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Javon Foster NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Jacksonville Jaguars OT

BR NFL Scouting Department

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 309

HAND: 9 3/8"

ARM: 35"

WINGSPAN: 82 3/8"

40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

POSITIVES

— Knows how to weaponize his long arms to maximize his reach, establish first meaningful contact and keep rushers at his fingertips.

— Very good grip strength once latched inside the frame of defenders to gain and sustain control of the block.

— Good athletic ability with the initial and lateral quickness to mirror rushers on an island, cut off the backside on zone runs and lead on the edge as a puller.

— Shows above-average pop and play strength upon initial contact to deliver jolt with the frame and length to corral defenders and seal off alleys on angle-drive blocks.

— Noticeable improvement in his technique from the 2022 to 2023 seasons.

NEGATIVES

— Choppy, disjointed footwork saps his power as a run-blocker and recovery skills in pass protection.

— Impliable, rigid use of hands leaves him late to refit and reset against counters.

— Has a bad habit of lunging/leaning into contact, being vulnerable to the push-pull and getting overextended.

— Overly reliant on the two-hand strike, which gives his game a boom-or-bust element.

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 starts at left tackle

— First-team All-SEC (AP & Coaches)

— Third-team All-American (AP)

— Co-captain

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— 41 career starts at left (39) and right (two) tackle

— Accepted his invite to the Senior Bowl

OVERALL

Javon Foster is a three-year starter inside Missouri's RPO-heavy, zone-based run scheme with 41 career starts primarily at left tackle, including 13 starts in 2023. Foster has excellent arm length with a lean, high-cut build and good athletic ability.

Foster combines his above-average athletic ability and excellent length to strike, press and widen defenders off their spot on angle-drive blocks. He also has the play strength to concede minimal ground against power when his hands are inside and latched. He is an adept zone run-blocker with the quicks and agility to cut off the backside, plus lead around the edge to take out the force defender on pulls.

While Foster is a solid overall run-blocker with flashes of higher-end ability, he is too robotic and rigid with his footwork and hands with a bad habit of leaning into contact. That saps his ability to sustain and control blocks if he doesn't win the initial leverage battle, leading to getting overextended and slipped too quickly.

In pass protection, Foster gets to his spots and landmarks on time using various sets, showing the range and twitch to mirror rushers on an island with the length to establish first meaningful contact and keep rushers at his fingertips. That's balanced out with the same rigidity as a run-blocker that manifests itself in his heavy, two-hand strike approach that leaves him overextended when his punch doesn't land and being slow to reset and refit once engaged.

Foster tends to catch the bull rush with wide hands, creating easy access to his edges and getting pried open late in the rep. He is also inconsistent with his eyes and spacing against stunts and games, leaving late to sort and pass them off.

Overall, Foster has starter-level size, length and athletic ability, but those are clouded by several bad habits that too often leave him out-leveraged, late to adjust and overextended. Given his physical traits, flashes of power and lack of polish, he would be an ideal developmental pick who can be groomed into a contributor over time.

GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 124

POSITION RANK: OT12

PRO COMPARISON: Shon Coleman

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

   

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