Jason Spriggs: Guaranteed to be a First Round Draft Pick?

Jason Spriggs is considered the most athletic lineman of the 2016 NFL draft. For this reason, many scouts do not believe he will fall out of the first round.

Jason Spriggs was a four-year starter at Indiana University. Early in his college career, the Hoosiers had Spriggs switch between left tackle and right tackle often. It was not until after his sophomore year that the Hoosier’s coaching staff ultimately decided to leave him at left tackle.

The interesting about Spriggs is he was recruited as a tight end coming out of high school. He immediately moved to offensive line when he got onto campus. Obviously, the athleticism he had a tight end has not faded and has actually helped him perform well in front of NFL scouts.

Jason Spriggs’ Combine Results

40 yard dash: 4.94 seconds (1st Among Offensive Linemen)
Bench Press: 31 reps (4th)
Broad Jump: 115.0 inch (1st)
20 yard shuttle: 4.44 seconds (2nd)
3 cone drill: 7.7 seconds (Outside of Top 15)

Combine Results Provided by NFL.com’s Draft Tracker

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Jason Spriggs really stood out at the NFL Combine. His performance in all the individual and position-specific drills caught scouts’ eyes and is propelling him up draft boards. In fact, NFL Media Analyst Bucky Brown thought Spriggs was one of the “winners” of the combine.

"“Spriggs is squarely in the first-round conversation following an excellent workout in Indy. He confirmed his athleticism with a 4.94 40 and a dazzling display of ballerina-like footwork in position drills. Springs showed exceptional balance, body control and agility executing lateral slides and kick-step maneuvers. Most importantly, he appeared light on his feet when instructed to flip and turn in agility drills. With ultra-athletic offensive tackles always coveted at a premium, Spriggs’ solid performances at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl have raised his status in a major way.” – Bucky Brown"

The combine performance was really important for him because he showcased his improved strength. Prior to the combine, both NFL.com and CBS Sports had said that playing with strength was his biggest issue in college. Now, those concerns have subsided because he showed massively improved strength at the combine.

According to recent mock drafts, Jason Spriggs is going to be selected late in the first round. Playoff teams like the Seattle Seahawks, the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots are being linked to him. All these teams need to make offensive line upgrades, and Spriggs would easily be an immediate starter for any one of those teams.

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Spriggs definitely deserves to be a first round pick. While he is projected as a late first rounder, he could be drafted a lot sooner. With his recent performances, he probably grabbed some interest from teams in the middle of the first round.

Overall, it would be shocking to see Jason Spriggs fall out of the first round. With pass rushers becoming more and more faster in the NFL these days, the need for athletic offensive linemen is at an all-time high. Spriggs has the athleticism needed to counter opposing edge rushers’ quickness. The team that ultimately drafts Spriggs will be getting an immediate difference maker for its offensive line

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