SI All-American Candidate Paul Rodriguez Highlights and Evaluation

Paul Rodriguez is an offensive tackle prospect from William Mason High School in Mason, Ohio. Rodriguez is an SI-All American candidate.

Prospect: OL Paul Rodriguez
Projected Position: Offensive Guard/Right Tackle
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 305 pounds
School: Mason (Ohio) William Mason
Committed to: Kentucky 

Frame: Huge. Extremely broad upper body. Big midsection; needs some recomposition. Wide, powerful thighs and trunk. Tightly-wound calves.

Athleticism: Overwhelming power and natural strength. Adequate quickness in phone booth; active, but somewhat heavy feet. Mobility in space limited by tight hips, ankles. 

Instincts: Surprisingly fast off the ball. Flattens or hip-tosses defenders when able to get arms to chest. Comfortable redirecting when engaged, even in pass protection. Overly reliant on raw strength; bails on footwork too easily. 

Polish: Occasional tendency to “catch” instead of punch. Questionable kick slide at best; lacks foot speed to consistently hold up in pass protection on outside. Loses base when working to second level. 

Bottom Line: Rodriguez is a massive offensive lineman with natural power and adequate feet. Length could factor enough in pass protection to play right tackle, but ceiling is highest at guard. Potential multi-year starter for Kentucky, with chance to contribute early due to size, strength.