Monroe Freeling Scouting Report
So I watched 4 games: Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas
Strengths
My favourite thing about his tape is his intelligence and blocking awareness. He was consistently picking up more dangerous stunters and blitzers when already engaged in a block. I don't think he missed one in all four games. He batted 1.000.
His linear athleticism is good. Not elite but he gets to the second level and beyond quickly.
He's Campbell-eque in his ability to contort and twist his body to sustain a block or move a defender. Maybe not quite as strong as Campbell but close.
He handles bull-rushers and strength to power mostly comfortably.
His strength in the run game can be good but isn't always (see below)
Only two penalties all year.
Only 5 pressures all year.
Basically he's smart, aware, mostly athletic with decent to good strength.
Weaknesses
I see two main weaknesses. One of which is coachable, one less so.
1. He can lose the edge to speed rushers. A couple of times, when the defender committed to the speed rush, Monroe didn't even get his hand on him. Other times he's quick enough to push the speed rusher past the pocket.
2. My biggest gripe with his game is that he doesn't always finish blocks and can be too passive. Thankfully this is coachable. This manifested itself in a number of ways.
On a number of occasions, Monroe would catch block a defender but then just sustain that rather than trying to disrupt that defender, either by knocking him off balance or pancaking him. That defender would then go on to make the tackle. This happened at least three times in the 'Bama game. Now sometimes those tackles would be 5 or 10 yards downfield so not completely disastrous, but it would have been nice to knock that defender completely out of the play.
At least three times, I saw Monroe, while engaged in a block, turn to watch the play behind him. I found myself wanting to scream at him to "stop watching the game and drive that mofo into the ground!" Basically he needs to add some nasty to his game.
My only other knock on him is his lateral agility. He gets into space quickly but once there sometimes doesn't impact the game because he's not quick enough to change direction and block an oncoming DB or linebacker.
Summary
There is so much to like about Freeling, his awareness and intelligence, hs strength and his athleticism, at least moving forward. He needs to finish blocks better but that's coachable. I certainly liked his tape better than I did Ersery and Conerly last year and absolutely think he can become a bookend to Will Campbell and future Moses replacement. I've given him a mid-high 2nd round grade because I don't think he's all the way there yet, but the potential certainly exists. Would I take him with a bottom of the first pick? Depending on who's on the board, yes I would. He'd make an excellent swing tackle year one and starting RT beyond that.
