Way Too Early Mock Draft: Ravens Grab Interior O-Lineman in 2022
It's never too early to look ahead in the NFL Draft.
Our friends at the NFL Draft Bible recently completed their first-round mock draft for 2021.
Zack Patraw, of Sports Illustrated, has the Ravens boosting the offensive line with their first-round pick.
28. Baltimore Ravens: IOL Dohnovan West, Arizona State
The Ravens could use a significant upgrade to their interior offensive line. Anything to keep quarterback Lamar Jackson clean in the pocket and open up running lanes for the young running backs on the roster. West is an up-and-coming lineman that seems to have a high floor and could develop into a quality starting lineman.
Here's a breakdown of West, according to the Draft Bible.
Pros:
Players who boast experience and high-level traits are often sought-after on draft day. Dohnovan West combines these two requirements. The Arizona State starter has started every game (at left guard, right guard and center) through his two seasons with the Sun Devils. West’s strong on-field performance has been driven by his excellent athleticism. His short-area quickness and long speed are immediately apparent and allow him to pull, climb and work screens. He has the hips to disengage, hinge and reengage while navigating the box. Similarly, the lineman’s lateral agility enables him to mirror defenders. West also exhibits incredible flexibility. His loose frame and bend in his back enhance each aspect of his game. Moreover, West frequently employs his wrestling background to better his anchor. He maintains an extremely wide base through engagement to maximize balance. Further, he manufactures power and gains control through his natural feel for leverage and consequent understanding of pad level and hand placement. In the run game, he uses his wrestling to reposition his base through contact to seal defenders out of a gap. Additionally, the Arizona State starter learned to avoid lunging ahead of his frame as he accumulated experience. West also improved his ability to sustain blocks and recover against hand moves as he played more by complementing his borderline-elite traits with leg drive and grip strength. Finally, he boasts impressive awareness and vision in the run game and as a pass protector.
Cons:
Although the high-level interior line prospect boasts an intriguing skill set, his game is not particularly well-rounded. First and foremost, West does not have substantial natural power or anchor. While he has begun to compensate with leverage and technique, the Sun Devil standout can be stacked, shed, bench pressed, push-pulled or long-armed when defenders land hands on his chest. This was apparent in 2020 but was especially evident in his 2019 tape. West only exacerbates this issue with his occasional tendency to shoot his hands late or inaccurately. His inconsistent contact initiation remains an area of concern after his stellar sophomore season. Similarly, West’s efficacy would jump significantly if he practiced fork or trap techniques more often. Additionally, the Arizona State star exhibited unreliable weight distribution during his freshman season. He regularly lunged ahead of his base to close distance. As a result, defenders redirected and replaced him. In fact, West routinely failed to sustain blocks in 2019 due to inconsistent grip strength and his forward lean into engagement. Finally, the Sun Devil will be much less effective in a man-blocking scheme than he will be in a zone-blocking scheme.
Summary:
Although he is a scheme-specific prospect due to his lack of consistent power, Dohnovan West can be an excellent guard or center in a zone-blocking scheme because of his mobility, awareness, leverage, technique and flexibility. The Arizona State product projects as a solid backup with Pro Bowl potential.
Grades
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
7.6 / 8.9
