With The First Pick
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2020 NFL Draft: Nobody is talking about Cam Akers

By Seth Steere

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 03: Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles runs with the ball against James Smith-Williams #39 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 03: Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles runs with the ball against James Smith-Williams #39 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 19: Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half of their game at BB&T Field on October 19, 2019, in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 19: Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half of their game at BB&T Field on October 19, 2019, in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Strengths

Cam Akers runs with power, from his lower half to his upper half he doesn’t go down with ease. He has the requisite strength in his legs to be able to power through arm tackles at the line-of-scrimmage (LOS). His stiff-arm is one of his go-to moves and he can be dominant at times with it. He does a good job lowering his pad level at the point of contact using his strength to fight for extra yards and not going down with ease.

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Since he holds power in his lower half he can use jump cuts effectively and can get back to full speed with a quickness; his lateral movement skills are up there with the best of them. He has a better than average burst that allows him to sneak through small creases (which they often are behind FSU’s offensive line). Akers can efficiently get to his top speed in a hurry after making juke moves and is elusive enough to make people miss. He is very sudden with his juke moves and keeps his momentum moving forward.

Akers allows his blocks in front of him to develop, staying behind his lead blockers and adjusting to the blocks they make. He doesn’t get over-aggressive, outrunning his teammates but rather waits patiently behind them giving the play the necessary time to mature. He has superior vision moving downhill and great patience.

Perhaps the most underrated part of Akers’s game is his ability to pass block. Even coming off play-action he keeps his eyes active ahead of him identifying where the pressure is coming from. Akers centers up his blocks and often gets his hands in the correct place to make the block. Even when the rush doesn’t get there immediately he keeps his eyes moving to look for the pressure and is able to cut across to make the block on the opposite side.

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