Chance Warmack-2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Positives:
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
+Incapable of doing wrong on a football field
+Plays with great on field intensity
+Excellent strength
+Incredible on field awareness (why does Barrett Jones play center?)
+Gets great leverage
+Terrific run blocker
+Long arms
+Terrific pass blocker
+Played tough competition
+Used great fundamentals
+Good body control
+Great blocker on screen passes
+Great awareness in the second level
Negative(s):
-Not a good athlete
If you ignore positional value (obviously, guards aren’t as important as quarterbacks), Alabama guard Chance Warmack is the second most impressive player I’ve ever scouted, right behind Ndamukong Suh (he deserved that Heisman). The guy is just incredible. He will make no less than 3 Pro Bowls barring a series of catastrophic injuries or the cancellation of the Pro Bowl, and I expect him to make about 6. He is a complete package. Just an amazing player.
Warmack has below average measurables. At the combine, he was 6’2, 317lbs, and he ran a 5.49 40 yard dash. The 40 is a small concern, and he’s not the best guy in the world when it comes to guard pulls for that reason (he’s still above average). 6’2 sounds short, but, the fact is, a lack of height is actually a good thing for linemen since they can stay low and get really good leverage. The reason why height is perceived as a valuable asset is because there is a correlation between height and arm length, and the advantage of long arms is more significant than the leverage disadvantage of height. But Warmack has freakishly long arms for his size at 34 3/4 in. To put that into perspective, that’s longer than the arms of 6’8 Azusa Pacific tackle Luke Marquardt, 6’8 SMU defensive end Margus Hunt, and, in spite of being the shortest offensive lineman at the combine, he was top 10 in terms of arm length, so it won’t be an issue in the NFL.
Warmack is a perfect run blocker. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve never seen an offensive lineman with his on field awareness at the college level. His knowledge of the game is absolutely incredible, he does an amazing job of reading defenses and finding guys to block on run plays, he takes magnificent angles to defenders, he’s always in good position, and he’s always in sync with his teammates blocking the run. A true on field coach. On top of that, his lack of height results in him getting phenomenal leverage as a run blocker, and he also has excellent strength. He has phenomenal balance, he never leans on his hands as a run blocker, his fundamentals and hand placement are perfect, and his excellent body control combined with his knowledge of the game leads to phenomenal success blocking on the run, so, even with poor speed, he’s still above average on guard pulls. He gets a great initial punch, he has phenomenal strength, and he always keeps his head on a swivel. He’s extremely consistent and he always creates a wide base. A true game changer as a run blocker.
Warmack is a dominant pass blocker. Let’s start of with the negatives: he lacks lateral mobility and, once in a blue moon, he’ll play too high and get less than ideal leverage. Other than that he is perfect. He gets an excellent initial punch, his on field awareness is downright incredible, he always keeps his head on a swivel, he does a really good job of picking up blitzes, and he plays with great on field intensity. His fundamentals are pretty much flawless and he does an excellent job of reading defenses. His knowledge of the game is superb and he makes those around him much better players. He’s always in sync with his teammates and does a great job of passing guys off if he sees a blitz. He’s got a little quickness and does an outstanding job of blocking on screens, thanks to his excellent body control, the terrific angles he takes to defenders, the wide base he creates and the great initial punch he gets. He’s truly dominant as a screen blocker and is never intimidated by any strength matchups. He knows how to use his length and he gets great hand placement. He has shown that he can dominate the athletic 4-3 tackles in the SEC like Bennie Logan as well as enormous 3-4 nose tackles in the SEC like Daniel McCullers. Warmack is as good as it gets as a pass blocker.
In the end, you’ve got to love Warmack. I know he’s a guard, but he’s probably the next Steve Hutchinson, and you can build a running attack around a guy like him for years to come. A truly great player.
NFL Comparison: Marshal Yanda
Grade: 99 (worthy of a top 3 pick)
Projection: 98 (will be a top 6 pick)