Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater a versatile gem in 2021 NFL Draft

Rashawn Slater’s 2021 NFL Draft projection

There is no reason to think Slater couldn’t be a first round pick by the time the 2021 NFL Draft rolls around in April. The biggest question marks surrounding Slater will be a potential lack of 2020 tape given he is not one of the bigger names in this offensive line class, and what position he will play at the NFL level.

Slater does get the benefit, however, of being lumped in with a subpar tackle class. He fits right in the middle of the top names in the interior class as well, with the ability to challenge names like Ohio State’s Josh Myers and Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum if he has to make the move to guard at the next level (a move he will likely have to make).

While his frame is small, teams will still have a high view of Slater once they see him test at the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine and when they see how long his arms are. Should he measure with substantial arms, then this could cover a ton of inadequacies in regards to his overall frame.

Of course we all want a season, Slater probably more than most, however at this point in the process, Slater looks like a top-five or ten overall offensive lineman in this class, and his ability to potentially play all along the line could make him even more appealing to NFL teams.