2013 NFL Draft: Braxston Cave Prospect Profile
By John Carey
Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish center Braxston Cave (52) prior to the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2013 BCS Championship game at Sun Life Stadium. Alabama won 42-14. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Braxston Cave is not a guy who is really going to wow you with any one thing. He is not very athletic, not extremely strong, and can’t recover whenever he gets beaten either. He was fine at Notre Dame as a Center but doesn’t really have the talent to make it in the NFL.
Measurements:
6’3” Height
32” Arms
303 lbs. Weight
9 3/8” Hands
Strengths:
While Cave is not overly strong, he does possess good enough strength to at least not get beaten on every snap in the NFL. He is also an intelligent guy, who can recognize certain lineups on the defense and adjust the blocking scheme accordingly. He gives good effort in the running game and is able to chase down some of the slower Mike Linebackers if he needs to. He was rarely bull rushed and was able to have a nice punch off the snap. He is best as a shotgun snapper, which could lead to some special teams opportunities.
Weaknesses:
Cave’s biggest issues are that he plays the game very stiff and off balance, which are two of the biggest attributes that a center needs to be successful in the NFL. His footwork is very choppy, and it leads to him getting beat a lot. He would struggle in an NFL zone blocking scheme as he lacks the athleticism that a center or guard needs to havce to play in that type of system.When he gets initially beaten, he struggles to recover. Really lacks the consistent nasty demeanor that you look for in your offensive linemen. Thought at times he has a nice punch off the snap, when facing a real bull rush, he gets killed due to the lack of elite strength. In practices at the Senior Bowl, he really struggled in the blocking drills, getting beaten by a vast majority of the players he faced.
Projection:
Braxston Cave is a prospect who really leaves you wanting more, he struggled mightily at the Senior Bowl, as his lack of athleticism was really exposed. He is likely a 6th to 7th round pick.
Grade: 5.2
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