Tyler Steen 2023 NFL Draft profile: Scout report for the Alabama OT
Tyler Steen, Alabama: 6’5”, 315 pouns.
A three-star recruit in 2018 for Vanderbilt, Tyler Steen started 33 consecutive games and played in 38 total for the Commodores. He saw some action at defensive tackle, one season at right tackle and then switched over to the blindside for the latter two.
He transferred to Alabama for the 2022 season, where he was a fixture at left tackle for all 13 contests and was named second-team All-SEC.
Tyler Steen scout report: Strengths
+ Tyler Steen packs a lot of bulk into his lower half, with massive quads, yet gets out his stance gracefully.
+ Does well to attack aiming points and drive his legs in the run game, to create the initial movement.
+ Very much in control as a blocker, rather than leaning into defenders or not centering his weight.
+ You never actually see him whiff on blocks completely or be tossed to the side by the guy he’s engaged with.
+ Demonstrates highly impressive short-area agility to hinge- or scoop-block B-gap defenders on the backside of run schemes.
+ Uses his grip exceptionally well once he and one of his teammates create that initial momentum on quick combos, to exploit that and ride them off their landmarks.
+ Displays great awareness for when to peel off double-moves and locates second-level targets if the picture changes slightly post-snap.
+ When he gets that inside hand clamped onto the near-shoulder-plate of defenders, he can forcefully toss those guys to the turf.
+ Showcases good dexterity in his upper body to sustain blocks when his base isn’t perfectly aligned and defenders seem to have an angle to disengage.
+ Light enough on his feet to execute skip-pulls as well as secure third-level defenders when getting out in space.
+ Displays great rhythm and does well to cut off angles around the corner in his pass-sets – I was very impressed with his movement skills and consistency in that facet.
+ You seem legitimately square up those wide-nine rushers who truly try to win with speed around the corner.
+ Has his elbows in tight and lifts up through contact once he engages with rushers.
+ Smoothly covers a ton grass laterally, whether he just slides in front of edge rushers in the quick-game or full-line slides are called.
+ Displays some highly impressive recovery skills, where he goes with landing a kick to mirroring inside counters in a matter of time, in which the defender doesn’t even get to his inside shoulder.
+ Is flexible enough to (re-)fit his hands against guys trying to dip underneath his reach.
+ When having to pick up slot blitzers, Steen’s patience and calmness really stand out, getting himself in position and being ready to snatch them up.
+ Throughout Senior Bowl week, it was more of the same as I saw on his tape. It may not always look pretty, but he just finds a way to stay in front of rushers and not allow them to get all the way to the quarterback. He showed some chippiness I didn’t know he had.
+ His marks in the broad jump, short-shuttle and bench press at the combine were all in the 79th percentile or better.
Tyler Steen scout report: Weaknesses
– Not somebody who engulfs defenders and takes them for a ride in the run game.
– Sees his pads knocked back significantly at times when guys land the long-arm inside frame.
– Definitely needs to work on activating his lower half and improving the way he uses his hands in order to absorb the initial force.
– In general, needs to become more pro-active by landing meaningful first contact and not exposing his chest as much in that regard, where only having 32 and ¾-inch arms doesn’t help.
– Yet, gets caught overextending his arms at times in the recovery phase of protection and folds up when guys swat his hands away.
– Misses looping backers by locking his eyes in on the D-end crashing inside on multiple occasions and going through his film.
Tyler Steen scout report: Grade
While Tyler Steen isn’t an overwhelming run-blocker, as the hefty lower body would suggest, he consistently takes care of his assignments and is highly capable of executing basically any scheme you ask him to.
The one thing on his tape that really holds you up from going all-in is the ability to protect his chest and slow down power-rushers. Pass-rushers are only going to get longer and stronger as he makes the transition to the next level. If there’s one deficiency they can attack, you’re not going to get away with what you’re currently dealing with in that aspect.
Other than that, there aren’t really many negatives to point out. If you can get that one weakness in his game fixed, I believe Steen has all the other skills to be a long-time starter in the league and to me, there’s a substantial drop to the rest of this class. I would not be surprised in the slightest if Tyler Steen ends up being selected in the second round.
Grade: Third round.
You might like other 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR), Ohio; Zay Flowers (WR), Boston; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Jalin Hyatt (WR), Tennessee; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Quentin Johnston (WR), TCU; Zach Charbonnet (RB), UCLA; Bijan Robinson (RB), Texas.
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