Prior to the NFL draft, there were nothing but great things to say about Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater.
Rather than circling back to what the media thought of the new Chargers left tackle, how did NFL evaluators feel about Slater?
The Athletic’s Bob McGinn spoke with a few scouts ahead of the draft to get their opinions on Slater.
The first one was in awe with his testing numbers at his pro day, where he had a 33-inch vertical, 9-foot-4 broad jump and ran a 4.91 40 with an insane 1.68-second 10-yard split.
His pro day workout was unbelievable. Just extremely quick, extremely powerful.
Given the fact that he’s 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds, many thought he would have to kick inside as soon as he got to the NFL. But his play on the edges says otherwise.
The underwhelming thing about him is his size and the way he looks. He’s built more like an inside player than a tackle, but he is really good. I hardly have any negatives. He’s athletic, strong for his size, super smart. He’s a technician. I thought he could play all five positions.
The third scout felt the same way as the second scout.
He’s only got 33-inch arms. Therefore, that will lead some people to say, ‘OK, he’s only a guard.’ In the NFL today, (tackles) have to have 34-inch arms. That inch may make a difference, but I still think he can play tackle. He has wonderful athletic skills, balance and control in his play.
The bottom line is that Slater is a menace up front. He is technically sound with his upper and lower body, very intelligent, physical and consistent which shows both in the pass- and run-blocking department.
While there were concerns with his lack of height and arm length which had many plugging him as a guard, the tape shows a guy who can get the job done on each snap at tackle, which is what he will be from Day 1.