Blake Freeland Might Be an Ideal Fit in the Commanders New Offense

Blake Freeland, OT

School: BYU | Conference: Independents

College Experience: Senior | Age: 23

Height / Weight: 6’8” / 302 lbs

Projected Draft Status: 3rd-5th Round

Player Comparison: Kolton Miller

Player Overview

It shouldn’t be surprising that Blake Freeland broke the record for highest vertical jump at the combine. He was a standout athlete in basketball, shot put, javelin, and football. Recruited by a number of schools, he chose to play at BYU where his parents were athletes. His freshman year, he started seven games for the Cougars at right tackle. He increased that to eight games the next year with the line allowing the eight least sacks in the country. He flipped to the left side for his junior and senior seasons, earning third-team AP All-American honors in his last season.

Strengths

• Massive frame that is hard for defenders to get around or through
• Above average athleticism he uses to mirror, pull, and reach block
• Long arms and grip strength keep him attached to pass rushers
• Good awareness, especially when handling stunts and twists

Weaknesses

• Tendency to play too high in his stance and allow defenders to get under his pads
• Punch don’t have stopping power
• Lacks agility to turn and torque defenders effectively
• Can overset in pass protection and let rushers beat him inside

Let’s see his work

How he fits on the Commanders

Blake Freeland’s athletic profile compares favorably to a lot of talented tackles in the league. On tape, you see a massive man who moves well and, even when he’s out of position, can compensate with his length. Does Freeland make sense for he Commanders? If the team will use more zone schemes and gap schemes in the run game, Freeland would be a good candidate if the team wants an offensive tackle later in the draft. He’d be closer to being a starter if that was the case. Even if they are committed to more power runs, Freeland can hold his own but needs to get stronger to consistently move defenders. He’d be an option to serve as a swing tackle with the potential to start at right tackle.