Jermaine Eluemunor.
That’s a name British NFL fans should get used to, as the London-born prospect is the latest in a growing line of British players trying to make the grade in the NFL.
A 6’ 4”, 332-pound offensive lineman from Texas A&M, Eluemunor’s draft stock is rising, thanks in part to an eye-catching showing at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Friday.
After moving to the United States at the age of 14, Eluemunor turned his back on rugby and soccer and took up football, spending two years playing for Lackawanna College at high school level, where he also shone as a wrestler. His potential was quickly identified and after he reportedly received interest from over 30 different schools, he ultimately opted to represent Texas A&M in the college ranks.
Just as Eluemunor can be described as a relatively late bloomer in football, the same can be said of his time with the Aggies. After redshirting in 2014 and acting as a backup guard in 2015, he finally got his opportunity last year, when he started nine games at right tackle and three at right guard.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 22-year-old impressed with his raw physical skills and although there were understandable technical areas where he needed to work on, his size and footwork allowed him to do a good job in pass protection and excel with his run blocking.
As a result, it was his work in the running game that particularly caught the eye at College Station and that, combined with his impressive size, has many draft experts and scouts predicting that he shifts inside to guard permanently in the NFL.
It is also considered an easier transition from the college level, something which could help Eluemunor given his relatively short history in the sport, but that said, he displays footwork that is extremely notable for a man of his size and a future at right tackle is certainly not out of the question.
The Combine gave Eluemunor the perfect opportunity to not only showcase this rare physical ability, but also display his intelligence and personality.
There is no doubt that some teams will view him as a diamond in the rough, someone who has the physical traits to excel but who needs to work on technical skills such as hand placement and picking up the array of pass rush moves that NFL players will throw at him. If he can convince teams of his work rate, determination and that he’s a quick study, that will do just as much for his draft stock as his on-field performance in Indy.
And that on-field performance was good.
He bench pressed 225 pounds 34 times, which was tied for the second most by any offensive lineman, whilst his 40-yard dash of 5.22 seconds is another green flag for a man of his size. His 10-yard split – a much more important measurable – was unofficially recorded at 1.84 seconds.
His work in the drills was also proficient, with his lateral movement looking very smooth for a 332-pound lineman, as well as performing well in the mirror and padded blocking exercises.
It was a showing which should help improve Eluemunor’s stock, who only has a limited amount of game film for scouts and draft experts to pour over.
Going into the combine, there was very little consensus on where Eluemunour might be drafted, if he is drafted at all.
ESPN had him as their 5th overall tackle available this year, as did NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, whereas he was only ranked as the 36th best guard available by CBS Sports, something which would put him outside the body of players likely to be drafted later this year.
Speaking to ESPN, Eluemunor’s former offensive line coach, Jim Turner, went as far as to say he would be “shocked if he’s [Eluemunor] still around after the third round.”
It’s a glowing reference and one you would expect from a player’s former coach but there is no doubting that the Londoner backed up that assertion with his work at the Combine.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe next step in Eluemunor’s draft process, as he looks to follow in the footsteps of fellow Brits Menelik Watson, Jack Crawford and Jay Ajayi, will be Texas A&M’s Pro Day on March 29th.
It remains to be seen how the general negativity around this year’s offensive tackles and guards will affect the versatile lineman when the draft kicks off on April 29th, but there is definitely an argument that the upside he offers as a player who is still far from their ceiling and has incredible scope to improve, should see him prized in a year where there is not an abundance of NFL-ready linemen available.
No one is predicting that Eluemunor will be the first Brit to picked in the first round but based on his impressive showing in his senior year, his physical ability and his significant upside, there’s every chance he hears his name called on day two of the draft.
Alex Shaw 