Syracuse Signee Evaluation: Enrique Cruz

What the Orange is getting in offensive tackle Enrique Cruz

Mike McAllister | Dec 16, 2020

Syracuse Signee Evaluation: Enrique Cruz /

Player: Enrique Cruz

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height/Weight: 6-5, 290 lbs

School: Willowbrook High (Villa Park, IL)

Other Notable Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia

Evaluation:

Frame: Cruz has worked hard to add weight to his frame since last summer. He is up to 290 pounds and has room to add even more. Cruz is long and has an ideal body type for his position.

Athleticism: One of Cruz's best attributes is hi athleticism. He moves extremely well, can get to the second level on running plays as well as pull to the other side of the formation. In pass protection, he is quick enough to thwart opposing speed rushers but also strong enough to handle the bull rush.

Instincts: On film, Cruz shows good anticipation on how his opponent will attack. He uses those instincts to use his hand against the power rush while utilizing his quick feet against the speed rush.

Polish: Cruz bends well and plays with solid leverage. He has a good punch to keep defensive linemen at bay. In order to take his game to the next level, he should work on refining his footwork. Cruz is extremely comfortable in pass protection, but should work on developing his run blocking a bit to become more complete. This is nitpicking, however, as Cruz is a high upside player who is more polished than most offensive linemen coming out of high school.

Bottom Line: Enrique Cruz is an elite offensive line prospect who should see the field at Syracuse sooner rather than later. His combination of size, athleticism, intelligence and work ethic make him a big, big get for the Orange.

Published Dec 16, 2020

MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting. EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans. After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years. Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports. Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College.