Saahdiq Charles 2020 NFL Draft Profile
From displacement caused by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, to the trenches of the NFL, LSU guard Saahdiq Charles‘ journey was anything but easy. Born in New Orleans, Charles had to move after the disaster to Mississippi. He then became a star lineman at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. Charles was listed as a four-star recruit according to Rivals and Scout. Versatility was never an issue as he played both sides of the line in high school. Charles was listed as the No. 16 rated offensive guard and No. 7 overall prospect from the state of Mississippi according to 247Sports. Charles committed to LSU after his senior year.
College
As a freshman, Saahdiq Charles played in all 13 games with nine starts on the offensive line (7 at left tackle, 1 at right tackle, 1 at right guard), earning a spot on the Freshman All-SEC team. He helped pave the way for running back Derrius Guice’s 276 yards on the ground against Ole Miss, the fifth 250-yard plus rushing game in LSU history and Guice’s third. As a sophomore, he played in 10 games with 10 starts at left tackle.
In his junior season, Charles was part of an LSU offensive line that was named the Joe Moore Award winner for the top unit in the nation. He played his best football down the stretch, helping the Tigers to three wins over Top 4 ranked teams in December and January. Charles’ claim to fame was his work that allowed QB Joe Burrow to become the Heisman trophy winner. Following a national championship win, he opted to forgo senior season and entered his named into the 2020 NFL Draft.
Strengths
- Excellent Footwork;
- Good awareness;
- Offers flexibility;
- High leadership;
- Reactive agility;
- Ability to recognize blitz is high.
Weaknesses
- Below average core strength;
- Outside hand movement is lacking;
- Leans forward at a high rate;
- Need a better frame;
- Can’t reset movement if not already in position;
- Can lose balance if not gaining first step.
Bottom Line on Saahdiq Charles
Charles is a plus-athlete with good bend and agility. His lack of core strength could linger as a concern early in his career. He has above-average leverage on the line which will help in pass protection and opening up running lanes. His ability to recover is in his favor right now. His on the fly instincts will work out in the league where the offensive line acts as a whole even with five men playing the positions.
He lacks the desired tackle size and is still a work in progress, but his ability and football IQ warrants consideration. On a consistent basis, he played too far forward in both run and pass blocking, and defenders took advantage of that. The SEC is as close to NFL competition as there is in college football. While he did play on a national championship team, the amount of talent around him was palpable. He will be best suited as a swing tackle with guard potential.
