High School and College Career

Emil Ekiyor Jr. from Cathedral High School, was rated as a 4-star recruit and chose to attend the University of Alabama, where he would play as an offensive lineman for the Crimson Tide.

In his freshman year in 2018, Ekiyor Jr. only saw action in two games and played a total of just 9 snaps.

As a sophomore in 2019, Ekiyor Jr. played in eight games and recorded 134 snaps for the Crimson Tide. Most of his playing time was at left guard, where he gave up only one QB hurry and one QB hit with zero sacks.

Moving into his junior year in 2020, Ekiyor Jr. saw significant action in 13 games and played a total of 885 snaps for Alabama. He gave up eight QB hurries, four QB hits, and two sacks.

During his senior year in 2021, Ekiyor Jr. played in 15 games and for a total of 1010 snaps. Although he gave up 18 QB hurries and 5 QB hits, he did not allow any sacks while playing at right guard.

In his fifth-year senior season in 2022, Ekiyor Jr. saw action in 12 games for Alabama and recorded 652 snaps. Again playing at right guard, he only allowed six QB hurries with no hits or sacks.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. Scouting Report Introduction

Emil Ekiyor Jr. is a redshirt interior offensive lineman with extensive experience playing in over 40 career games for the Crimson Tide. Throughout his collegiate career, Ekiyor has proven to be a reliable and effective asset for many highly productive offensive units. The offensive lineman has a sturdy and thick base that serves as the foundation for his power and effectiveness on the field.

In the run game, Ekiyor’s quick first step combined with his body mass allows him to generate power and displace defensive linemen. A physical temperament is a crucial aspect of Ekiyor’s play style in the run game, as he consistently looks to finish defenders. Ekiyor’s lateral agility and quickness are also noteworthy, allowing him to reach-block defenders and seal them off effectively. Additionally, Ekiyor’s ability to climb to second-level defenders and make effective blocks creates lanes for ball carriers to make progress.

Ekiyor’s pass protection is equally impressive. He shows good short-area quickness in effectively passing off twists and stunts to stop penetrating defenders. Ekiyor’s lower half provides him with the power to anchor down and minimize the number of knockback defenders can cause, which enables him to handle power rushers well. Another strength of Ekiyor’s in pass protection is his willingness to engage in hand-to-hand combat with defenders, throwing initial and counter punches to defeat them.

However, as with most players, Ekiyor also has areas of deficiency. His aggressive nature causes him to become over-aggressive at times, leading to issues in both run and pass protection. In the run game, Ekiyor may extend too far over his feet, causing him to lose balance and become more easily sheddable. Similarly, in pass protection, Ekiyor’s eagerness to engage in contact sometimes leads to him shooting his hands too quickly, resulting in overextension issues that affect his balance.

Overall, Ekiyor’s combination of physical tools and temperament make him a highly promising candidate for early success in his NFL career as a starter. Despite some minor areas to work on as detailed above, Ekiyor’s experience and track record at Alabama speak of his potential to make a significant impact in the professional ranks.

Strengths

Emil Ekiyor Jr. demonstrates good initial quickness and flexibility, which he uses to great effect in sealing the backside. Ekiyor quickly recognizes and reacts to twists and stunts at the front, which shows his good sense of timing on combo blocks.

One notable aspect of Ekiyor’s play is his ability to maintain power while keeping his feet sliding when dealing with speed. His solid character and work ethic have only served to endear him to his teammates and coaches. His strong grip enables him to manhandle opponents when his hand placement is right. Ekiyor’s play is characterized by his mean streak, as he is not afraid to keep the nastiness going through the whistle.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. has demonstrated a remarkable ability to draw on his physical talents to deliver excellent performances on the field. His football smarts and general intelligence have also served him well, and his solid character and work ethic have earned him the respect of his teammates and coaches alike. Ekiyor’s mean streak and willingness to keep pushing until the whistle blow are just some of the many reasons why he is regarded as an outstanding player.

Weaknesses

One issue s that he tends to bend too much at the waist, which can affect his overall balance and stability on the field. Additionally, Ekiyor has been found to lack ideal power and functional strength, which limits his ability to mask the poor bend.

Perhaps most concerning is Ekiyor’s tendency to drop his head while playing, a bad habit that will likely need to be corrected in order to improve his overall play. Another area that Ekiyor needs to work on is his lower body strength, which can help him to anchor himself more effectively when he is at the point of attack.

Regarding Ekiyor’s stance, he has average height but a narrow base, which may contribute to his difficulties on the field. Additionally, his kick slide has been inconsistent at times, and he sometimes sets too high, which can make him vulnerable to being pushed around by players with more speed and power in the NFL.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. is the 142nd prospect on our draft big board.