UCLA Football: NFL Draft Profiles-Offensive Tackle Connor McDermott

With draft season in full swing, GoJoeBruin.com breaks down each potential 2017 UCLA Football NFL draft prospect, starting with OT Conor McDermott.

2016 was not the most kind to the UCLA Football faithful. The Bruins failed to secure a bowl game and finished with their worst record yet under Head Coach Jim Mora Jr. (4-8). It is difficult to understand how a team filled with NFL Draft prospects could have such a disastrous season but then we must remind ourselves that this is a team sport and not won by individuals alone.

Despite that disclaimer, this season had a silver lining by producing a number of players who have the talent to make it to the next level. I will only be detailing players I believe have a draftable grade but that in no way should diminish any UCLA Football players who become Undrafted Free Agents. More often than not those players make writers like me eat their words and I’ll be happy to do it.

Kicking off our UCLA Draft Profiles we take a look at former UCLA Football left tackle Connor McDermott.

Positives

Listed at 6-9, 310 lbs. with 34-inch arms, McDermott possesses the physical frame you’d concoct in a lab when you’re talking left tackles. He’s athletic and actually made the first start of his career as a blocking tight end with UCLA as a sophomore and then went on to start the final seven games at left tackle in the 2014 season.

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Blessed with quick feet and a solid kick slide, McDermott seems to be a natural blindside protector.

Upon closer inspection however, there are some holes in his game.

Negatives

Despite his large frame, McDermott is not a road grader and instead uses his frame to wall off defenders rather than bury them. The same can be said for his pass protection that too often allows pass rushers to get into his chest instead of using his long arms to keep them at bay.

Although he has a decent kick slide, he struggled mightily against inside moves. The quickest route to a QB is inside and a left tackle that has trouble with inside moves is not often long for the NFL.

Perhaps the greatest chance the draft world had to see McDermott was UCLA’s Sept. 2nd matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies. The marquee battle to watch was the Bruins’ left tackle against projected top 5 pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Myles Garrett.

It was a battle the UCLA faithful wished they didn’t watch.

Garrett’s speed and strength overwhelmed McDermott from the get go. The UCLA gameplan also did not give help to the left tackle which was strange given the almost legendary status Garrett had achieved prior to this game.

As the season progressed McDermott’s play never seemed to match his 2015 play but he bounced back from that game to lead a much maligned offensive line.

He was invited to the Senior Bowl but didn’t have a great week and was exposed in pass protection drills.

Final Analysis and Projection

Coming into the 2016 season I had McDermott as a rising prospect in the offensive tackle class that wasn’t too deep. I thought if he had continued to develop as a tackle and learn to really use his length and athleticism he could earn early round consideration.

However his play this season exposed some of his flaws and while he was always a little lighter, his lack of punishing power and the tendency to allow rushers to get into his chest were major red flags for scouts.

He has great length a frame most offensive line coaches dream of. While still young, McDermott has to improve by leaps and bounds in order to crack a starting lineup.

In my opinion the earliest we could see McDermott taken is the late third to the fifth round. He will likely never develop into a power offensive lineman or be able to move inside to guard given his large frame that could be a major liability inside.

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A team looking to develop offensive line talent for the future especially that focuses on a quick passing game would suit his talents.

Projected Team Pick-Washington Redskins