Gabe Carimi Scouting Report

Gabe Carimi hasn’t even played a down in the NFL & already has a pretty impressive resume when it comes to players he has gone up against. In fact he has faced four potential first round players. Players like Ryan Kerrigan, Adrian Clayborn, Cameron Jordan & teammate J.J. Watt. He probably has the most impressive resume this year of all the Offensive linemen in this years draft. As a senior, Carimi won the 2010 Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top collegiate interior lineman. Many believe Carimi should be able to be plugged into an offense immediately. He played Left Tackle at Wisconsin where he was nicknamed “The Hammer” due to his nastiness.

Durabiliy: Carimi has prototypical NFL size, strength and is powerful throughout his frame. He started 49 of 52 college games for the 2010 Big Ten Champions Badgers.

Agility: Ran a 5.18 forty yard dash at the combine that time being among the top times for offensive linemen. Carimi played well against top competition and his feet are quick enough to play left tackle, but could eventually end up at right tackle if he can’t make the transition. Good lateral movement & excellent athleticism.

Run blocking: Carimi’s strength is first contact with defenders in the run game. He gets off the ball pretty well and pops his opponents. Carimi’s power blocking was perhaps second to none this past season. He’s an excellent run blocker who really drives defenders backward but perhaps could do a better job finishing at times. He sustains fine but doesn’t always close out with power and aggression. He is more of a latch-on run blocker. However, Carimi doesn’t let go once he engages. When getting to the second level he regularly gets a good push in the running game, and has a good enough first step to down-block on a defensive tackle if need be, and he does a good job of either driving a defender downfield or getting in position and sealing them off to create a hole. He has very good footwork and has a good initial punch

Pass blocking: Carimi has an arm Length of 35 2/8 inches. Has the strength to seal the edge. It is very difficult to turn the corner against him because of his lateral movement and solid footwork. Very good out of his stance, elite agility and nimble feet to protect the quarterback’s blindside in pass protection and has a good initial punch as a pass blocker. Typically strong against bull rushes and Carimi only gave up one sack his senior year and showed that he can work to the outside better than previous seasons. He shows great instincts due to his experience, to pick up counter moves. Also protects the inside lane well. Carimi delivers a strong hand punch capable of knocking back an opponent

Weakness: Carimi ends up on the ground a surprising amount. He tends to lean into his blocks and bend at the waist after the initial push and it makes it harder for him to sustain his blocks and leads to him getting discarded violently which leads to him falling down. For that reason his technique may need work, which you wouldn’t think considering he just won the award for best offensive lineman this year. He will need to be coached to not lean into blocks so much or bend at the waist as much, but it could definitely hurt him as a prospect and as a NFL player. He also doesn’t always do a great job of sustaining in pass protection, and when he can’t sustain and keep his hands on the defender (especially quicker players) they can swat away his hands and burst by him. He could be a little stouter as a pass blocker the problem isn’t in his power base, but that he doesn’t always properly use it. Tends to let speed rushers get under his pads.

Projection: Top 25

NFL Comparison: Nick Mangold

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