Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville OL Commit Joe Crocker
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has added another offensive lineman to their 2023 class, as Joe Crocker has committed to the Cardinals ahead of the traditional national signing day.
Here is Louisville Report's full evaluation:
Prospect: Joe Crocker
Position: Offensive Tackle
Vitals: 6-foot-6, 310 pounds
School: Nashville (Tenn.) Franklin Road Academy
Top Offers: Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Wisconsin
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8778 (643rd)
Joe Crocker's Senior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)
Frame: Not only does Crocker have a good base frame to work with, he already has college-ready size at just over 300 pounds with an above average wingspan. His frame is pretty evenly dispersed between is upper and lower body, but will have to convert a little bit of his weight to pure muscle once he gets on campus.
Athleticism: Crocker's calling card when it comes to his athleticism is his strength, as he can handle most defenders with relative ease based on his upper arm strength alone. While he is an offensive lineman, his agility could use some work, specifically his foot work/speed. For a tackle, his lateral movement is average at best, but he does make up for it with solid burst moving forward.
Instincts: Defenders had an incredibly hard time getting past Crocker during his senior season. Having above average arm strength certainly helps, but his prowess when it comes to blocking is thanks primarily to a perceived incredible amount of grip strength in his hands. Most defensive ends, even if they got the angle on Crocker, still get locked up on his blocks or simply pushed to the group and negated from the play. Crocker also isn't afraid to follow the play down field and keep blocking if the play calls for it.
Polish: Crocker plays almost exclusively at right tackle, but has taken some snaps on the other side of the line of scrimmage at defensive tackle. His best work comes in run support vs. pass protection, and his speciality is going just over the line of scrimmage and pulling across it, almost like a guard would, and knocking defenders off their feet. While his hand strength is what aids him the most in blocking, he does have a tendency to place his hands high and wide when doing so.
Bottom Line: Louisville did need to build some depth on the offensive line heading into the Jeff Brohm era, and Crocker is a solid long-term pickup for the Cardinals. He'll need some development once he gets on campus, and he could project as a guard at the next level, but there is potential here thanks to his size and strength alone.
(Photo of Joe Crocker: Stephanie Amador - The Tennessean)
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