Originally recruited as an offensive tackle, Arik Armstead was one of the most highly sought after recruits coming out of high school in 2012, rated as high as the second-best player in the class. Since then, he has moved to the defensive line at Oregon, and was also a member of the Ducks basketball team.
Now entering his junior season, Armstead, who has played sparingly thus far in his career, has an opportunity to make a much bigger impact, with the graduation of Taylor Hart. But just how good can Armstead be?
From a statistical viewpoint, Armstead has the ability to put up much higher numbers than Hart, who finished 2013 with six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Armstead is far more athletically gifted than Hart, and is more agile and quick on his feet.
For a little more in-depth look, here is a look at some of Armstead’s physical and football traits.
Athletic Ability
Size: Armstead is a massive human, standing 6’8” and weighing 280 pounds. However, despite his mountain numbers, he is very well-built and slim. He has long arms, which gives him a huge advantage in the trenches against offensive linemen.
Quickness: Armstead has plenty of burst off the snap and very quick feet. He moves very well for a man his size, something he’s shown on the field, as well as the hardcourt, during his brief stint with the men’s basketball team.
Football Skills
Pad Level: Though he is a great athlete, Armstead is still has a lot of work to do on his game. He often plays with a high pad level, making it easy for offensive linemen to wipe him out of plays. He has a lot of natural strength and length, but when he plays as high as he often does, it negates all of his natural skills to win leverage and drive offensive linemen backwards.
Shedding Blocks: Armstead, in his limited tape, has shown the ability to use his length and get off blocks well. Unfortunately, he hasn’t shown great ability to find the ball carrier once he releases, and gets himself into more blockers. He needs to learn to use his hands a little better when he doesn’t immediately win on length, but that is something many college defensive linemen struggle with before they get to the NFL.
Outlook
While Armstead is very raw technique-wise, he is a coach’s dream. He has all of the tools that can’t be taught: size, speed, quickness, length, and flexibility. Everything he struggles with, such as hand usage, pad level, and his ability to read the play, are all things that can be taught through coaching and spending more time in the film room.Now that he is focusing solely on football, he has more time to devote to perfecting his craft.
His ceiling is incredibly high, based on how incredibly athletic he is and how much he still has to learn. He’s a player who will undoubtedly hear his name called in the first round when he enters the NFL Draft, but how much he improves as a player from 2013 to this season could propel him into the top half, with a chance to be a top-10 pick.