Ohio St.
Ht. 6-7 Wt. 323
Pass Blocking: Mike Adams is an athletic marvel at over 320 pounds. He has vines for arms and a quickness that you would see from a sub 300 pound OT. Most impressive is his ability to keep his base planted and knee bend. Most taller tackles struggle with this but Adams excels. He will need to work on avoiding bending at the waist in pass sets as he has a tendency to get upright before contact. Excellent short area quickness in his shuffle. Has really improved his hand placement in pass sets from 2010. Can be beaten to the inside as he has a tendency to over set the edge (watch Illinois against Mercilus).
Run Blocking: Good initial burst off the ball and plays with good pad level. Excellent short area quickness when setting the edge and on reach blocks. He is comfortable in space for a big man. Keeps his hands inside and plays with power on the initial punch. He is susceptible to getting overextended in space which causes him to miss some blocks at the second level.
Technique: Adams was much improved in terms of technique during his junior season. At times, in his career he looked downright sloppy with hand placement and footwork. The athletic skills have always been there but he couldn’t quite get the technique down. This season it all came together and he may have locked himself into a first round pick.
Athleticism/Strength: Athletic body that will pass the eye test for scouts. He has plus athleticism and all the intangibles to be really good at the tackle position. Solid and improving strength and coordination.
Bottom Line: Adams is a freak athlete for his size. He moves like a 300 pounder and could anchor an NFL LT spot in the near future. He will have to clean up his overextension and susceptibility to the inside rip or spin.
Draft Projection: Top 15
