Sometimes I don’t see what everyone else sees and I’m amazed at that too. In this case, with JC’s attention to detail, I have to wonder why JC wasn’t playing offensive center. Nevertheless, I believe if he plays tackle he will be solid, and if he is moved into a guard, a Pro Bowl guard but if he can play center, that to me would be his best position and impact position. That being said, Tackles get paid the most.
