James Carpenter Scouting Report

Pros

• Very good size and bulk
• Has pretty quick feet and hands
• Has good lateral movement. Mirrors very well
• Has ability to play guard or tackle
• Does a good job blocking in space, and blocks into the second level very well
• Good positioning, and can effectively wall defenders out of play

Cons

• Not very powerful or aggressive
• Will get beat around the edge at tackle
• Short arms, doesn't extend well
• Does not have good strength, and not strong at the point of the attack
• Plays too upright. Needs to play with better pad level and leverage

Overall

I think James Carpenter is a pretty overrated prospect in this years class. Many people think he is a pretty solid tackle prospect, but I just don't see it. He is a solid athlete and adequately played tackle in Alabama's power blocking scheme, but he just is not athletic enough to stay there at the pro level. He has the height and bulk to be a solid guard, but I am also leery about him there too because he does not have good strength, and severely lacks any sort of aggression or nastiness. He can be walked back into the pocket, doesn't get a great push in the run game, and really doesn't do any 1 thing very well. I think Carpenter could be a solid starter as a Guard in a Zone Blocking scheme where he could be used more in space, but he is nowhere near as good as many people say he is.