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2017 NFL Draft: Utah Garett Bolles Scouting Report

By Jon Dove

Oct 29, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Garett Bolles (72) celebrates a touchdown by Utah Utes tight end Evan Moeai (not pictured) during the second half against the Washington Huskies at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Washington won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Garett Bolles (72) celebrates a touchdown by Utah Utes tight end Evan Moeai (not pictured) during the second half against the Washington Huskies at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Washington won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Utah’s Garett Bolles is an underrated prospect with as much potential as any offensive lineman in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Garett Bolles is an elite athlete for the offensive tackle position. He features good straight line quickness, foot speed and overall balance. His athleticism and commitment to sound technique give him a ton of upside.

Bolles does a great job maintaining balance thanks to his commitment to keeping his pads down, a wide base and ability to sit into his stance. He’s capable of mirror most pass rushers and keeping them out of the backfield.

His overall size and arm length play a role in his success as it helps keep the defenders off his frame. Bolles routinely gains inside hand placement which gives him the ability to control the action. He has the potential to be an elite pass protector at the next level.

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The one area where he could improve is his strength and ability to anchor after contact. He has the proper technique and leverage, but needs to hit the weight room in order to hold the more powerful rushers in check.

Adding strength would also help Bolles become a more effective run blocker. It would help deliver a more powerful initial punch and move defenders off the line of scrimmage.

However, he’s already a solid run blocker who uses angles and his long arms to seal the defender from the play. Bolles plays with a nasty streak and tenacity that helps him gain some movement at the point of attack.

His initial quickness out of his stance also gives him an advantage in the run game. It allows him to quickly get in proper position and his hands into the body of the defender. Again, adding some strength will only increase his overall effectiveness.

Outside of hitting the weight room, Bolles needs more reps working in a pro-style system. Utah’s spread attack didn’t give him a lot of opportunities to protect the quarterback for longer periods of time. It’s an adjustment all offensive lineman coming from a spread attack needs to make.

Overall, this is an elite athlete who played at a high level against strong competition. Bolles more than held his own against UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley who I have rated as a top-15 prospect.

Current Draft Range: 1st Round

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