OT — Chukwuma Okorafor 6.89
Scout- Blake Hymel
College: Western Michigan
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 320 lbs
40-Time: 5.31
Bench Press: 19
Arm Length: 34 1/2"
Athleticism
Q.A.B. 7.00 Chukwuma has good athletic ability for his size. He has the speed to get to the edge.
Flexibility 6.50 He doesn’t show his flexibility very often, as he’s often moving while blocking. Most of the time, he’ll use his strength to turn the defender.
C.O.D. 6.50 He needs to work on his change of direction, as he gets beat on inside moves often.
Explosion 7.00 Chukwuma has good explosion. He gets off the ball well and stonewalls defenders. He needs to use that explosion to drive defenders off the ball. Right now, he either stonewalls them or turns them to the side.
Versatility 8.00 He does have position versatility, as he has experience at both tackle positions in college.
Run Blocking
In-Line 7.50 Chukwuma uses his strength well in the running game and can get movement to open holes for the ball carrier.
Movement off L.O.S. 6.50 He’s not a player that will drive a defender down the field, but he does a good job of turning the defender and sealing them out of the play.
Reach Block 7.00 Chukwuma has long arms and uses them well. He does a good job of keeping defenders from getting into his chest.
Pull & Block Outside 7.50 He does have the speed to get outside and pull when he needs to. He played soccer growing up, this is evident when you see him move.
Adjust In Space 7.00 He plays well in space when he gets to the 2nd level of a defense.
Use of Hands 6.00 He needs to improve his handwork. His hands are constantly on the outside of the shoulder pads when blocking. He needs to bring them inside to the defender’s chest.
Pass Blocking
Quick Set 7.00 Chukwuma can set quickly, especially for his size.
Protect Corner 6.75 He does a good job of protecting the corner but can be beat with an inside move.
Footwork/Redirect & Slide 6.50 He needs to re-direct faster. He is suseptible to quick change of directions from defenders.
Anchor/Reset Ability 8.00 He has no problems resetting his feet. His size and strength make him a great anchor. If defenders can’t beat Chukwuma with their speed, they don’t beat him.
Handle Games/Stunts 6.00 He struggles to pick up stunts.
Hands/Punch 6.00 His hands also need a good bit of work. His initial punch is inconsistent. Sometimes it looks like he doesn’t know what he wants to do with his hands.
Competitiveness
Toughness 6.00 Chukwuma will need to increase his aggressiveness at the next level. He never gets into the chest of a defender and drives them off the ball. He makes up for this with his size and strength, but at the next level that might not be enough.
Consistency/Motor 6.00 Chukwuma has a good motor for his size. He needs to be a bit more consistent, as he tends to play down to his competition.
Production 7.75 He’s had good production over his 4-year college career and has been named to several first team All-American lists and was a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy in 2017.
Intelligence
Instincts 7.00 He does have good instincts. He knows when he needs to move up to the next level. He often picks up an extra block on running plays.
Learn/Retain 7.75 Chukwuma will likely benefit greatly from NFL coaching. He’s a late comer to football, as he moved here from Africa for high school. He played high school ball for 3 years before going to Western Michigan. With that said, he’s learned the game very quickly. He will likely keep improving at the next level.
Teamwork 7.00 Chukwuma is a leader on the Western Michigan line and was awarded the Iron Bronco award, that goes to the player with the most plays in a season.
Strengths
Chukwuma has the size, strength, and speed to play offensive line in the NFL. He has good length and can get to the edge. He’s versatile, and played right tackle for two years, before moving to left tackle and playing there for two years. His speed will also allow him to play guard at the next level. He has a high ceiling and could improve greatly with NFL coaching.
Weaknesses
His hands could use work. He keeps them on the outside of the defender’s pads too often. His footwork could be improved, as he gets beat on the inside move often. He misses picking up stunts sometimes. Chukwuma didn’t begin playing football until his sophomore year in high school.
Big Picture
Chukwuma is a 4-year player, 3-year starter for Western Michigan. Chukwuma played right tackle for his 1st two years and left tackle for his junior and senior years. In 2017, he was named to multiple All-American lists and was a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy. He recorded a team-high 835 offensive plays in 2017. Chukwuma is a versatile, but raw player. He can play tackle or guard at the next level but will need to be coached on his footwork and hands. He has 1st round ability and potential, but with him being so raw, I have him graded as a mid to late 2nd round talent.
