Ohio State offensive tackle Taylor Decker is a prospect many believe is a potential Detroit Lions pick. He’s an intriguing talent who the Lions new management regime met with at both the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine.
Vitals
- 6’7”
- 310 pounds
- 33 ¾” arms
- 25” vertical, 101” broad jumps
- 23 40-yard dash
- 22 bench press reps
Decker excels as a people-mover in the run game. No. 68 fires off the line and punches with strength and balance, allowing him to uncoil as much core power as he can to generate movement.
While other guys are stronger in close quarters, Decker thrives because his hand placement and leg drive coordination are both advanced compared to most tackle prospects. He’s also athletic enough to drive the point of attack and pluck off multiple defenders on the same play.
He fires off low and in control, not an easy task for a taller guy who doesn’t have great knee bend. Decker can sink his hips and drop his shoulders, and he does this consistently well to seize the initial advantage and keep it for the balance of the play. His hand placement and strength is a big asset here.
Nastiness? Check. Decker isn’t shy about mixing it up or punishing defenders for making bad choices. On this play, you can see his clean footwork in his pass set and then the desirable surliness.
He’s very smooth with his pass sets on the edge, getting great depth while staying balanced and flexibile to react in any direction. I watched seven games and saw him overset exactly twice. Decker nicely keeps his center of gravity low but also under control laterally in pass protection. That really helps against wider rushers and defensive gimmicks. He is quick to transition on combo blocks and doesn’t get lost versus twists and stunts.
With the First Pick
The biggest knock is a longstanding one for the Vandalia, OH native. I brought it up last summer in a preview piece and it’s still a problem.
He’s very upright and often aimless when out in space.
Notice how he pops straight up and then heads out? While his assignment might have been to simply contain Jaylon Smith (No. 9) on that play, the manner in which he executes is something which shows up time and again when Decker is asked to get out to the second level. Again, he’s got decent athleticism but it simply doesn’t show in these situations.
His pass protection numbers are as solid as his consistent technique on the left side. Decker graded out at 97% in pass protection, which is on the high side of average. The only issue I saw was that he lost engagement in traffic when going to his right, and that’s not unique to Decker. It was the only time I noticed his shorter arm length was a hindrance. It’s also worth noting he does have experience playing with a tight end covering his outside flank, something others have to learn on the fly.
Overall, Taylor Decker is a first-round offensive tackle prospect who is ready to start as a rookie. His smooth pass sets and tenacious technicality in the run game make him a strong candidate for the Lions at No. 16 overall.