NFL Draft Profile: AJ Arcuri, Offensive Lineman, Michigan State Spartans
#76
Pos: OT
Ht: 6070
Wt: 307
Hand: 1100
Arm: 3428
Wing: 8348
DOB: 8/13/97
Eligible: 2022
Powell, OH
Olentangy Liberty
AJ Arcuri
Michigan State Spartans
One-Liner:
A powerful lineman with very heavy hands. Once he has a hold of you, you aren’t getting away. Does not have the most flexible hips though and will be primarily a right tackle.
Pros:
Fantastic run blocker who can easily move to the second level and is great at opening holes at the line of scrimmage. Very heavy hands, once he gets a hold of a defender, he rarely gets overtaken. A very smart player who understands what his job is on every play and uses the proper technique. Has a very good pull step and can move across the line with ease. Has a quick pass set and kick slide, which is great at stifling a speed rusher. Great initial punch that can stop a rusher in his tracks.
Cons:
Does not have very flexible hips, so has a difficult time readjusting during plays. If a player takes him off his path, especially moving to the second level, he has a really hard time getting to his assignment. Can get bull rushed fairly easy and gets on his heels when the defensive lineman wins initial contact. Doesn’t have a good reload, once a player breaks his grip he has a real problem finding his grip again and for some reason even loses his base. Great first punch, but doesn’t reload enough and it can get him in trouble. Relies on his hand strength too much in pass protection, so if the initial punch doesn’t stop the pass rusher, he often ends up losing the battle. Doesn’t have much versatility in his game will likely be only a right tackle.
Summary:
A strong player with excellent run blocking skills. Very strong hands and is very powerful at the point of attack. Quick pass set and solid in pass protection, but definitely has some things he needs to improve upon. Needs to become more flexible in the hips. Has a hard time recovering if taken off his path, but easily moves to the next level when combo blocking. Can get on his heels and is easily bull rushed. Also needs to get better at reloading his punch, relies on hand strength too much, and doesn’t get his hands back on the defender once his grip is broken. Does not have position versatility and will most likely be stuck at right tackle. Very smart player who has no problem understanding concepts and what to do every play. This also helps him learn his opponent’s weaknesses and in turn how to neutralize them. Needs to work on lateral agility because he can be beaten by a good inside move.
Background:
Born August 13th, 1997 in Powell Ohio, he is the son of Anthony and Marci Arcuri. Played offensive tackle and defensive end at Olentangy Liberty High School. One of the top-rated offensive linemen in the country coming out of high school and one of Ohio’s top-rated players overall. He is incredibly smart in the classroom and was named academic all-conference every year he was in college, becoming one of just five Spartans to ever have that distinction. Missed his entire redshirt freshman season due to injury. Played in every game as a sophomore, but primarily on special teams. Became a starting offensive lineman as a junior, but only played in seven games because of another injury. He started every game his final two seasons with Spartans and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten this past season. He was also named a semi-finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy in 2021. He will graduate with a master's degree in packaging this spring.
Grade:
6.9/8.1
