Braeden Daniels NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Washington Commanders' IOL

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 294

HAND: 9 3/8"

ARM: 33"

WINGSPAN: TBD

40-YARD DASH: 4.99

3-CONE: 7.53

SHUTTLE: 4.6

VERTICAL: 30.5"

BROAD: 9'1"

POSITIVES

— Twitched-up mover with very good initial quickness to close space on defenders in a flash

— Explodes out of his stance using angle- and flat-pass sets to eliminate space and reach his landmark first against widely aligned pass-rushers

— Has the necessary foot quickness to expand his landmarks and mirror rushers up the arc

— Can deliver jolting strikes on defenders to dent and halt movement

— Uses high-level burst and quickness to track down smaller targets on the move, fit and create lanes off of his backside

— Flashes the ability to play long in the run game to create lateral displacement on zone combo blocks before timely releasing and picking off scraping backers

— Proven versatility with double-digit starts at three different positions

NEGATIVES

— Wildly inconsistent strike timing and hand placement leads to repeatedly being late and off-target

— Low hand carriage with a windup before his punch that leaves him tardy at the point of attack

— Minimal grip strength that leads to defenders shedding off his grasp with ease

— Late in his anchor with high pad level and marginal stopping power puts him on his heels against power

— Regularly beat clean across his face in the run and pass game

2022 STATISTICS

— 14 starts at left tackle

— First team All-Pac 12 selection

NOTES

— Former 3-star offensive tackle recruit out of Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas

— Standout in track and field at Hebron, finishing third in the district in the shot put in 2017

— 43 career starts split across left guard (18), left tackle (14) and right tackle (11)

— Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham referred to Daniels as the 'Swiss Army knife' of the O-line for his versatility

OVERALL

Braeden Daniels is a four-year starter at three different positions, most recently starting 14 games at left tackle in 2022 inside Utah's zone-based run scheme with an approximately 55-45 run-pass split. Daniels has an athletic, lean build with adequate length and is a twitched-up mover with very good initial quickness and burst.

Daniels fires off of the line to cut space on widely aligned rushers in a flash, beating them to the spot with coiled hips, low pad level and holstered hands. He has a winding punch that is often late to target, but when it lands, it packs some heat to jolt and stun the defender. Daniels' foot quickness allows him to run rushers up the arc when they utilize basic speed moves, and he incorporates bait and snatch techniques to keep rushers guessing. Daniels struggles with strike timing and location, leading to him opening his hips early against rushers and routinely losing cleanly across his face. This also leads to an exposed chest and easy access into his frame making it so defenders can walk him back into the pocket. Daniels is also easily shed inside at the top of the QB's drop with a lack of awareness of his positioning relative to the QB, resulting in a lack of control at the top of the pocket.

In the run game Daniels closes space quickly on frontside kick-outs and can get in front of defenders on cut-offs, but his pads rise on contact with minimal grip strength that leaves him grasping at air and getting slipped far too often for quick penetration. Daniels has some decent power in his hands to stun defenders and feed interior rushers over on combo blocks as the 'drive man' with a quick trigger up to the second level to intersect and wall off backers. Daniels can also track, align and wall off targets effectively as a puller leading in the run game.

Overall, Daniels is unrefined and unreliable with his technique and ability to control blocks, but he has very good quickness, burst, decent power in his hands and proven versatility to offer upside as a stash-and-develop piece for a practice squad that can potentially contribute down the road.

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 185

POSITION RANK: IOL18

PRO COMPARISON: Dawson Deaton

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn