The scouting report of UCLA OT Sean Rhyan has been a thought-provoking topic during the 2022 NFL Draft cycle. He’s a lineman with plenty of dominant moments on tape. But at the same time, there are some questions regarding his projection to the NFL level. Does Rhyan have the tools to be a starter on an NFL offensive line? And where might he find himself lining up on Sundays?
Sean Rhyan NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Offensive Tackle
- School: UCLA
- Current Year: Junior
- Height: 6’4 5/8″
- Weight: 321 pounds
- Wingspan: 79 1/4″
- Length: 32 3/8″
- Hand: 11 1/8″
Rhyan’s Combine/pro day results
- 40-Yard Dash: 5.25
- Bench Press: 21
- Broad Jump: 9’2″
- Vertical Jump: 34.5″
- Three-Cone: 7.55
- Short Shuttle: 4.60
Sean Rhyan Scouting Report
There was a time when UCLA was known for its offensive line production. Over a two-decade span from 1976 to 1996, the Bruins produced several Pro Bowl linemen, including Randy Cross, Max Montoya, Luis Sharpe, Duval Love, and Mike Flanagan. More notably, UCLA was the initial stomping ground of Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden.
The Bruins forged an offensive line factory, then fell under the radar for a spell. Not a single UCLA lineman was drafted in the 21st century until Jeff Baca in 2013. Since then, however, UCLA has picked up the pace again, with players like Xavier Su’a-Filo, Caleb Benenoch, Conor McDermott, and 2018 first-rounder Kolton Miller. Can Rhyan complete the cycle and get UCLA back to the days of old?
Sean Rhyan’s athletic profile
Some linemen aren’t physically ready for the NFL when they’re drafted. That won’t be the case for Rhyan. Rhyan is a 6’4 5/8″, 321-pound behemoth. He has a large, burly frame, and stores massive amounts of power in his lower body. His torso is incredibly dense, and that, in conjunction with solid flexibility, allows him to absorb opposing power with ease.
In addition to his size, Rhyan is an exceptional athlete. The UCLA OT possesses an observable explosive burst heading into contact, and he gets to the second level quickly. Rhyan blocks well in motion, and he’s also a very smooth lateral mover who transfers his weight well. The UCLA product is fairly light on his feet, with smooth footwork when changing direction or blocking angles, as well as good recovery athleticism.
As evidenced by his frame, Rhyan is visibly powerful. He has impressive raw strength, and opponents are rarely able to dominate him head-to-head. He can go toe-to-toe with longer, more leveraged athletes, and he drives smaller defenders into the dirt with overwhelming upper-body torque. Rhyan’s grip strength is also exceptional, and he combines this with steady leg drive.
With his lateral athleticism and width, Rhyan can effectively gather opponents around the edge. His traits also amalgamate to provide him with consistent balance.
Execution beyond the physical traits
Rhyan’s combination of athleticism and raw power can be the subject of awe. Shockingly enough, his operational traits are sometimes just as impressive. Rhyan keeps his feet fast and active when anticipating attacks on the edge. He also keeps his elbows in when awaiting rushers, effectively maximizing his potential energy.
When rushers meet him in pass protection, Rhyan’s hands are fast, heavy, and powerful. He’s shown to use independent hands and reset his anchor quickly, and he has the hand precision to attack and neutralize counters. The UCLA OT exceptionally times his extensions. Rhyan also combines hand movements with terrific efficiency. He instinctively adjusts his approach in real-time.
Rhyan’s punches have good energy. In this sense, they’re emblematic of Rhyan himself. The UCLA OT has a nasty disposition. He’s a high-motor blocker all the way to the whistle — not polite by any stretch of the imagination. He strikes and drives defenders backward in one motion and actively takes advantage of opponents who try to bend beneath his frame.
Among other things, Rhyan has the awareness to repeatedly stack and disengage blocks when moving upfield. He also has some positional versatility. Against Oregon in 2020, Rhyan switched to right tackle at times and did not falter. That versatility, combined with his promising projection on the interior, gives him some security as a draft prospect.
Areas for improvement
Overall, Rhyan has an enticing NFL Draft scouting report. However, even a dominant player like him has his downfalls. Most notably, his proportional length is not elite. At 32 3/8″, Rhyan has below-average length for the tackle position. That limitation shows up on tape, and it could force him inside to guard at the NFL level.
