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Alex Redmond's collegiate career started better than it finished.
Redmond arrived at UCLA as a four-star recruit, and was ranked as the #2 OG in the West according Scout. He won a starting spot on the offensive line in his freshman season, starting all 13 games at right guard. He was a first team Freshman All-America selection that year, and also earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention.
As a sophomore in 2014, Redmond started eight games at guard, and once again was an honorable mention all-conference selection. Last year, as a junior, Redmond started 10 games, but missed UCLA's final game--the Foster Farms Bowl against Nebraska--when he was declared academically ineligible. Unfortunately, that has led some to question his commitment to the team.
| NFL COMBINE TALE OF THE TAPE | |
|---|---|
| Height | 6'5" |
| Weight | 294 lbs. |
| Arm Length | 33.25 inches |
| Hands | 10.5 inches |
| 40 yd | 20 yd | 10 yd | 225 Bench | Vertical Jump | Broad Jump | Shuttle | 3-Cone Drill | |
| Combine Results | 5.30 | - | - | 30 | - | 9'3" | 4.90 | 7.75 |
| Workout Results | 5.26 | 3.07 | 1.85 | 30 | 28 | 9'3" | 4.90 | 7.75 |
Strengths
- Relatively athletic for a guard. Impressed at the Combine by posting superior scores in the bench press and broad jump.
- Good initial burst and better than average balance and agility.
- Plays with aggression.
- Has decent core strength despite relatively narrow lower body.
- Has experience at both right and left guard.
- Played a lot of snaps in college despite playing just three seasons (31 career starts in 3 seasons).
Weaknesses
- Top heavy. Less than ideal frame for a guard.
- Needs to improve lower body strength.
- Inconsistent technique. Needs improvement in pass protection.
NFL Comparison
Summary
Redmond looks more like an offensive tackle than a guard. He needs to improve his functional strength, particularly in his legs. There's concern that he may struggle against bull rushers at the next level due to lack of "ballast in his lower half.
On the other hand, Redmond demonstrated explosiveness at the combine with his high scores in the bench press and broad jump. He's quick out of his stance and has good balance and lateral agility. He shows good knee bend in pass protection. Although his technique--particularly in pass protection--needs work, Redmond has the size and tools to play at the next level.
Projection
According to Redmond's draft profile at NFL.com, Alex is projected as a 7th rounder or as a priority free agent. However, some draft analysts have Redmond going as early as the fourth round. There's even more variance in Redmond's ranking among guards, ranging from as high as #9 to as low as #28.
Most analysts agree that Redmond's draft status would have been improved had he returned to UCLA for his senior season to improve his strength and his technique in pass protection:
He probably should have returned for his senior year and added weight before going pro, but he went ahead and declared for the 2016 NFL Draft...
Like the entire UCLA offensive line, Redmond will need to get his pass blocking closer to his run blocking to be more well-rounded.
Go BRUINS!
bruinsbanner: #UCLA Wire: Shoutout to Alex Redmond. #NFLBruins #ImABruin #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/x7uEjc37Be playerpress.om
— California Fashion (@CaliforniaFash) February 25, 2016