Colorado Commit '20 Jake Wray (OT) Highlights and Evaluation

Colorado Went Fishing In UGA's Lake, Lands 290 Pound Trophy Fish

It's not too often that a Pac-12 school (let alone Colorado) can swoop in the southland and nab up a premier recruit. But you gotta hand it to Colorado, they did it. 

Jake Wray (6'5-290) from the powerhouse Marrietta High, will be showcasing his talents in first-year HC Mel Tucker's new-look Colorado offense. Prior to CU, Tucker was the secondary coach and defensive coordinator for Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs...

Let's take a closer look at this Georgia product!

Strengths

Pass Pro Footwork - His tape is dripping with fancy footwork. He faced a lot of speed rushers on his tape, dominating all of them. Wray never looked out of place or off-balance, which is commonplace for the vast majority 6'5 HS OT's

Punch - He's got a violent punch, yes, but moreover, he isn't lunging at these pass rushers to stop their momentum. Being 290 pounds helps, but it takes discipline to use the proper technique despite a lack of necessity. 

Down Blocks - Down blocks aren't the sexiest or even the most challenging play for an OL, Wray has mastered them. At 6'5, pad level is always a concern, but Wray manages to not stand out from the rest of the line when firing off to run block. Even after his first 2 initial steps, his pad level is uniform to the rest of their line (that aren't nearly as tall as him).

Concerns 

I have only one concern, and it is this video...

Mind you, this should be taken with a grain of salt because D-lineman have an advantage in pad-less 1v1's. Furthermore, 1v1 without pads isn't real football. 

Colorado's Class of 2020

Colorado has managed to grab three Commits from the fertile state of Georgia, and four from Texas. But still, (their 2020 class is ranked 5th in the Pac-12), they have some ground to cover. With only one in-state commitment for their 2020 class, their recruiting strategy seems crystal clear. 

They're looking to bring that southern hospitality up to the Rocky Mountains.