Steve Avila NFL Draft Profile
Position: Offensive Guard
Height: 6’ 3 ½”
Weight: 332 lbs.
School: TCU
2023 NFL Draft: Steve Avila Scouting Report
Steve Avila is a well-rounded, well-developed, physical, and powerful offensive guard. Avila is the type of offensive guard an NFL team will draft on day one or two simply not because of how flashy he is, but what a solid, safe draft pick he is. Dominating at TCU, in 515 pass-blocking attempts last season he allowed zero sacks. He has played both right and left guard, earning second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-Big 12 honours last season at left guard.
In an NFL Draft without too many definitive blue-chip starters, Avila’s stock may rise on draft day when an NFL team who needs a solid guard (and there are plenty of teams out there) opts to select him over a player with more questions. With his leadership, refinement, and strength at offensive line, Avila can become a staple on an NFL line for years to come. From experience at centre, left guard, right tackle, and right guard, he will be an interior player adding flexibility and security to both run and pass blocking.
Strengths
- Captain, experienced, and capable of playing across interior
- Dominating in power-blocking for run game
- Precise pass-blocking
- Large guard with athleticism to match
- Dances through fundamentals and footwork
Weaknesses
- Might struggle against powerful interior rushes or blitzers at NFL level
- First-strike sometimes off, needs NFL refinement
- Will need to develop second-level strike
NFL Comparison: Laken Tomlinson
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projection: Round One
Bottom Line on Steve Avila
Unless dramatically over drafted, the team who selects Steve Avila will earn an “A” on their draft grade. The TCU Guard is an immediate plug-and-play guard who needs very little refinement to succeed. Although he does have some small adjustments to make at the NFL level, specifically regarding his power through the second level and taking on NFL linebackers. He will need to refine his hand placement and pop on defensive pads. Offensive guards arriving into the NFL often have some trouble adjusting to more refined and faster NFL defenders who have extra agility and tricks in their toolkit. Yet, a player with Avila’s athleticism should allow him to quickly adjust.
Several teams have shown interest in the starter-ready guard, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. His pre-draft workouts continue to impress, and coaches have highlighted his leadership skills. Beyond just Big-12 competition, he was beating other draft prospects across workouts. He possesses the sort of intangibles needed to learn to fight against bigger linebackers and the strength to consistently win once he garners those skills.
The only question that remains for Avila is how high he can take his own ceiling. Avila is a type of player that can turn a fledgling running attack into a pro-bowl attack. He has potential to make a Pro-Bowl within a season and become an annual guest on honours lists. Any team looking to make an immediate upgrade to their interior in the mid-20s should look to select Avila to their squad.
Main Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA TODAY Sports
