Chandler Zavala NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Carolina Panthers' IOL
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 322
HAND: 10 3/8"
ARM: 33"
WINGSPAN: 80 5/8"
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: TBD
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Wide-bodied frame with good play strength to cover up first-level defenders, hold the point and create lateral displacement on angle-drive and combo blocks before working his body into positions to cut off, seal and create alleys.
— Creates sudden jolt at the point of attack to halt movement, with enough core strength to brace and set a firm anchor once he establishes first meaningful contact.
— Does a solid job setting inside-out on rushers to force them outside and not overset against inside counters.
— Maintains levels with proper spacing and timing passing off and picking up basic line games and stunts.
— Adequate big-man balance to square up, engulf and wall off linebacker run-throughs when engaged and uncovered.
NEGATIVES
— Below-average use of hands and strike timing, which results in him being late and off-target with his punch.
— Takes inconsistent angles to targets when on the move and is tardy coming to balance in space, resulting in an unreliable hit rate as a puller and on screens.
— Struggles adjusting his aiming points and maintaining his posture against sudden post-snap movement across his face from gap exchanges, leading to him getting overextended.
2023 STATISTICS
— 12 starts at left guard
NOTES
— Former 0-star interior offensive line recruit out of Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Virginia.
— Played only one year of high school football after playing soccer and basketball his first three years
— Spent four years at Division II Fairmont State University and made 20 starts at left guard before transferring to N.C. State prior to the 2021 season
— Missed the final seven games of the 2021 season due to a back injury that required surgery
— 17 career starts at NC State, all at left guard
— Turns 24 years old on April 2
— Invited to the East-West Shrine Game
— Was not invited to the combine
OVERALL
Chandler Zavala is a two-year starter inside NC State's balanced, wide/tight zone-based run scheme. All 17 of his starts came at left guard, including 12 last season. Zavala has a wide-bodied frame and a thick, all-around build with solid length and athletic ability.
Zavala is most effective in the run game, where he creates lateral displacement and walls off interior run defenders on tight zone base blocks and wide zone combo blocks. He isn't overly powerful, but he has good upper-body strength and contact balance to establish quick control before straining and sealing off rushing lanes.
Zavala struggles to adjust his aiming points post-snap to track and connect on post-snap movement, which leaves him overextended. He takes inconsistent angles to targets when on the move and is tardy coming to balance in space, which results in an unreliable hit rate as a puller and on screens.
Zavala has good footwork and body positioning in pass protection to stay inside-out and square up tight 3- and 2i-techniques with a quick, firm anchor to brace, redirect force up and halt movement. He has a strong clench and grip strength once latched, but his timing and location tends to arrive late and down the middle, which create soft edges against well-timed swipes and chops from wider alignments (Ex: vs. Clemson DT Ruke Orhorhoro). Zavala does a nice job maintaining levels with proper spacing, timing and recognition of basic line games and stunts while providing thump on adjacent rushers when uncovered.
Overall, Zavala is an older guard prospect who needs technical refinement on his hand use and angles on the move. But he has a stout, wide-bodied frame and build with starter-level play strength, a quick anchor and good spatial awareness, all of which should allow him to earn a backup guard role with starting potential within his first contract.
GRADE: 7.0 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter)
OVERALL RANK: 84
POSITION RANK: IOL8
PRO COMPARISON: Kevin Dotson
Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn
