MICHIGAN OT JAKE LONG SCOUTING REPORT

Height: 6-7, Weight: 320

Weaknesses: Jake Long has had some difficulties at times with off the edge speed rushers…Vernon Gholston may have highlighted some chinks in Jake Long’s armor when he racked up 3 sacks against him in the last regular season game…will have to refine his technique to be a dominant force at the next level…is such a large athlete that it is imperative for him to improve his footwork…the defensive ends in the National Football League get off the line of scrimmage with a burst that many rookies are not prepared for, so Long must work on his quickness in order for the speed rushers not to get the corner on him…


Strengths: Jake Long is one of the better offensive tackle prospects in some time…Long can step in and play left tackle immediately…extremely strong…has an excellent pedigree, and has several years of experience against top competition…ideal frame…plays with an aggressiveness that GMs and scouts like to see …Jake Long is as adapt at run blocking just as he is as pass blocking…a determined player who works to finish every play


Overall: Jake Long is one of the elite talents in the 2008 NFL Draft. Prototypical left tackles are such a coveted commodity in the NFL Draft, so it would be very unlikely for Jake Long to slip outside of the top five selections overall. Long is an aggressive, mean player with terrific natural strength. He should be able to transition to the NFL level as a left tackle, but he is not quite the natural athlete some teams seek. However, the same criticism was leveled at Joe Thomas, and we all saw how that worked out. One of the main reasons Bill Parcells left the Dallas Cowboys’ organization was because of the uncertainty in the Cowboys’ offensive line. It has been said and it is known that Bill Parcells is a defensive guy, but I think he realizes the importance of the offensive line too. Jake Long is the best left tackle to offer in this draft and don’t think Bill Parcells will hesitate to go with him as the first pick.