2016 NFL Draft: Prospects to watch during tonight’s college football games
By Jon Dove
Nov 16, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Landon Turner (78) blocks at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. North Carolina won 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Landon Turner, North Carolina
Position: Guard
Game Info: North Carolina vs. South Carolina, Thursday September 3rd at 6:00pm on ESPN
Landon Turner is a massive guard prospect who would be a good fit in a power-run scheme. His size is his best attribute, but he shows surprising athleticism based on that size. He showed some effectiveness on trap blocks and pulling to the sideline.
Turner needs to work on exploding out of his stance and delivering an initial jolt. This will aid his efforts to move defenders off the line. At this point, he generates a push thanks to his size and raw strength. The defensive linemen in the NFL are bigger and strong which makes technique more important.
In pass protection, Turner has a wide base and keeps his head on a swivel. He’s able to absorb contact and hold his ground. Turner needs to work on sitting into his stance as there are times where he gets his upper body extended over his base impacting his balance.
Thursday night will be his first opportunity to build on his previous success. At this point, Turner looks like a 3rd or 4th round prospect.
Next: Josh Doctson