Texas OT Samuel Cosmi Would Be a Great Fit With the Chiefs
Samuel Cosmi - OT, Texas
By the numbers:
6'7", 309 pounds
2020: First-team All-Big 12 selection.
Positives:
One of the most obvious things on Samuel Cosmi's tape is his athleticism. He moves well at left tackle and can shuffle his feet laterally. He pulls in space and climbs to the second level of the defense with relative ease. He's a lengthy prospect and that combination of length and mobility makes him a very good fit in zone run schemes.
Cosmi's hands are strong. He packs a punch for a leaner tackle and understands how to combat various pass-rush plans. The timing on his punches is solid and his counters are both diverse and effective. Cosmi can go from anchor mode to a prevent stance quickly so even when he gets beat, there's still a chance he recovers and saves the play.
Two of the more underrated parts of Cosmi's game are his football IQ and awareness. In addition to knowing where he needs to be, he calls out what the defense has lined up and oftentimes beats defenders to their own spots. It's difficult to remain one step ahead of your assignment, but Cosmi manages to do so quite often.
Negatives:
While Cosmi has a good series of punches and a strong overall upper body, his hand placement is inconsistent. When he fails to land his initial move, his footwork can get thrown off and he gets knocked off his block. His balance is otherwise good so this isn't a major issue, but he tends to over adjust when things go wrong.
At 6'7", Cosmi certainly plays like a tall player. His pad level is higher than desired, although he has a wrestling background that is evident in how he understands leverage and momentum at the point of attack. His frame could stand to add 10 pounds or so of muscle in the lower body, which could give him more confidence in getting low and driving right at the opposition.
How Cosmi fits with the Chiefs:
Both the positional need and fit with the scheme here are perfect. The futures of Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz are murky, so adding youth at tackle would be ideal. Cosmi's athletic ability fits well in the Chiefs' zone run offense, and he has the ability to play at either tackle spot. Not only would Cosmi be solid in pass protection, but his run blocking would be a welcomed addition to an offensive line that struggled in that department for a lot of the 2020 regular season.
Final Thoughts:
Cosmi is one of the top offensive tackle prospects in this year's class. His great blend of length, athleticism and awareness makes him a candidate to step in and improve just about any team's situation up front. If he's available at the end of the first round, which isn't a foregone conclusion, he'd be a terrific pick for the Chiefs. Cosmi grades out as a late first-round prospect, with a possible top-25 draft slot.
Read More: Arrowhead Report's 100 Players in 100 Days: A Kansas City Chiefs Draft Guide.
