23 Aug Thayer Munford, Ohio State
5th Year Senior | 6’6″ 321 lbs | Cincinnati, Ohio | 09/18/1998
Thayer Munford is an experienced left tackle with all the necessary physical tools to succeed at the NFL level. However, he needs to be more consistent with his hand usage and maintaining pad leverage.
Overview:
Thayer Munford enters his fifth year with Ohio State and his fourth year as their starting left tackle. Munford came to Columbus as a consensus 4-star recruit and one of the top-30 offensive tackles in the class. He played in 8 games as a true freshman in mop-up duty. But he earned the starting job at left tackle as a true sophomore in 2018 and never gave it up. Since then, Munford has started 33 games, earning All-Big Ten honors every year. He elected to return for a fifth year in order to earn his degree, fulfilling the promise to his family.
Since Urban Meyer’s retirement and Ryan Day’s ascension, the Buckeyes’ offense has undergone significant changes. Day has incorporated more advanced, pro-style concepts, but remains a chameleon on offense. Munford and the rest of the offensive line are asked to execute a variety of techniques in both the pass and the run game. The Buckeyes utilize more under-center concepts than in previous years, which task Munford with both leading the charge on outside zone runs his way along with cutting off the backside.
Strengths:
- Ideal size and frame for an offensive tackle, body looks big but is properly lean; reportedly has 10.25” hands, 35.5” arms, and an 85” wingspan.
- Good strength allows him to push back the vast majority of defensive linemen in the run game.
- Has the lower body strength to drop his anchor against bull rushers
- Shows great lateral quickness when mirroring pass rushers and when attacking defenders on zone runs
- Able to efficiently execute a variety of pass blocking sets, showing smooth footwork to get to his point.
- Executes both Man/Gap and Zone schemes in the run game very well; he is very quick off the snap and always keeps his leg pushing when engaged.
- Flexibility and balance are both very good especially for such a big player; very rarely ends up on the ground when not tripped from behind, maintaining balance both in the phone booth and in space.
- Excellent instincts and awareness, keeping head on a swivel to find work and cut off stunts/twists/loops, etc. Recognizes blitzes and calls them out to center/QB.
Areas To Improve:
- Hand usage is inconsistent, specifically with timing and speed; winds up both his arms before he strikes sometimes, giving his opponent time to strike first; hand placement might be too predictable, as some defenders began to decode and anticipate his strikes
- Could be a little too aggressive at times, as he gets overextended and loses pad leverage, allowing the defender to shuck him off.
- Plays exclusively from a 2-point stance which could be a concern for some teams.
Injury Concerns:
- Missed the Rose Bowl in 2018; subsequently underwent back surgery
- Played through an ankle injury for most of 2019
Projection:
Thayer Munford possesses NFL-ready physical tools which provide him with a high floor as a player. He has extensive experience playing left tackle at the highest levels of college football. Furthermore, he is asked to execute a variety of techniques in many different types of schemes. Munford has some technical issues that could use improvement, specifically the consistency of his hand usage. Luckily, this is a trait that can be improved, both at the college level and in the NFL. Munford’s size, strength, and athleticism make him an interesting prospect.
Something to watch for this season would be to see how well he adjusts to a potential position change. Reportedly, Ohio State wants to get their five best offensive linemen on the field. That may mean moving Nicolas Petit-Frere to left tackle and mammoth junior Dawand Jones to right tackle. While he absolutely has the size and movement skills to play left tackle at the NFL level, he could improve his value by showing he’s versatile enough to play guard or perhaps right tackle. At this point, he might not yet be a 1st-round lock, given those inconsistencies. But Munford is certainly a top-100, perhaps even top-50 player in this year’s draft class. If he cleans up some of his inconsistencies, he could rise into the 1st round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Mitchell Wolfe is from Central Pennsylvania but loves all things Pittsburgh. He recently earned a Master’s degree in Sport Business with a concentration in Sports Analytics from Temple University. Mitch is a graduate of The Scouting Academy and has worked for Pro Football Focus as well. He is interested in developing ways to incorporate data-based decision-making into the scouting and drafting process. In his spare time, Mitch likes to play video games, read about history, or spend time with his fiance and their pets.