Overview
Position: Offensive tackle
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 305 pounds
School: Ohio State Buckeyes
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.09 seconds
Bench press: 23 reps
Vertical jump: 27 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 7 inches (fourth-best among offensive linemen)
Three-cone drill: 7.90 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 5.02 seconds
Isaiah Prince 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Few offensive linemen in the 2015 recruiting class were as prized as Isaiah Prince. Rivals rated the Greenbelt, MD native as its number four tackle and the top prospect out of the state of Maryland. Not surprisingly, top programs from across the nation tried to woo him to their respective campuses. And he waited until National Signing Day to announce his decision, ultimately committing to Ohio State.
Prince contributed right away as a true freshman, an impressive feat in and of itself given the depth OSU boasts year in and year out. Though he didn’t make any starts, he did appear in all 14 games. It was a sign of things to come as he eventually made his way into the starting lineup the following season. From then on out, he proceeded to make 41 consecutive starts for the Buckeyes over the next three seasons.
There’s no doubting that the highlight of the Urban Meyer era was the national championship he brought to Columbus in 2014. But the following four seasons, of which Prince contributed mightily, had their own moments of excellence. Prince played a part in bowl wins over Notre Dame, USC, and Washington and also started in a College Football Playoff semifinal game. As a senior, he garnered first-team all-Big Ten recognition for his role on an offense that set conference records for yardage, completions, and touchdowns.
Strengths
- quintessential traits prospect with an ideal build and long 35″ arms;
- an athletic mover when kick sliding laterally;
- plays with a competitive and aggressive demeanor;
- solid initial movement off the snap to gain the advantage;
- excels when flaring to the perimeter on outside zone runs;
- reliably adjusts and resets feet to deal with counters;
- four years of consistent production with 41 starts to his name.
Weaknesses
- doesn’t play with as much strength as his body suggests he’s capable of;
- can get deleveraged into an overly upright position by power rush;
- sacrifices leverage by not consistently dropping weight when anchoring;
- hand placement and overall usage needs further honing;
- needs to take better angles when down blocking in the second level;
- lacks body control when pulling to the inside;
- pad level falls too far forward when run blocking.
NFL Comparison: Bobby Massie
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projection: Third to fourth round
Bottom Line
An immensely experienced player who spent four years cutting his teeth against high-level competition, Prince is a physical specimen with a plethora of traits coveted by NFL teams. It includes a set of long arms which suggest he can consistently generate leverage at the point of attack. He’s an incredibly fluid mover who rarely lets speed rushers turn a corner on him. And his competitiveness, as well as his mean streak, should endear him to teammates and coaches alike.
But in order to get to his ceiling, Prince needs to exhibit more play strength on the field. That shortcoming stems from the fact that he struggles to achieve optimum leverage due to lack of knee bend and not dropping his weight. It leads to issues with his anchor and contain and makes him susceptible to getting bullied by elite speed to power conversion. Another thing he must improve upon to become a more complete tackle is playing with more active hands.
All in all, Prince projects as a middle round pick who will likely play on the right-hand side almost exclusively at the next level. Though it’ll take time for him to make his mark in the NFL, all indications are that he has the ability to eventually do so. His pro career may indelibly mirror the trajectory of his college career in that he’ll likely occupy a reserve role early on but grow into a starting-caliber player as his time in the league progresses.
