Max Tuerk, OL, USC: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

In this era of long touchdown passes, two minute drills, and active scoreboards, versatility among offensive linemen is arguably as coveted as they have ever been. The days of beefy offensive linemen that reach 330+ pounds with very little athleticism have now been replaced with leaner, more agile linemen who roughly find themselves in the 305-315 range.

USC’s Max Tuerk definitely fits the mold of today’s requirements when it comes to desired offensive linemen. What Tuerk brings to the table is versatility and plenty of experience. Let’s take a look at the lineman from Troy.

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Height: 6’5

Weight: 298 lbs

Strengths: Plenty of versatility is offered by Tuerk with five starts at left guard, 14 at left tackle, 13 starts at center, and one start and right tackle throughout his career at USC……Hands measurements at the NFL Combine resulted in 10 3/4 inch hands….Has been seen to effectively maneuver with pulls and sweeps which is ideal for zone blocking offenses….Elite athleticism….Able to move on screen passes and searches for blocks down the field…..Plenty of upside, has not reached his ceiling/potential yet…..Showcases proper hand placement on his blocks, doesn’t resort to holding…..Racked up plenty of experience as Tuerk was a starter since his true freshmen season of 2012.

Weaknesses: Season-ending knee injury in October 2015 caused Tuerk to drop some weight….Not as powerful as many coaching staffs would prefer….Shows an undisciplined trait to lean into his blocks at times which allows him to be vulnerable to several pass rushing moves….The necessity to add bulk also impacts his pass protection as Tuerk needs some refining in that department….Seems to lack a mean streak.

Bottom line: Prior to his 2015 knee injury, Tuerk was well on his way to be established as an intriguing day two selection as his versatility was a little complex to ignore. The knee injury set him back in numerous facets, one in particular is the issue of dropping a considerable amount of weight.

While his tape shows a linemen with plenty of ability, it is absolutely vital that Tuerk applies some bulk in order for him to be a complete asset to a team. With the proper amount of bulk, Tuerk can be a component in a zone-blocking scheme with his athleticism. Tuerk stills offers intrigue and one team is going to see the potential and grab an overall solid offensive lineman.

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