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2016 NFL Draft: Early Look at Ole Miss’s Laremy Tunsil

By Jon Dove

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Laremy Tunsil’s overall draft stock is in a little bit of trouble as his recent arrest will raise some red flags. However, this situation has happened early enough in the year that he has time to show it was an isolated incident. Looking at his play on the field, Tunsil is a potential top-5 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Tunsil is an extremely athletic offensive tackle prospect who also features long arms and good overall size. His ability to move in space is what separates him from other prospects as he’s able to protect the edge, climb to the second level and bring a ton of value to the screen game.

It’s common place to see Tunsil 20 to 30 yards down field laying a block to help spring a big play. He’s also someone who helps the effectiveness of a wide-receiver screen as he is quick enough to get on the edge to lay a block.

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These attributes are all a positive but it’s his ability to protect the quarterback while he’s in the pocket that’s most important. Tunsil quickly gets out of his stance and into his kick-slide which puts him in great position. He maintains balance with a wide base and controlled foot movement. His arm extension keeps defenders off his frame and at a distance. Tunsil’s balance and fluidity allow him to mirror against counter moves.

In the run game, Tunsil uses his quickness to cross the face of the defender and seal him from the play. Ole Miss mainly asks him to operate a zone-blocking attack which doesn’t provide a great look at his potential as a power blocker. Actually, this is an area where some concerns may arise as he struggles moving defenders off the point of attack.

His power and strength are the areas to watch during the upcoming season. Tunsil is an elite prospect right now but without improving his ability to drive defenders off the ball he’ll limit the number of teams looking to add his services.

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