Blake Freeland 2023 NFL Draft Profile
The beauty of the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine is those are two events where a player from a smaller school can show up, show out and improve his draft stock. You can argue one of those players who were a huge winner coming out of the combine was BYU’s Blake Freeland. Freeland tested very well, but what does his draft profile look like? Let’s talk about it.
Blake Freeland didn’t even start his college football career at tackle. In 2019, as a true freshman, he started the final seven games at tight end and defensive end. In 2020, he made the move to right tackle, starting eight of 11 games before making the move to left tackle in 2021, starting all 26 games there since. In 2022, he would finish third-team AP All-American at LT.
I was at the Senior Bowl this year, and I share the same sentiment as Trey does that Freeland had moments where he looked good, but he didn’t wow anyone. That wasn’t until the combine. Trey noted that Freeland has great feet and looks very light moving around. As I mentioned before, he tested out of this world, almost setting a record for the 10-yard split. If you want to read more, click here.
You can’t teach size, and Blake Freeland has it in spades. He’s 6-foot-8 and over three bills, he is what you are looking for in a left tackle. His short speed and length make him great in zone-blocking schemes, as he gets out on reach blocks. He also holds his own in pass pro, using an aggressive punch and his length to his advantage. His upper and lower body seem to be one when standing up defenders. Plus, he has the flexibility to play either tackle, which is clutch in today’s NFL.
While he *can* hold his own in pass pro, that is a big area he can improve upon. He loses matchups with big-time power ends. He has this elite-level short-yard speed but gets lost getting up to the next level. I mentioned his punch, but he needs to work on accuracy as his sloppy hands at times get him into trouble. And his hips are a little stiff.
I think Blake Freeland has the raw tools and measurements NFL teams can work with. Just clean up a few things and polish him up, and you have a solid tackle on your hands. He gets a day-two grade from me. I think he probably finds his way into the back half of the second round.
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