From now until the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling versatile Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays.
#68 Cade Mays/OL Tennessee – 6044 321
| Cade Mays | 6044/321 | 9 7/8 | 34 1/4 | 82 3/8 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Well-built, fills out frame and carries weight well with extremely long arms and big hands
— Plus run blocker especially at the first level on base/drive blocks and down blocks, creates movement at the point of attack with strength and lower half leg drive
— Sets hips well in run game and understands angles
— Nasty demeanor, desires to finish blocks and capable of pancaking smaller or defenders who don’t match his intensity
— Able to anchor and stall out bull rushes in pass protection, real functional strength in run and pass game
— Shows good burst off the ball in the run game and has experience and competency as a puller at tackle and guard
— Versatile with experience playing all over the offensive line, work at tackle, guard, and center
— Experience with a varied pass sets, effective quick/jump setter with good grip strength to latch on and control block in pass pro when he wins early
— Excellent starting experience and played against top-level competition
— Good football bloodlines
— Limited athlete who struggles most with speed and outside rushes
— Plays with too much forward body lean when trying to defend the edge, causing him to lunge, lose power, and stop his feet
— On the ground more than you’d like to see and needs to improve balance and footwork
— Shows burst but struggles out in space on screens to throw blocks for the back
— Better in man and gap schemes, has trouble flowing down the line on wide zone runs, will fall off too quickly to the frontside
— Likely to fit better along the interior than tackle, hurting his versatility card
— Struggled the most against elite SEC defenses (Georgia game)
— Four-year starter, 35 throughout his career
— 18 starts at RG, 13 starts at RT, 2 at LT, 2 at LG, also saw emergency, mid-game work at center while receiving reps there at the Senior Bowl
— Began career at Georgia, played two seasons there before transferring to Tennessee
— Left UGA after his father lost a finger in an accident at the school during a 2017 recruiting event (finger got caught in a folding chair), Mays transferred when his father sued the school in late 2019-early 2020
— Received transfer waiver and didn’t have to sit out a year
— Five-star recruit out of high school, #19 prospect in the country and third best OT, chose Georgia over Alabama, Florida State, Clemson, Ohio State and many other schools
— Had 75 pancakes and two rushing TDs his senior season
— Father played guard and was a captain for the Tennessee football team, brother currently plays center for the Volunteers
Cade Mays isn’t going to be one of the top offensive linemen in this year’s draft class but he’s a strong, versatile player who could present good value in this year’s draft.