Colts Prospect Interviews: Javon Foster, OT, Missouri
The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner and the Indianapolis Colts have some work to do to get this roster ready for the upcoming season. Luckily, this upcoming draft class appears to be a good one from top to bottom on paper.
One of the deeper position groups in this class is offensive tackle, as teams should be able to find talent at this pivotal position. The Colts are set with their top three players at OT (Bernhard Raimann, Braden Smith, and Blake Freeland) but it never hurts to continue to add to depth later in the draft.
Missouri's Javon Foster could be a name to monitor for the Colts in this draft. Foster is an experienced tackle prospect that started 38 straight games for the Missouri Tigers in his career. He was named a First Team All-SEC honoree and was selected as a Third Team All-America performer by the Associated Press this past season.
Foster participated in the Reese's Senior Bowl this offseason, earning high marks for his overall level of play throughout the week.
Senior Bowl Experience
You got the opportunity this offseason to participate in the Reese's Senior Bowl. What was that experience like for you?
The Senior Bowl was a fun opportunity. You always see these types of things on T.V. growing up so actually being there is kind of surreal. It was a fun process. I love to compete so I wanted to go against the top guys see where I was at. I wanted to put on a show and just give it all my best.
We always hear with the Senior Bowl every year that the WR/CB one on ones are designed for the receiver to win. Do you think the OL/DL one on ones are designed in a similar way for one of the sides to have an advantage?
I think it can go both ways. I think it will always favor the defensive line because people like to see sacks and stuff like that. Offensive linemen don't really get as much love so it always kind of like that with clips out there on the internet.
Just going through college, you get used to the one on one reps so those types of drills always help you out. It's honestly just a battle. It's a battle to see who can strain and who can finish the most.
Offensive Line Technique/Process
I always love picking the mind of offensive linemen because there is so much that goes into playing the position that I don't think people realize. In pass protection, are you somebody that likes to be aggressive and take the fight to the opposing rusher or do you like to mirror what they are doing and react?
I feel like the best offensive tackles can switch it up. You have to know the type of guy you are going against and see what that guy struggles with. For me, a lot of my approach comes down to watching film and seeing what kind of rusher I am going up against.
I like to mix it up as much as I can. If you give a guy the same kind of set on every play then he can predict what you're doing and go about beating you like that. I think being able to change it up against a defensive end puts you in the best position to be able to win.
I'm sure you see people posting clips on social media about offensive line play and try to dissect every single thing that is going on when you all get beat for a sack/pressure. What do you think is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of playing on the line for the general public?
Man, that's a tough one (laughs). It's honestly a lot of things out there. I think a lot of offensive line play comes down to putting yourself in the best possible position to win. Like if it comes down to jump setting someone, you gotta get on a guy and put yourself in that position to get the job done with your footwork and your hand placement.
A lot of offensive line play is technique. That's the big thing I want people to know. Honestly a lot of the reps that you lose comes down to something that you did. It's usually not the guy just flat out beating you, it mostly comes down to your hand placement being a little off or giving a shallow edge or you took three steps instead of two.
Different things like that are what linemen should get a knock for. A lot of people think defensive linemen are just out here whooping offensive linemen but, honestly, it is usually just us beating ourselves.
I think another difficult aspect for offensive linemen to navigate through is the use of blitzes, simmulated pressures, and stunts. How important is film study in today's game to understand an opposing defense so you aren't allowing free rushers to hit your quarterback?
Offensive line is not an easy job. Defensive coordinators nowadays are trying to disguise things to get the line to slide a different way and create those clean free shots. Film study is massive for us because defensive linemen can tell you what is going to happen before the snap even happens.
Watching that film not only helps you play faster, but it can help you avoid falling into the bait that DC's are putting out there.
Missouri Scheme
Missouri was a RPO-heavy, outside zone run offense this past season. One thing I noticed on your film was how you worked yourself to that backside 3-tech on outside zone runs. It wasn't always pretty but you utilized chop blocks, ass blocks, whatever to get the job done on these plays.
I had three different offensive line coaches at Missouri. Your coach always wants you to do a certain thing to cut across the guy and get in front but there are some athletic guys in the SEC. It all comes down to just making the block.
Sometimes I get out there too fast and I'm in front of the guy so I got to slow it down and box him out. Then there's other times where the three tech is flying out there so you gotta do what you gotta do. You gotta have a feel for it but, honestly, you just have to make the block. That's all it comes down to.
With the RPO game at Missouri, I know the college rules of OL being able to go five yards down field is much easier than the NFL, but there has to be some trust there with your quarterback right? What is an RPO play call like for an offensive lineman?
We know that it opens up the offense a lot. We have to be able to know which plays have the RPO on them and we still have to be able to make our blocks at the end of the day. When you have a good quarterback like I had in Brady Cook, it makes it kind of easy. I know if he's not handing it off, then he's going to hurry up and get the ball out so we don't draw any penalties.
If Brady Cook was late getting the ball out and you guys got the penalty, would you let him hear it in the huddle?
A little bit, a little bit for sure (laughs). The offensive was really clicking this year so we didn't have too many situations like that. Brady (Cook) did a great job controlling the offense this year.
NFL Outlook
What is my NFL team getting on the field and off the field if they spend a draft pick on you in this class?
A team is getting a hard worker and an offensive lineman that is going to flat out dominate. I love to compete so you know that whoever is across from me, I'm going to come out on top and dominate. In the locker room, they are getting a leader. I feel like I sharpened up my leadership skills as a two-time captain at Missouri, and I grew a lot in that role this year.
As an offensive line unit, we were way better this year and were even Joe Moore Finalists. You are just getting somebody that is going to dominate, somebody that is going to compete everyday in practice, and somebody that is going to put on a show.
Javon Foster is a talented and experienced offensive tackle prospect that the Colts could use in their offensive line room. Keep an eye out for this talented player the rest of draft season, Colts' fans!
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