Will Hernandez is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2018 NFL Draft. He’s going to be selected in one of the first two rounds, and for good reason.
Will Hernandez is an absolute unit. Look at the size of this lad, and also how fun he is.
The pride of UTEP is a player everybody can get behind.
Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Hernandez played his college football at UTEP — not exactly a perennial contender in the college football realm. In fact, it’s the hardest coaching gig in college football right now.
UTEP going 0-12 last season could have led Hernandez to put things in cruise control early on, but he still put the pedal to the metal.
“It was never an option for me just to throw in the towel or just give up on the season just because we were losing games or we hadn’t won,” he said at the NFL Combine. “Even though it was the worst feeling ever, I could never live with myself knowing that I just gave up. If you’re gonna do that, you might as well not even be there.”
He takes that good attitude off the field as well.
He knows the importance of a good throne.
One of the biggest questions that people ask newly drafted NFL players is what their first purchase will be. For many, it’s cars, a house, jewelry, or other lavish things.
But Hernandez has his sights set on something very specific, and he doesn’t care how much it’s going to cut into that first check.
Hernandez knows the value of a clean tush.
He’s very strong. And we’re not just talking bench reps here, either.
Offensive linemen are strong individuals who could pick up humans like it’s no problem. But Hernandez went up against UCLA QB Josh Rosen here (not really) and not only picked up him, but ran with him like it was nothing:
Rosen is listed at 6’4, 218 pounds. That’s not exactly a small person. That’s a full-sized NFL quarterback. Hernandez made him seem like a toddler.
If your team needs an emergency kicker, he’s your guy.
Ever since extra points were moved back, kickers seem less automatic than ever. Even some of the best now look human on 33-yard extra points.
So depending on where he lands, perhaps he can be the team’s emergency kicker. He knocked down a 40-yarder in practice at UTEP once:
Listen, after all the kicking woes the Bucs have had, perhaps they could risk an early pick on the guy.
He takes chicken wings seriously.
As evidenced by his Twitter bio, Hernandez 1) loves chicken wings and 2) prefers traditional over boneless. Perhaps Buffalo or Cincinnati wouldn’t be a terrible fit for him, because of this.
Hernandez has the makings of a great offensive lineman with his skills. He bullies players on the line, and as our own Dan Kadar mentions, he “looks like he just stepped out of 1988” with his neck roll and nasty demeanor. But all the fun off-the-field stuff makes him seem like he could be a player we’ll all enjoy for years to come.
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