Rhyan’s lack of length limits his ability to maintain extensions. Additionally, players with superior length can assert leverage and wrench down his anchors. Going further, linemen with combined burst and length can force Rhyan backward more, pinching the pocket as a result. Similarly, he can’t always seal out defenders when tracking around the pocket. Edge rushers who time direction changes can exploit Rhyan’s length. Rhyan can effectively reset his base, but his lacking length allows rushers to get inside his frame.
Going further, the UCLA OT could afford to improve his blocking angles to exert power more efficiently. His hands don’t always strike cleanly on running plays, and he gets caught lurching against more explosive linemen. Particularly in space, Rhyan can overshoot angles, and he doesn’t have elite recovery athleticism.
In pass protection, Rhyan sometimes plays with his pads too high, as his high-hipped frame sometimes dictates. While he can effectively respond to stunts, Rhyan can still be more consistent here.
Rhyan’s NFL Draft scouting report overview
Rhyan’s length is a definite concern. The UCLA OT doesn’t have the wingspan that other blindside blockers have, and it’s noticeable. Conversely, it’s even more impressive how good he is with average length. Sometimes longer edge rushers make a dent in his positioning, but he rarely loses reps outright. Rhyan’s strong base enables him to stand his ground, and his grip strength can effectively suffocate rushes.
In pass protection, Rhyan has the mobility, grip strength, hand proficiency, and torque to neutralize attacking defenders. As a run blocker, his athleticism, power, and road-grading mentality serve as extremely positive characteristics.
Rhyan’s lack of elite length limits his upside a bit. Still, his ceiling is incredibly high because of his rare mix of power and athleticism. Rhyan has the tools to be a standout starter at both tackle and guard. Thus, he could end up being worthy of a first-round pick.
Rhyan’s Player Profile
As UCLA’s production record on the offensive line has strengthened, so too has their reputation. The Bruins have steadily added more talent in the trenches in recent years, and Rhyan was a highly-coveted recruit who swung their way.
A four-star tackle in the 2019 recruiting class, Rhyan was one of the nation’s best up-and-coming prospects at the position. Already looming at a monstrous 6’5″, 300 pounds, Rhyan was the 134th-best prospect in the nation and had offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon, and USC.
Nevertheless, proximity to home proved a strong factor for Rhyan, who lived just over an hour outside of Los Angeles. He ultimately signed with UCLA and became the Bruins’ next star lineman in the pipeline.
Rhyan’s career at UCLA and NFL Draft ascension
There’s truly no progression to write about for Rhyan because he began ahead of most. He came to UCLA and became a starter almost immediately. Rhyan started all 12 games as a true freshman in 2019, earning Freshman All-American recognition in the process.
In 2020, it was simply more of the same for Rhyan. Although UCLA only played seven games due to COVID-19, the Bruin dominated in his time on the field. He was somehow left off the Pac-12 awards list, but that changed in 2021.
2021 was a mere extension of Rhyan’s dominant UCLA career. The Bruins blocker had his best year yet, once again locking down his side of the line and mauling defenders in space. For his efforts, he earned first-team Pac-12 honors, finally reaching the pinnacle in his conference.
Unsurprisingly, Rhyan is a candidate to be selected early in the 2022 NFL Draft. And there’s no reason he shouldn’t be. On the surface, he already offers a lot of appeal with his ability to play left tackle, right tackle, and guard. But particularly at the guard spot, Rhyan has supremely exciting upside and could be a scheme-versatile starter who sets the tone with his nasty edge.
Tony Pauline’s scouting report for Sean Rhyan
Positives: Durable left tackle prospect who quickly sets up off the snap, bends his knees, and keeps his feet moving. Stays square and makes outstanding use of angles. Out-positions and controls defenders with terrific body positioning. Displays blocking vision, picks up blitzes, and shows the ability to adjust and knock pass rushers from their angles of attack. Moves well on his feet and quickly gets to the second level.
Negatives: Must improve his ability blocking in motion. Lacks desired footwork off the edge. Struggles finishing blocks and does not get much movement run blocking.
Analysis: Rhyan flashed on the scene as a freshman and showed promise, yet he never elevated his game. He possesses an upside and looks as though he would be a good fit in a zone-blocking system despite his athletic testing numbers. I’d like to see Rhyan improve his strength at the point of attack and feel he is a solid developmental prospect who should be drafted in the late rounds.