2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: IOL Cole Strange, UT Chattanooga
Cole Strange, IOL
Height: 6’6
Weight: 305 lbs
Class: RS Senior
School: UT Chattanooga
A small school guard at the FCS level who was a four-year starter from Knoxville, Tennessee that attended Farragut High School. Strange is an older offensive lineman prospect who used the sixth-year eligibility to return to Chattanooga due to COVID-19. He had 33 starts out of 38 games.
He will be attending the Reese’s Senior Bowl in January. Strange is a three-time Academic All-SoCon selection who played most of his collegiate snaps at left guard. He was a freshman All-American in 2017, where he only allowed two pressures.
He grades well in Pro Football Focus. He only had 12 total pressures allowed in 511 pass-blocking snaps throughout his four years in school. He also never allowed a sack. However, the competition level will be more difficult at the Senior Bowl.
Strengths
- Tall with length
- Good movement skills in space
- Quick feet, smooth over
- Able to mirror in pass protection
- Hips to seal in the run game, good overall flexibility
- Good ACE climb ability to second level
- Did well against SEC schools (Kentucky 2021, Tennessee 2019)
- Despite height, drives off the ball low when run blocking
- Anchor is adequate when he maintains low profile
- Plays with good effort, driving legs through contact
- Grip is solid when he fits his hands
- Very hard worker, a competitively tough player
- Always looking for work
- Finished 2021 season with two games at LT
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Can Improve
- Allows pad level to get high after initiating contact
- Doesn’t have a ton of pop in his hands
- Too lean, needs to bulk up
- Average strength, may not be able to consistently win against better competition
- Would like to see a bit more violence
Summary
Overall, Strange has a lot to gain throughout the draft process. A strong Senior Bowl, followed by good testing during the combine and pro day events, could lead to a significant jump in his draft stock.
We have recently seen players like Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz, Hobart’s Ali Marpet, and St. John’s Ben Bartch take significant jumps in their draft stock because of their performance at the Senior Bowl. Strange will look to replicate those players’ efforts. I currently have him as a late Day 3 selection.
GRADE: 5.8
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