Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report
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The offensive tackle class of the 2016 NFL Draft is top heavy with stand-out players such as Mississippi’s Laremy Tunsil, Ohio State’s Taylor Decker, and Michigan State’s Jack Conklin. The first round will probably be the landing zone for those three tackles and another one may join them as well. Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley has seen his name in the top 15 range for the past several months and some have him firmly in the top 10. Today, we’ll put Stanley under the microscope and highlight his strengths and weaknesses.
Measurables
Height: 6’6
Weight: 315 lbs
Strengths: Stanley is a brick wall with excellent arm length….Active, fluid footwork will make defenders work a little harder to get around him….The athleticism is pretty easy to notice……Knows where to place his hands on run blocks and drives the legs…..Able to latch on defenders and rarely relinquishes his blocks….Ability to get to the next level of the defense with solid quickness for his size….Did I mention how huge this guy is?…..39 starts the last three seasons…..Displays good discipline at recognizing blitzes and defensive line stunts.
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Weaknesses: The word “finesse” has been attached to Stanley for a while now….Tends to play upright at times and not keep a natural bend….Doesn’t display consistent aggressiveness for a guy his size and skills….He even shows a tendency to lunge at blocks which is odd due to his standout size and arm length….Pass protection and run blocking techniques can use a little more polish.
Final Take: Watch the film and you’ll see a future left tackle in Stanley. He has slight similarities to Tyron Smith of the Dallas Cowboys in terms of arm length and athleticism. However, don’t confuse the two as Stanley is not in the same category as Smith. Occasionally, you will see some finesse to his overall game which may not fit initially on run heavy teams. There are some teams in the top 10 that could use Stanley and more than likely, he’s the second offensive tackle drafted after Tunsil. He’s an asset right now in pass protection and could use some refining in pass pro and run blocking. Overall, Stanley will be a solid addition to whatever team takes him.