Overview
Position: Center
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 303 pounds
School: Texas A&M Aggies
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.89 seconds (best among offensive linemen)
Bench press: 29 reps
Vertical jump: 31 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 1 inch
Three-cone drill: 8.28 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.62 seconds
Erik McCoy 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Despite earning second-team all-state honors in the talent-rich state that Texas is, Erik McCoy didn’t receive much interest from major college programs. The two-star recruit out of Lufkin, TX received just two Power Five scholarship offers from Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. He eventually committed to the former and would subsequently embark on a collegiate career that proved he should’ve been more sought after out of high school.
After redshirting, McCoy made a good enough impression on previous Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin that he was immediately inserted into the starting lineup. McCoy repaid that faith in spades as he impressed mightily in his college debut against UCLA. In fact, his performance in the 31-24 win was good enough to earn SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week recognition. He eventually started all 13 games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
He carried that momentum into his redshirt sophomore season where he once again made 13 starts. In addition to playing center, he also kicked outside to guard for two games. One year later, first-year head coach Jimbo Fisher recognized McCoy’s leadership by naming him a team captain. Once again, he started every game for the Aggies and played a prominent role in running back Trayveon Williams leading the SEC in rushing. Among the honors McCoy garnered at season’s end was the Texas A&M Offensive MVP as well as the Strength and Conditioning Offensive Aggie Award.
Strengths
- well-built frame with long arms and thickness in lower body;
- effortless quick set in pass protection;
- delivers a potent punch to jar defender at the point of attack;
- a competitor who plays with a mean streak;
- exhibits good body control when sliding over to protect A-gaps;
- controlled footwork enables him to recover when initially beaten;
- a consistent sustainer of blocks who plays to the whistle;
- able to keep defenders in check when combo blocking on double teams;
- brought his A-game against some of this year’s top interior defender prospects;
- should lead by example in the weight room;
- immensely experienced, having started 39 consecutive games in college.
Weaknesses
- sacrifices a little base leverage by playing with not enough knee bend;
- can get overwhelmed by bull rush from defenders playing at the zero;
- not particularly functional when pulling to the outside;
- a bit limited in terms of scheme versatility;
- inconsistent as a second-level blocker;
- Combine testing suggests high-level straight-line quickness but underwhelming lateral athleticism;
NFL Comparison: Billy Price
Teams With Need at Position: Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets
Projection: Second round
Bottom Line
McCoy started every single game he played in during his collegiate career. That, in and of itself, reflects rather positively on him especially given that it came in the ultra-competitive SEC. An intense competitor who plays with physicality and aggressiveness, McCoy held his own against day one defensive line talent such as Quinnen Williams and Dexter Lawrence. He seamlessly quick sets in pass pro and consistently finishes and sustains his blocks on run downs.
Among the things he needs to improve upon are playing in a more leveraged position and being a better finisher when blocking in the second level. There are also some concerns regarding his play strength when dealing with power rushes from big, physical one-techs. Though his 40 time was incredibly impressive, his metrics in the events that test lateral quickness were below average. It suggests he could have issues managing his gaps against elite speed.
Putting it all together, McCoy certainly projects as a player who can become a reliable presence once he gets into an NFL training camp. Though he probably won’t be the first center taken in this year’s draft, he won’t be available for very long. Look for him to be off the board fairly early on day two. And there’s the possibility he could see himself into starter-level reps at some point during his rookie season.
