HEIGHT: 6'3"

Weight: 317

HAND: 10¾"

ARM: 33⅛"

WINGSPAN: 79⅜"

40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: N/A

BROAD: N/A

POSITIVES

— Adept zone run-blocker and puller with very good quickness and contact balance.

— Excels securing reach blocks, negotiating combo blocks and fluidly releases up to the second level to intersect his target.

— Good grip strength, loose hips and active feet to strain, steer and finish blocks at a high level.

— Potent snatch-trap technique to collapse and capitalize on overzealous, top-heavy power rushers.

— Has the balance, redirect and change-of-direction skills to handle himself one-on-one with quality pass-rushers.

NEGATIVES

— Needs to clean up his footwork, aiming points and hand placement on base and back blocks to more consistently line up his target with his eyes up and head back to avoid getting slipped.

— Below-average mass and girth leads to some lag time in his anchor.

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 starts at center

NOTES

— Born November 26, 2000

— 0-star recruit from the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Originally committed to Cornell, earning his degree in engineering while starting 20 consecutive games at right tackle before transferring to Penn State prior to the 2022 season

— 41 career starts at right tackle (20), center (13) and left guard (eight)

— Participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl

OVERALL

Hunter Nourzad is a four-year starter with time split between Cornell and Penn State at tackle, guard and center. He made 13 starts at the pivot in 2023 inside PSU's balanced (54-46 run-pass split), zone-based scheme. Nourzad has an athletic, lean build with solid length, big hands, very good athletic ability and solid play strength.

Nourzad is adept with leverage in the run game. He has the contact balance, quickness and grip strength to stick on defenders once latched and finish blocks at a high level. The 23-year-old is a loose, easy mover as a puller and arrives on contact with some thump before quickly gaining control and sealing off backers.

Nourzad needs to shore up his footwork, aiming points and hand placement on base and back blocks to more consistently line up his target with his head out of the block. However, he showed flashes of executing those blocks, especially later in the year.

In pass protection, Nourzad excels on jump sets off play action, mirroring against speed rushes and counter-moves and snapping off penetrators to pick up loopers against line games and twists. His mediocre mass and girth creates some lag time in his anchor on picks and the bull rush against head-up nose tackles, but his recovery balance increases his chances of staying in the fight and straining.

Overall, Nourzad is a quick-processing, athletic and physical blocker who makes up for a lack of sand and mass with excellent balance and movement skills to stay attached, strain and finish blocks at a high level. He offers proven versatility to help earn a role right away and has starting potential within his rookie contract at the pivot.

GRADE: 6.9 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 94

POSITION RANK: IOL12

PRO COMPARISON: Stefen Wisniewski

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

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