Chance Warmack 2013 NFL Draft scouting report

Throughout the college football season, fans had to listed to the craziest argument in all of sports. Could Alabama beat an NFL team? While the answer is a resounding no, players like Chance Warmack are to blame for the argument even being presented.

Warmack was a man amongst boys in nearly every game he played over the last couple of seasons. He’s built like a house, wears his jersey too small to reveal his gut and is able to engage linebackers in the running game before they even know what to do with themselves.

Pound for pound, he may be the best prospect in this draft class. Positional value is another matter, but few prospects will grade as highly as Warmack does.

Pros:

While many will first point to Warmack’s strength and some of the eye-popping blocks he made this season, his most impressive trait to me is his consistent technique. In fact, I’ve never seen anyone quite as technically sound at the position. Warmack always plays with ideal pad level, getting lower that his counterpart and using that leverage to open holes in the running game. He’s smart with his blocks, attacking the proper shoulder and makes very few mistakes.

Warmack is also an outstanding athlete. He pulls with ease, but it’s his body control in space that is even more impressive. Warmack is very light on his feet and slides well in pass protection. There is a smoothness to his game that stands out at his position. He also has the natural strength for the position.

Cons:

While the cons are tough to find in Warmack’s game, they do exist. He is a strong player, but he will need to keep getting stronger once in the NFL to be able to sustain the leverage he plays with in college. He’s slightly shorter than what would be considered ideal for a guard, thus the need for even more strength. Given his technique, he should have no trouble playing with leverage in the NFL.

Warmack also struggles occasionally with bull rushers. This was evident in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia’s John Jenkins. Warmack ad a tough time keeping his base and anchoring when Jenkins got lower than him.

Conclusion:

Chance Warmack is every bit worth a top 15 pick. After watching a handful of his games, it’s clear that he has the potential to be a difference-maker on the interior of the offensive line. In a day and age when teams are bringing more and more pressure up the middle, Warmack’s awareness and athleticism will be coveted on draft day. I don’t expect him to come off the board in the top five, but somewhere in the 10-15 range would make a lot of sense.

The comparison is admittedly a lofty one, but it’s tough to find players with Warmack’s combination of athleticism and high-level technique. Nicks, obviously, has both, as he has become one of the best guards in the NFL. Warmack has a chance to do the same.

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