SPORTS:Haitian-American Vladimir Ducasse NFL Draft Scouting Report

Vladimir Ducasse

6'4, 332 pounds | Offensive tackle | Massachusetts

Initial Quickness: Stays low off the ball, very explosive when moving downhill at the point of attack. Can win the battle play in and play out based purely off the initial pop he gets off the snap.

Awareness/Reaction: Does not react well to stunts but he does better when involved in traffic. He can be fooled the further out in space he gets, but he is relatively new to the game in comparison to other players at his age. Not a quick thinker.

Balance: Can stay upright but will tend to lunge too often. Does not keep an even amount of weight on both legs, will rock left and right too much and it can be exposed in space.

Movement/Space: Very good athlete considering his size and girth. Can be light on his feet when the balance is on. Seems uncomfortable the further out in space he gets.

Pass Blocking: Can neutralize the best of pass rushers using his lower body, upper body, and combination of the two. Does not recover well when the defender beats him off the ball, tends to turn his hips, leaving him in a vulnerable position for the double move.

Pulling/Trapping: Does not have enough experience as a pulling lead blocker. Gets too upright when moving laterally, does not maximize his quickness when moving laterally.

Run Blocking: Powerful upper body that is maximized as a result of his strong use of leverage/pad level. Moves downhill with power and precision, finishes his blocks in the trenches. Footwork his inconsistent, does not always get his hips in to the hole. A true mauler that tries to physically overwhelm his opponent each time.

Size/Length/Hand Size: Has the ideal body for a guard in the NFL. Very thick and solid, does not carry a lot of loose weight. Well developed upper body, could use more girth to his base. Long enough reach to play on the outside.

Strength/Explosion/Pop: When his technique is on, Ducasse possesses big time power that can send a jolt to his man. His initial punch makes a different noise than other blockers. Needs to get his hips into the block more often.

Technique: Inconsistent on tape and in person. It was not an issue at the lower level of college football during the season, but it was exposed at the Senior Bowl. He is very light on his feet and he does a nice job of keeping his hands inside and his pad level low. However he likes to chase and will struggle to keep his shoulders squared up to the defender. Will look out of place on one play, but knows how to correct himself on the fly and will look like a veteran on the next.

Final Word: After just six years of playing organized football, Vladimir Ducasse has developed in to one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2010 draft class. An AP All-American, the Haitian native showed glimpses of being a dominant force within the trenches while participating in the Senior Bowl down in Mobile. It is easy to notice how raw of a player he is, as his technique in space is very inconsistent and he does not always appear to be comfortable on the edge. However when he is moving downhill, there may not be a more powerful interior lineman in the country. A move to guard is likely where he will need a year or two to refine the technique portion of his game. But his strong work ethic and ability to respond well to NFL coaching could evolve him in to a top notch guard at the next level. He carries a 2nd or 3rd round grade across the league but the upside here is higher than any interior lineman in this class.

Source: MockingTheDraft