Via Last Word On Pro Football, by John Bava
Overview
Position: Offensive tackle
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 297 pounds
School: Utah Utes
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.95 seconds (second among offensive linemen)
Vertical jump: 28 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 7 inches (best among offensive linemen)
Three-cone drill: 7.29 seconds (best among offensive linemen)
20-yard shuttle: 4.55 seconds (second among offensive linemen)
Garett Bolles 2017 NFL Draft Profile
Every year, there are those prospects who initially took the junior college route before emerging at a bigger program. Garett Bolles falls into this category. The native of Lehi, UT spent two years at Snow College near his hometown, earning JuCo All-American honors as a sophomore.
His exploits at that level put D-I schools on notice. It also drew rave reviews in recruiting circles. Scout.com rated Bolles as the top junior college prospect in the nation heading into last season. In the end, he decided to stay in-state and committed to Utah. And in 2016, he made an immediate impact on one of college football’s fiercest offensive lines.
Bolles started all 13 games for the Utes last year, earning a spot on the all-Pac 12 first team in the process. He wasn’t the only player on the line to receive recognition either. His teammate Isaac Asiata made the all-conference second team. Both appeared at the Combine along with two other Utah linemen, Sam Tevi and J.J. Dielman.
Strengths
- probably the most naturally athletic offensive lineman in this year’s draft.
- quick and violent with his hands on initial contact.
- excellent footwork flaring laterally in pass protection.
- keeps torso and feet square to blocking target.
- nice initial burst into the second level when run blocking.
- fierce competitor who plays all the way to the whistle.
- durable player who featured in 891 snaps for Utah last year.
- turned in one of the best Combine performances at his position.
Weaknesses
- might need to add a bit of thickness.
- plays with a narrow base at times which leads to issues maintaining balance.
- needs to incorporate more knee bend.
- physical edge rushers can win the leverage battle against him.
- can get caught in no man’s land when zone blocking.
- slow to key in on target when pulling towards the opposite end of the field.
- undersized hands at 9 3/8 inches.
- just a single year of D-I football.
NFL Comparison: Jake Matthews
Teams With Need at Position: Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Middle to late first round
Bottom Line
Bolles already projected as a top tackle prospect even before the Combine. It’s a reason he declared for the draft after his junior season. But he certainly gave his draft stock a significant boost with the numbers he put up in Indianapolis.
That said, his dearth of top-level college football experience is a concern. He played just a single season at Utah before foregoing his remaining eligibility and putting his name into the NFL Draft hat. That might make teams in the middle of the first round with depth needs at tackle think twice before taking him early.
But his superb lateral quickness and overall raw athleticism make him as prized a commodity as you’re going to find this year. Though he’ll need to get in the weight room and add to his core strength, the potential is there for Bolles to blossom into a starting caliber left tackle in this league. If so, it could earn him a lot of money in free agency down the road.
