NFL Prospect Focus: Stanford offensive line
Davis Yankey – Guard – Stanford
Size – 6050e – 313e – 5.28e
Strong Points – Three-year starter, very productive, run block, pass block, use hands, pull, physical and competitive, team co-Captain
Weak Points – Has just average speed for the position, can have some trouble playing in space.
Summation – Yankey is a fourth-year junior and a three-year starter for Stanford. He also is a team co-Captain. He lines up at left guard and is a very productive player for the Cardinal.
Yankey has very good size for a guard and is strong and explosive. There are a lot of plays on tape where you see his opponent’s legs buckle on contact. He is an adequate athlete, showing good feet, bend, and flexibility, but he lacks top speed. This shows up on longer pulls and when trying to get to the second level. He has good snap reaction and initial quickness. He gets to his blocks quickly and, as I stated above, is explosive on contact. He is able to generate movement with his run blocks. He is best when his opponent is head up. He can come off low and drive him off the line. He is also good with angle blocks. He can be inconsistent getting to the second level. He shows he can do it without a problem when it’s an onside play, but he can have trouble getting to his man when he is on the backside of the play. On short pulls, he is very effective, showing he can turn and adjust on the move. On the longer pulls, he lacks the speed to consistently get to the block. He is a very consistent pass blocker who sets quickly and can keep good position. He plays with bend and has a strong punch. He shows he can slide and recover versus moves. He is alert to pick up blitzes and stunts.
Yankey is a very steady player who will be a starter in the NFL very early in his career. He has some athletic limitations, but he is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who goes snap-to-whistle every play. I don’t see him being drafted in the first round, but he could very easily go in the second if his workouts are ok.
Grade – A 6.6
Cameron Fleming – Tackle – Stanford
Size – 6060e – 320e – 5.45e
Strong Points – Is a three-year starter, has great size, long arms, strength, flashes as a run blocker and a pass blocker
Weak Points – Average athlete, not a natural bender, can have trouble with wide speed in pass protection, speed, not really explosive, not consistent with running his feet
Summation – Fleming is a fourth-year junior and a three-year starter at right tackle. He has great size with long arms, but he is an average athlete for the position. He lacks speed (5.45 est), is not a natural knee bender, and has just adequate foot quickness. Still, he is a well-coached, productive, and competitive player.
He plays from both a two-point and three-point stance. He has good snap reaction with adequate initial quickness. He is a little tall in his stance but still comes off low. In the run game, he shows strength, but he is not explosive. He is more of a big pusher than an explosive blocker. He makes good contact, but he often stops his feet and then restarts them. Against lesser competition, he can get away with that, but when he is up against top players, he can get stalemated. Still, with his strength he can generate some movement and flashes being able to turn and seal his opponent. He can be inconsistent getting to the second level because he lacks speed, but he does take good angles. When he gets to his blocks, he can be tough to shed because of his size, long arms, and strength. In pass protection, he doesn’t show consistent set quickness. He can handle a bull rush well because of his size, but he can get a bit straight-legged. When he goes up against speed rushers, he gets beaten off the ball at times and doesn’t have the lateral agility to stay with them consistently. Because he lacks top bend when he gets beaten off the ball, he can have a tendency to bend at the waist and over-extend. His long arms are helpful when this happens. With his average feet and agility, he can have some trouble with counter moves back to the inside. Again, his long arms and good punch help in these situations.
Though he is not a top athlete, he is a competitor and has been well coached. There are similar athletes who are starting and productive players. Fleming is a smart player, and with his competitive nature, he can overcome his limitations. I see him as an eventual starter in the league and a probable mid-round pick (third, fourth round).
Grade – B 6.5
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This story originally appeared on Nationalfootballpost.com
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