Connor Galvin, OT, Baylor | NFL Draft Scouting Report

With multiple accolades across a six-year career for the Baylor Bears, Connor Galvin has established himself as a top-tier college football offensive tackle. Does Galvin’s NFL Draft scouting report indicate that his skill set will translate to a similar NFL career?

Connor Galvin NFL Draft Profile

An impactful offensive lineman for Katy High School, Galvin registered 63 knockdown blocks as a senior, helping lead the team to a state semifinal. He was a four-star OT prospect in the 2018 class, viewed as a top 50 player in the state of Texas according to 247 Sports.

Attracting offers from over 15 programs across the nation that included Florida and Boston College, Galvin opted for Baylor amongst several other in-state offers. Making an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2018, he appeared in all 13 games for the Bears, earnings starts in six of them.

MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator (With Trades)

Galvin has been an integral part of Baylor’s offensive line ever since. Despite missing four games in 2019 due to injury, he’s racked up 50 starts for the Bears — a program record. Meanwhile, his 58 appearances rank fourth in the history of the Baylor football program.

Galvin hasn’t just been a starter, he’s been a standout starter. In 2021, Galvin was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. The sixth-year senior earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in the last two seasons of his college career. His exploits also earned him an invite to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl and the 2023 NFL Combine.

• Position: Offensive Tackle
• School: Baylor
• Current Year: Sixth-Year Senior
• Height/Weight: 6’7″, 293 pounds

Connor Galvin Scouting Report

For all their success on the offensive line at the college level, Baylor has struggled to send players to the NFL from that side of the trench in recent years. There hasn’t been an offensive lineman of any description drafted since 2017, and you have to go back to 2009 to find a Baylor OT selected in the NFL’s annual event. Does Galvin possess the scouting report to change that?

Strengths

At 6’7″, Galvin would be a towering presence at offensive tackle in the NFL. He possesses a slender frame, which could hold some difficulties at the next level, but has allowed him a level of decent athletic capability that we’ll address shortly.

The excitement over Galvin’s scouting report comes less from elite athleticism or power but more from his technical refinement. The Baylor OT’s handwork shows signs of elite potential.

He frequently lands his punches in pass protection with excellent placement and timing. Furthermore, he’s showcased flashes of being able to use independent hands rather than relying solely on two-hand punches. The Baylor OT demonstrates quick hands that can reset and redirect almost effortlessly.

Complimenting Galvin’s impressive handwork is a level of finesse in his footwork. The Baylor OT showcases smooth and fluid footwork, aided by decent lateral agility. He hits his markers in pass protection and always seems in control of his feet.

MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board

As a result, you rarely see him cross over his feet or have balance issues related to his footwork. While Galvin doesn’t always anchor on first contact, he’s showcased that once he sets his feet, he possesses a decent anchor.

The lateral agility mentioned above is part of an impressive athletic profile for his size. Galvin isn’t elite in any regard, and his Combine testing was disappointing. Nevertheless, he’s routinely quick off the snap on tape, never getting beat for a lack of explosion.

While he doesn’t possess eye-popping straight-line speed, Galvin has been able to get out to the second level impressively quickly in the run game. He changes direction well for his size, with fluidity in his hips and a decent amount of lean capacity.

Meanwhile, his ability to recover and reposition himself if beaten early in a rep is again better on tape than his testing numbers would have you believe. The combination of finesse, football intelligence, and better than his measured athleticism allows Galvin to arm himself with a multitude of blocks required for success at the NFL level.

Areas of Improvement

Although there are alluring elements to Galvin’s scouting report, there are several issues with the Baylor OT’s game. Some are remediable by coaching. Others, sadly, are not.

One of the first things you notice when watching the Baylor offensive line is Galvin. At 6’7″, he’s easily distinguishable. His height poses significant issues from several perspectives. He struggles to maintain a low stance, failing to sink his backside. As a result, he plays with a high pad level that isn’t conducive to regularly winning in the trenches.

Another height-related issue is that Galvin bends at the waist rather than the knees. As a result, he’s occasionally forced to reach and lunge when attempting to make contact. His below-average length also means he’s forced to lean into longer pass rushers.

While Galvin doesn’t frequently find the floor because of it, there are examples where he’s taken to the ground. Moreover, his effectiveness in both the run game and pass protection can suffer.

Galvin isn’t the most powerful offensive line prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Yes, there are some examples of him swatting away a pass rusher or driving an LB/DB into the dirt in the ground game,but there’s a notable lack of a powerful punch in his armory.

The Baylor OT wins more with finessed handwork and footwork. While that has allowed him success at the CFB level, there’s a substantial likelihood that Galvin will struggle to maintain blocks at the NFL level.

Current Draft Projection for Baylor OT Connor Galvin

Once considered a potential early-round prospect in this 2023 NFL Draft class, the concerns on Galvin’s scouting report discussed above have impacted his draft weekend projection. It could be the mid-to-late part of Day 3 when the Baylor OT finally hears his name called.

MORE: When Is the 2023 NFL Draft?

That said, Galvin’s experience and technical finesse could prove alluring for an NFL team. It would be a surprise to see him develop into a high-level starter, but Galvin would be a serviceable swing tackle option for a team with an emphasis on establishing the run.

Connor Galvin NFL Combine Measurements and Results

Although elite athleticism wasn’t the hallmark of his scouting report ahead of the 2023 NFL Combine, Galvin put together something of an uneven performance in Indianapolis. His vertical jump ranked in the top half of offensive linemen that tested, while his 10-spilt ranked well above his positioning in the 40-yard dash, where only one contemporary ran slower.

Galvin’s measurements in Indianapolis arguably are more problematic for his NFL projection than the testing results. The Baylor OT weighed in under 300 pounds, a concern for a 6’7″ offensive tackle. Meanwhile, length concerns were quantified with a sub-33″ arm measurement.

• Wingspan: 78 3/8″
• Arm: 32 3/8″
• Hand: 9″
• 40-Yard Dash: 5.48 seconds
• 10-Yard Spilt: 1.81 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 30.5″
• Broad Jump: 8’8″
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.92 seconds
• Bench Press: 29 reps