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    Virginia Tech 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Reports include Amaré Barno, Luke Tenuta, and Brock Hoffman

    Full scouting reports from the top players on Virginia Tech, including EDGE Amaré Barno, with eyes towards the 2022 NFL Draft.

    Virginia Tech’s NFL Draft prospects dominated with their athletic traits this offseason, and their scouting reports state similar profiles. Amaré Barno was a headliner at the Combine with his athletic testing numbers, while Brock Hoffman and Luke Tenuta had great weeks at the Shrine Bowl earlier this year. Here are the full scouting reports from Virginia Tech with eyes toward the 2022 NFL Draft.

    Virginia Tech 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Reports

    Barno nearly set records with his 40-yard dash time, while his versatile attitude may have him highly coveted. Hoffman and Tenuta played very well together at the Shrine Bowl and are very much in the mix to make immediate impacts in the NFL. These aren’t the only Hokies likely to hear their names called in the 2022 NFL Draft.

    Amaré Barno, DE

    Positives: Super-athletic pass rusher who is effective making plays in space. Breaks down well, uses his hands to protect himself, and works hard to make plays against the run. Shows the ability to rush the passer out of a three-point stance and standing over tackle, bends off the edge, and possesses a burst of closing speed. Plays with great balance and body control and rarely gets knocked off his feet. Fires off the snap with a terrific first step, plays with excellent pad level, and easily changes direction to make plays in space. Fluid moving about the field and very explosive.

    Negatives: Lacks bulk and strength at the point and consistently gets taken from the action by a single blocker. Turned in a slightly disappointing senior campaign.

    Analysis: Barno was an unstoppable force who consistently drew double-teams. Indeed, he made a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage and impacted the game. He’s an athletic prospect with excellent length as well as growth potential and will only get better as he physically matures and adds more strength to his game.

    Want more information on Barno? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Amaré Barno, Virginia Tech DE | NFL Draft Scouting Report

    Brock Hoffman, C

    Positives: Versatile interior lineman who can play center or guard. Quick off the snap, stays square, and seals defenders from the action. Sets with a wide base, bends his knees, and blocks with leverage. Keeps his head on a swivel, always looks for someone to hit, and shows great awareness. Effective with the shotgun snap.

    Negatives: Lacks a dominant base, does not get much movement run blocking, and gets bull rushed off the line into the pocket. Stiff and struggles to adjust. Average athlete who isn’t a zone-blocking prospect.

    Analysis: Hoffman possesses solid size and long arms. He has the versatility to back up at several interior offensive line positions on Sundays.

    Changa Hodge, WR

    Positives: Villanova transfer and once-highly rated receiver who possesses a nice build and displays terrific focus as well as concentration. Quickly gets in and out of routes. Extends his hands to snatch the ball away from his frame and makes the difficult catch with defenders draped on him. Gives effort even if the play is away from him.

    Negatives: Lacks a quick release off the line of scrimmage and plays to one speed. Gets tall exiting breaks. Watched his game level off the past two seasons and played just five games in 2021 after an ACL injury in the spring.

    Analysis: After an outstanding campaign at Villanova in 2019, when he caught 65 passes and 13 TDs, Hodge has watched his play slip the past two years. He possesses next-level size and reliable hands. Regardless, he moves towards the draft with his game on the downslide.

    James Mitchell, TE

    Positives: Smooth pass-catching move tight end prospect who comes across the middle of the field and makes himself an available target. Extends and snatches the ball out of the air. Effective in motion, stays low exiting breaks, and possesses strong, soft hands. Easily adjusts backwards to grab errant throws from the air. Displays terrific eye/hand coordination. Stays square as a blocker, shows good vision, and seals defenders from plays.

    Negatives: Displays limited strength in his base and gets pushed back off the line as a blocker. Lacks a second gear. Missed most of last season with a knee injury.

    Analysis: Mitchell is an outstanding move tight end prospect who plays the position like a big possession receiver. He comes with natural pass-catching skills. If he returns to his prior form after his injury, Mitchell will be a Day 3 steal.

    Jermaine Waller, CB

    Positives: Tall, physical cornerback with an aggressive style. Mixes it up with opponents, shows good route recognition in zone, and effectively diagnoses plays. Fluid flipping his hips in transition, competes, and shows a nice move to the pass. Fires upfield, bursts through blocks, and makes plays defending screen passes and running plays.

    Negatives: Does not show great balance out of his plant. Slow getting his head back around and does a lot of face guarding.

