OG — Will Hernandez 7.59
Scout- Cody Manning
College: UTEP
Height: 6'3"
weight: 340 lbs
40-Time: 5.15
Bench Press: 37
Arm Length: 32”
Athleticism
Q.A.B. 7.00 He has great balance which allows him to use his base to his advantage on blocks. Not the quickest.
Flexibility 6.00 He does look stiff in his hips at times, can play with high pad level down field or in pass pro.
C.O.D. 6.50 He can pull out on blocks at a quick rate, does struggle if he needs to change direction in space.
Explosion 7.50 He is great at exploding in short bursts, pops out of his stance to make contact, drives DL back.
Versatility 7.00 He will be the guard teams want to use in running situations, could play both sides.
Run Blocking
In-Line 8.00 He comes off the ball and gets a great drive into the lineman. Creates lanes for runners.
Movement off L.O.S. 8.00 He gets a good push of the L.O.S. He is the guard a runner would want to get behind to get the 1 yard
Reach Block 8.00 He is quick in short space, gets outside shoulder, then will seal lane for the runner.
Pull & Block Outside 7.50 Comes off as a mauler, pulls, and lays into his man. Intermediate pulls are ideal for him.
Adjust In Space 6.50 He can struggle in the open space, pad level gets higher, makes easier for defender to get by him.
Pass Blocking
Quick Set 7.75 He explodes into his stance, gets a low base, makes it difficult for lineman to win the early battle.
Protect Corner 8.00 He uses his big body to his advantage, hold his assignment, can be dependent to be in the right place
Footwork/Redirect & Slide 6.50 Needs work on his footwork, does shuffle awkwardly at times, Oline coach could help develop.
Anchor/Reset Ability 8.00 He does a great job at anchoring down and using his strong base to hold his position.
Handle Games/Stunts 7.50 He picks up things quickly, understands his assignment, keeps his lane protected for the QB.
Hands/Punch 7.00 He gets his hands underneath and has his way with lineman, short arms do hurt him here as well.
Competitiveness
Toughness: 8.50 He loves to hit people, brings the wood every time, wants to pancake everyone he lays into.
Consistency/Motor 8.00 He is very consistent with his play, doesn’t seem to have off plays. Knows his assignment.
Production 8.00 He has been a starter since he was a freshman, earning honors every year since coming to UTEP
Intelligence
Instincts 8.00 He showed that he can pick up whats going on quickly, picks up guys when climbing to the 2nd level
Learn/Retain 8.00 He came in as a freshman and started, continued to develop as a player every year.
Teamwork 8.00 Came back last year when he could of entered the draft, gives his all every play for his team.
Strengths
He is a bulldozer, he will clear lanes for running backs. He loves to hit people, and seems to enjoy playing football. He keeps his feet driving through blocks, and looks to finish them into the ground. He does hold his area down in pass protection, knows his assignment, and protects the quarterback. He can come in and help an offensive line right away.
Weaknesses
He is better inside the hashes, he gets a higher shoulder pad level the farther he gets away from the pocket. This allows defenders to get around him. He does have short arms, it hurts him versus long armed defenders, and they can shed him if they are able to get their hands on to him. He needs to work on footwork in pass protection and how he shuffles at times.
Big Picture
Hernandez is a player that teams should be able to draft and plug into their line right away. Any team that needs a lineman they can depend on in the running game should consider him. He is a mauler, and loves to use his big body to his advantage. He keeps a low base so he can drive up underneath the defender so he can pancake them into the ground. He can struggle when he gets into space, his pads tend to get higher the further he gets outside the hashes, as well as sometimes in pass protection. When he does let up, thats when defenders can easily get around him to make a play on the runner/quarterback. His short arms will be a concern to some teams, long armed defenders have an easier time winning battles against him. With that being said, I believe that won’t hurt his career at the next level. He is a bulldozer and will help create lanes for whichever team wants to draft him. He did remind me of Richie Incognito when I was watching his tape and I think he could have a similiar career on the field. Because he is a short armed guard, it may scare teams way, but I believe he has late 1st round to early 2nd round talent. He will contribute right away as a rookie.
