Overview
Position: Offensive guard / center
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 306 pounds
School: Arkansas Razorbacks
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.20 seconds
Bench press: 31 reps (fifth-best among offensive linemen)
Broad jump: 27.5 inches
Vertical jump: 8 feet, 9 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.51 seconds (fifth-best among offensive linemen)
20-yard shuttle: 4.54 seconds
Hjalte Froholdt 2019 NFL Draft Profile
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a 2019 draft prospect with a more unique background than Hjalte Froholdt. Born in Denmark, Froholdt came to the United States as a foreign exchange student in high school. He took up football during his sophomore year and it didn’t take long for him to blossom into a highly prized recruit. After initially playing in Ohio, Froholdt found himself at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL where he helped his team finish 10-1 during his senior year. Scout.com rated him as the top defensive tackle out of the state of Florida and he eventually committed to Arkansas over a host of other schools that offered him a scholarship.
Froholdt enrolled early which enabled him to participate in spring practices. He played in 10 games during his true freshman season on the Razorbacks defensive line but had a muted impact. The following spring, Froholdt began his transition to the other side of the football. It turned out to be the right move as he proceeded to start all 37 of the games he appeared in over the next three seasons. He played at both left guard and center in that time and has the distinction of not allowing a single sack as a junior and a senior. His final season in Fayetteville saw him earn second-team all-SEC recognition from the Associated Press.
Strengths
- a good combination of upper body strength and ability to use hands to control defender;
- operates out of a correct base with ideal spacing between feet;
- a multi-tasker who can take on multiple defenders;
- relentless in sustaining downfield blocks;
- capable of blocking in space on pulls to the outside;
- exhibits nice body control when climbing to block linebackers in the second level;
- does a good job dropping weight to create leverage when anchoring;
- allowed just three sacks on 1,218 pass-blocking snaps during college career;
- held his own against first-round talent Quinnen Williams last season;
- versatile enough to play guard or kick inside to center;
- started all 37 games he played in between 2016 and 2018.
Weaknesses
- below average arm length;
- could develop a more fearsome play demeanor;
- ordinary reach and seal quickness against speedy gap penetrators;
- needs to seek work rather than let blockers come to him;
- can get bullied by defensive maulers;
- has a tendency to let hands get too high on blocking target;
- might struggle to key and diagnose exotic blitz moves;
NFL Comparison: Geoff Hangartner
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Fifth to sixth round
Bottom Line
Arkansas as a team struggled during Froholdt’s final two seasons with the Hogs as evidenced by the fact that they won just six games in that time. But that’s not to say Froholdt didn’t impress. He showcased his versatility in playing at both guard and center while exhibiting solid overall technique as a blocker. His ability to anchor defenders is also impressive along with the manner in which he’s able to sustain in space when pulling as well as blocking in the second level.
Froholdt’s biggest deficiencies stem from issues with lateral quickness which will make it difficult for him to contain elite speed in pass-blocking situations. And there are concerns about whether or not he can play with the physicality required at the next level. Froholdt’s most ideal fit in the NFL is likely a permanent move to center. This is where his effectiveness in run support can be harnessed while it will also mask some of his deficiencies in pass pro.
Look for Froholdt to be off the board sometime on day three of the draft. Though it will take time for him to develop into a serviceable player, he should be a solid depth add at the beginning of his career. His pass-blocking issues may inhibit his ceiling but in the right system and with good coaching, there’s no doubting he can become a consistent contributor in time.
