Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State: 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Pat Elflein has a chance to be one of the top interior offensive linemen in the 2017 NFL draft. Does his scouting report back up that possibility?

Position:  C

School:  Ohio State

Year:  Senior

Height:  6’3″

Weight:  300 lbs

History:

Elflein was a premier athlete at his high school. Not only did he excel in football and wrestling, but also track and field too. After an injury-plagued start to his college career, he emerged as a quality piece at guard while helping the Buckeyes win their first national championship since 2002. Then he got to showcase his versatility by successfully switch to center as a senior.

STRENGTHS:

• Shows good athleticism and agility. Able to pull out and deliver effective trap blocks while also swing outside to lead the way for his running backs.
• Footwork really shows up in pass protection. Defensive lineman aren’t going to shoot gaps on him. When hand use is good he’s not allowing much pressure at all.

Being able to move in space is becoming essential for modern NFL centers. That means being able to pull out and deliver trap blocks on the edge. Elflein showcases that ability well against Clemson. He snaps the ball and is out of his stance quick, identifies the free defender and gets his body on him without any hesitation. The runner finds his way through the wide open lane for a big play. That is textbook style.

• Anchor is solid. Even if somebody gets the initial bull rush on him, he has the ability to reestablish position without surrendering too much ground.
• He has enough lower body strength to generate movement in the ground game. Would help even more if he could add more strength in the arms and upper torso.
• Plenty of quickness and vision to reach the second level on running plays, often being in good position to spring his backs for huge gains.
• Zero problems snapping the football. Ohio State operated from shotgun all the time and there were few errant snaps at all during his time as starter.

WEAKNESSES:

• Not always the aggressor on some plays. Can be nasty at time but not all the time. Sometimes doesn’t finish his blocks, allowing defenders to sneak past him for the tackle.
• Inconsistent with his hand use. More polished defensive lineman have often set him up for some nasty moves that have left his quarterback dead to rights.
• Size overall isn’t a huge issue but his limited arm length could prove to be a problem against the long defensive linemen he’s sure to see at the pro level.
• Really struggles blocking in space. Several times when getting to the second level or on trap blocks he took a noticeably bad angle to get the defender.
• Indecisive at times with where he’s going to deliver his block. Leads one to believe he’s not always clear on who his blocking assignment is.

Pro Comparison:  Alex Mack

When the Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl center entered the league he was followed by concerns of technique issues such as lunging and poor blocking angles in space. Put him in a phone booth though where it was one-on-one and he wasn’t giving up any ground. Over time Mack got over those problems anyway. The same will probably be true for Elflein. In a few years he could be one of the best 5-6 best centers in the game.

Projection:  2nd Round

Elflein is the best center in this draft but his talent and developments don’t scream 1st round in any sense. He’s a solid Day 2 pick all the way. That doesn’t mean he won’t be an instant starter. He should be and the team who gets him will at least have somebody to anchor the middle of their line for the next 5-10 seasons. If he refines the rest of his game? He’ll be a Pro Bowler.