Preseason Player Profile: D.J. Fluker

D.J. Fluker

Offensive Tackle

6’6” 335 lbs.

Alabama

-Of the three top-end offensive line prospects at Alabama, D.J. Fluker is the only one that I think gets the right amount of hype. At this point he doesn’t look like he can be a star left tackle, (and Nick Saban seems to agree because he has refused to move him to the vacant LT spot 2 years in a row) but he can be a very good right tackle.

-Very consistent finisher. He isn’t overly nasty, but you can see him block for a full count longer than most, if not all, of the other ‘Bama offensive linemen.

-Great drive blocker. It is easy to forget that you are watching a 6’6” mammoth after the ball is snapped, because he does a great job getting leverage on defensive lineman and driving them.

-Fluker is very good at getting to a linebacker and not overrunning him. He squares up on the move and throws his hands, not his entire body like Barrett Jones. Occasionally a defender will make him miss, but he does a good job adjusting and at least making himself an obstacle.

-Defenders really seem to struggle with his width. He seems very broad on film, and it extends the corner that pass rushers have to turn.

-He has a tough time reaching 3-techniques on stretch plays. Not a deal breaker, but it is something that he really needs to work on.

-Rarely if ever do you see Fluker beat with a power move. He is an absolute wall against power rushers, and you can see them jostle for position against him, but he is just so solid that they rarely get the leverage they want/need. In fact, even when they do get the angle on him, he is so strong that he can still hold them off for a count or two, very impressive.

-Unlike Barrett Jones, what you see on paper is what you get from Fluker. He has the bulk and frame that you want from an aggressive, run-blocking right tackle in the NFL. Not only can he give a running back some daylight, but is also a very good pass protector. Although any year can be labeled a “make-or-break” year in college football, I think Fluker’s draft grade is pretty predictable. In my opinion, he is among the top four offensive tackles coming out, which would put him right at the late first/early second round range.