Emil Ekiyor

Pos: IOL

School: Alabama

Ht. 6’2″ 

Wt. 314

Games Watched: Tennessee, Texas, LSU

One Liner: Fundamentally sound lineman who wins with technique, football IQ, and athleticism

Strengths: 

  • Very good technique at the POA. Ekiyor plays with good pad level and hand placement against pass rushers. He rarely lets rushers get their hands in his chest, and is quick to bring his hands up. He plays with good usage and placement in his upper body, with good core strength to hold up against bigger guys. 
  • Good football IQ. Ekiyor has good football IQ, and repeatedly picked up twists and stunts against LSU in 2022. He has a good knack for identifying stunts and rushers wrapping around inside to attack. He keeps his head on a swivel, and should be good at picking up unique defensive line tactics at the next level.
  • Good athleticism. Ekiyor has solid athleticism, and is a good mover with his feet in the running game. He has solid lateral agility, nothing exceptional, and plays fluidly and somewhat nimbly. 
  • Good range. Ekiyor plays with good range, and is not too wild in his movements. He is controlled and will not overextend on his toes. He is able to move downfield and locate work at second levels with good timing. 

Weaknesses:

  • Adequate strength. Ekiyor lacks the core strength to hold up against bull rushers. Rushers with momentum can take advantage and are able to drive Ekiyor back on their rushes. 
  • Adequate size. Ekiyor is a bit shorter and lighter than what you would expect out of an ideal guard. This contributes to his vulnerability to speed/bull rushers in the passing game. 

Overall Assessment: Emil Ekiyor is a fundamentally sound and technically clean prospect, who doens’t stand out in one particular category. He plays with good upperbody technique at the point of attack and has good foundational football IQ that allows him to identify tricky defensive line fronts and twists. He is a solid athlete, but won’t be a consistent winner in the pros due to athletic traits. Ekiyor should look to add some more weight, which I think will work really well in his favor, and continue to develop his core strength to hold up against bigger rushers coming in with momentum. 

Scheme Fit: Zone blocking guard that could thrive in a man scheme with some added bulk.

Pick Projection: Late Round 3 – Early Round 4

Grade: 6.21