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Round 5 (#143) Selection: OT Brad Butler


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SUMMARY

 

Butler was a tough player to evaluate, because despite being stiff and lacking quick feet, he has good balance and can stay on his feet and maintain blocks out in space much better than most limited athletes. He has the height and long arms teams like, and when he becomes more consistent punching the defense end, he will be a good pass protector in the NFL. He will always have trouble handling the explosive speed rusher, but better hand use will help him improve in all other areas. He is an effective positional run blocker, who can seal his man off from the play along the line of scrimmage, and can get through to block effectively on the second level. Overall, even though he is not a good athlete, he will remind folks of the Eagles' Jon Runyan on film. He really looks and plays a lot like Runyan did when he came out of Michigan. Butler is going to enter the NFL expected to be a backup by most, but by his second or third season, he will become a solid starting tackle who does a solid job, but is not dominant. His combination of height, long arms, toughness, competitiveness and efficiency gives him the best chance at becoming a starting NFL right tackle.

 

STRONG POINTS

 

Butler is a tall tackle, with the long arms to be very effective in pass protection when he punches the defensive end and gets arm-extension. He can seal the end inside on outside runs, and can drive a defender down the line of scrimmage on down/side blocks. He is surprisingly quick getting through the line of scrimmage to the second level, seal blocks the linebacker, and can stay on and maintain his blocks in space better than expected. He can make the mini-pull around the tight end to chip block the force linebacker out of the play.

 

WEAKNESSES

 

Butler is a limited athlete, who lacks the foot quickness to slide out fast enough to protect the edge from explosive speed rushers. Additionally, he struggles to change directions and slide back inside quick enough to cut off the quick inside pass-rush move. He is stiff in the hips, and cannot bend his knees to run block with leverage, which hinders his ability to get movement on run blocks. He needs to greatly improve his footwork. He has a bad habit of picking up his left foot and putting it back down in the exact same spot right after the snap, and this false step slows him down to where he cannot get out to protect the corner.

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Scouts Inc.

 

Strengths: Plays with a mean streak, is physical at the point of attack and works to the whistle on every snap. Takes good angles to blocks and keeps legs driving after making contact. Has a very long reach, gets into pass set fairly quickly and generally does a good job of riding edge rushers past the pocket. Has adequate lateral mobility and flashes the ability to redirect inside after starting outside.

 

Weaknesses: Doesn't plays with great leverage, lacks ideal lower body strength and will struggle to get movement working against bigger defensive in the NFL. Doesn't have great range, doesn't play under control in space and has some problems adjusting to the moving target at the second level. Doesn't get great knee bend in pass set, doesn't play with a great base and has some problems holding ground working against bull rushers. While character doesn't appear to be a significant issue at this point Virginia suspended him for a game during the 2005 season.

 

Overall: Butler started one of the 12 games he appeared in during his true freshman season in 2002. He started all 13 games at right tackle during the 2003 season and he started all 13 games of the 2004 season. Butler started eight games at right tackle and two games at left tackle during the 2005 season but Virginia also suspended him a game for an illegal chop block. Butler isn't fundamentally sound, which is concern considering he was a three-year starter at the collegiate level. However, he has adequate size, he is an aggressive run blocker and he has enough athletic ability to develop into an adequate pass blocker. As such, Butler is worth taking a chance on in the final two rounds of the 2006 NFL draft.

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SUMMARY

 

 

 

WEAKNESSES

 

Butler is a limited athlete, who lacks the foot quickness to slide out fast enough to protect the edge from explosive speed rushers. Additionally, he struggles to change directions and slide back inside quick enough to cut off the quick inside pass-rush move. He is stiff in the hips, and cannot bend his knees to run block with leverage, which hinders his ability to get movement on run blocks. He needs to greatly improve his footwork. He has a bad habit of picking up his left foot and putting it back down in the exact same spot right after the snap, and this false step slows him down to where he cannot get out to protect the corner.

678205[/snapback]

Sounds like he can throw a lot of look-out blocks. "Look Out!!!!"

 

:)

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