    Analysis: Waller is a developing corner who showed a lot of progress in his game last season and performed well during Shrine Bowl practices. Best facing the action, he would be a good fit as a dime back in a zone system.

    Want more information on Waller? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Jermaine Waller, Virginia Tech CB | NFL Draft Scouting Report

    Jordan Williams, DT

    Positives: Underrated 3-technique tackle prospect who is very explosive. Plays with good lean, works his hands throughout the action, and shows good change-of-direction skills and the ability to immediately alter his angle of attack. Athletic, gets leverage on opponents, and effectively uses his hands. Gets into space to make plays and quickly collapses down the line of scrimmage to defend the run. Attracts a lot of double-team blocks but stays with the action.

    Negatives: Lacks size as well as growth potential. Marginally productive on the college level. Average pass rusher.

    Analysis: After being a part-time player at Clemson, Williams transferred to Virginia Tech and watched his game take off last season. He possesses the quickness, movement skills, and ability to play with leverage to get consideration in a four-man front.

    Lecitus Smith, G

    Positives: Large, strong offensive lineman who blocks with a nasty attitude. Starts with excellent knee bend and pad level, gets leverage on opponents, and fires off the snap into blocks. Explosive, knocks defenders back off the ball, and works to finish off opponents. Stays square, anchors in pass protection, and gets movement run blocking. Keeps his head on a swivel and always looks for someone to hit.

    Negatives: Lacks footwork in space. Can’t pull across the line of scrimmage or get out in front to finish blocks. Struggles against nimble or agile defenders.

    Analysis: Smith is a true power-gap lineman with an underrated game. He lacks scheme versatility, yet Smith can start on Sundays in the proper system.

    Want more information on Smith? Here’s our expanded scouting report and draft profile: Lecitus Smith, Virginia Tech G | NFL Draft Scouting Report

    Luke Tenuta, OT

    Positives: Tall, athletic offensive tackle prospect with an upside and versatility. Fires off the snap and quickly gets to the second level. Solid position blocker who keeps his head on a swivel, squares into defenders, and seals opponents from the action. Patient, gets his hands into defenders, and makes proper use of angles. Keeps his feet moving and shows outstanding blocking vision.

    Negatives: Doesn’t sink his butt at the line of scrimmage. Must do a better job bending his knees and improve his blocking leverage. Lacks quick and fluid footwork off the edge.

    Analysis: Tenuta offers possibilities at tackle or guard. However, he must get stronger and, more than anything else, bend his knees and consistently block with leverage.

    Raheem Blackshear, RB

    Positives: Quick, instinctive ball carrier who is a terrific pass catcher out of the backfield. Displays outstanding vision, finds the open lanes, and works runs. Has a burst through the hole, runs with good lean, and squeezes through the small openings of the offensive line. Terrific receiver out of the backfield who nicely adjusts to errant throws and makes receptions in stride. Displays terrific eye/hand coordination. Works hard to come free and make himself an available target when the quarterback is under pressure.

    Negatives: Plays to one speed and isn’t fast enough to get around the perimeter. Not a truly creative ball carrier.

    Analysis: Blackshear is an underrated runner who can produce carrying the ball and as a pass catcher. He lacks great measurables and has no outstanding physical characteristics to his game. Nonetheless, Blackshear is just a terrific football player.

    Tae Daley, S

    Positives: Hard-working, run-defending safety who is best playing downhill. Effective diagnosing the action, chases plays hard, and brings down opponents when he wraps up tackling. Has a nice build.

    Negatives: Displays poor tackling form and allows ball handlers to pick up a lot of yardage off initial contact. Consistently takes incorrect angles to the action. Does more hitting than wrap-up tackling.

    Analysis: Daley gives a lot of effort on the field but lacks athleticism and underlying football fundamentals.

    Tré Turner, WR

    Positives: Smooth, fluid receiver who is best running underneath routes. Comes back to the ball to make himself an available target. Gets vertical, extends, and exposes himself to come away with the difficult catch. Sells routes, works his hands to separate from defenders, and tracks the pass in the air. Adjusts to errant throws, displays good eye/hand coordination, and gives effort after the catch. Effective when he extends his hands to make the reception away from his frame.

    Negatives: Plays to one speed and lacks a deep burst. Not creative when the ball is in his hands after the catch. Did a lot of body catching during Senior Bowl practices.

    Analysis: Turner was a dependable and reasonably productive receiver at Virginia Tech. But he comes with average size as well as speed and must really improve his pass-catching fundamentals.

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