"There's some significance to this move. Garcia has starting left tackle traits, but he's a great fit. He plays nasty through the whistle. He's a little grabby in pas protection. They'll straighten him up in New England." -- Mike Mayock
6'6" Height
33 3/8" Arm Length
302LBS. Weight
9 7/8" Hands
Overview
Garcia would have been a four-year starter at the left tackle spot for Troy had he not missed half his redshirt freshman season due to a knee injury. Garcia fell through the cracks in the recruiting process as he was the first athlete at Charles Drew High School, located south of Atlanta in Riverdale, Georgia, to earn first-team all-state recognition. After making six starts on the blind side in 2013, he started 36 of 37 games after that in the key position. Garcia was an honorable mention All-Sun Belt pick in 2015 and a first-team all-conference selection as a senior.
Analysis
Strengths
Outstanding athleticism. Very good lateral quickness coming out of stance. Former high school hooper who still has basketball feet. Able to mirror pass rushers before and after engagement. Rarely beaten cleanly around edge by speed. Continues to slide feet and maintain engagement up and around pass arc. Works to keep his blocks centered in his power zone. Easily redirects back inside to chase an inside challenge. Has loose hips and quick feet providing recovery ability. Plays with his length. Fluid in space and can get to challenging angles. Keeps battling to anchor if he gets bumped early. Finds ways to get his man blocked.
Weaknesses
Carries stringy frame with upper body that looks like a defensive end. Lack of lower body strength exacerbated by elevated pad level. Needs to bend hips to dip pad level below defender's. In pass protection, opens outside hip up early rather than staying square in initial stages. Hands take outside path to target and punch can be ill-timed, allowing rusher first strike into his frame. Defaults to lunging at target when he panics. Lacks anticipation against twists. Will have to add more bulk and strength. Grabs and holds to counter bull-rush. Narrow base carries no power as base blocker in run game. Footwork and angles inconsistent on reach blocks.
Draft Projection
Round 2
Sources Tell Us
"He was below 280 (pounds) in the spring and was below 290 at one point in the fall, so I'm not sure how much weight he can actually carry." -- Scout for NFC team
NFL Comparison
Jared Veldheer
Bottom Line
Consistently playing below 300 pounds, his lanky frame is the first thing that gets noticed. But his positive attributes show up on tape more than his weaknesses. Mass and functional strength are concerns and he still needs plenty of technical work, but a team could look to draft and stash him based on his starter's traits and ability.
-Lance Zierlein
