NFL Draft Profile: Nicholas Petit-Frere, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State Buckeyes

NFL draft profile scouting report for Ohio State offensive tackle, Nicholas Petit-Frere

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#78
Pos: OT
Ht: 6050
Wt: 316
Hand: 1068
Arm: 3358
Wing: N/A
40: 5.14
Bench: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Vert: 24.5
Broad: 807
DOB: 9/15/99
Eligible: 2022
Tampa, FL
Berkeley Prep High School

Nicholas Petit-Frere
Ohio State Buckeyes

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Pros:

Extremely good athlete at the position and good size to operate. Very quick off the line both as a run blocker and pass blocker. Has an elite first step and is definitely a special trait within his game. He has a lot of length and can extend his arms out as he wants, combining with his upper body strength. Very solid run blocker because of his athleticism, strength and length that makes that part of the game come fairly natural to him. Strong leg drive when he is blocking on the move in space. Showed a lot of promise as a pass blocker because of the quick get-off and ability to get into his set faster than the edge rusher.

Cons:

Petit-Frere looks skittish at times with his hands and feet, getting antsy as plays progress. He needs to stay composed and calm in his blocks to complete plays mistake-free. Gets happy feet in pass protection. Although he is a good athlete overall, his movement is somewhat restricted by a tight waist and hips that limit his ability in the second level. He often loses balance as well as twists and turns his body while adjusting to defenders coming his way. Looked lost or confused at times on his blocking assignments when he got up into the second level. Not overly impressed by his functional strength as a whole, moreso relies on the length. Anchor isn’t too strong either and often gets driven back a few steps by explosive defensive lineman. Technique and hand placement needs heavy refinement.

Summary:

Petit-Frere was deployed as the starting right tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ offense in 2020. The upside for him as a prospect is fairly clear and obvious because of his size, length and athleticism. He likely has one of the best first steps in the class, as he explodes off the line extremely quickly. The flashes are definitely there with him as a blocker in general. The concerns with Petit-Frere come with how raw of a player he is. His hands and technique need to be worked on heavily to make him a more consistent blocker who is able to stay on blocks throughout the entirety of the play. As the season went on, he looked more composed and comfortable with his blocking assignments, so the root of his problems may just be the inexperience. He is still a solid overall prospect whose ceiling is undeniably high, he just needs time to put it all together. 

Background:

Hometown is Tampa, Florida. Rated as a five-star recruit by 247Sports. Was also ranked as the top offensive tackle in the nation, third-best overall player in the state of Florida and seventh overall player in the country. Selected to the Under Armour All-American Game and won the lineman strength competition at the event. Finalist for the Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Trophy Award, given to the top African-American high school football player in the country. MaxPreps First-Team All-American. Also played basketball in high school. Mother is Loris Petit-Frere. Majoring in operations management. In the summer of 2019, he was one of five players who had an externship at the WWE headquarters to learn more about the professional wrestling business. 

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One-Liners

Nicholas Petit-Frere is a high-ceiling prospect who will need more time and experience to put his full game together before he should elect to enter the NFL Draft.

Grades

3rd Round