Profile: Jason Spriggs at a glance
JASON SPRIGGS
Position: Offensive tackle.
School: Indiana.
Height, weight: 6-foot-7, 305 pounds.
Age: 21 (born May 17, 1994 in Elkhart, Ind.).
Related: Complete Packers draft coverage
Overview: Allowed just two sacks in 475 called pass attempts last season. Finished with 79 knockdowns in a team-high 1,074 snaps. Started all 13 games at right guard. Was a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and was second-team All-Big Ten. Was a team captain. As a junior, he played in 11 games and made 10 starts at left tackle, allowing two sacks in 689 snaps. Started all 12 games at left tackle as a sophomore and set an IU true freshman record by starting all 12 games as a rookie. Also competed in basketball, lacrosse and track and field while in high school.
Strengths: Experience, four-year starter in the Big Ten. Understands positioning and angles and is efficient walling off defenders in pass pro and hooking ends on stretch-runs. Good feet to climb a level and run the field. Flashes a mean streak as a run blocker. Enough anchor strength to handle the bull rush. Matched up well against Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa in limited opportunities when squared off and will rise to the occasion against better competition. Solid showing in OL drills at the Senior Bowl, showing improved hand use. Outstanding combine performance. Recorded a 4.44-second 20-yard shuttle time, the best of any offensive tackle at the event, and appeared extremely quick-footed and athletic moving through drills. Also bench-pressed 225 pounds 31 times, second-best among tackles. Well-conditioned athlete. Strong personal and football character.
Weaknesses: Lacks physicality. When he sets too tall, can be overpowered and knocked back on speed-to-power moves at times, losing his balance, getting out-leveraged and struggling to recover. Tends to overset, does not transition cleanly and occasionally gives up the inside. Does not consistently play to his size. Could sharpen consistency handling stunts and twists. Could stand to add some bulk to his frame.
Quotes: “Very athletic. Really can play all over the line. We are excited to get him,” said Brian Gutekunst, the Packers’ director of player personnel. “He will compete with our guys and kind of see how it shakes out. Down at the Senior Bowl, I thought he handled himself very well. … Versatility always helps, the more he can do. Each individual player is different. This guy, his athleticism is what stands out more than anything. … He got stronger (during his college career). He started all four years and I think he missed one game in his career. The athleticism was always there, his ability to cover speed on the edge. But I think the strength thing is what really progressed.”
“I think I can move around, it’s up for debate where they want to put me at,” Spriggs said. “We will see what happens when I get there. … I think (having a veteran offensive line to learn from) is huge. To be behind those guys and learn from them and learn more tricks of the trade. … I think I still need to work on a lot of the run game, and even the passing there are a lot of things to work on.”
Strengths and weaknesses provided by Nolan Nawrocki's NFL Draft Preview.