2022 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Zach Tom
- Position: Offensive Lineman
- School: Wake Forest
- Height: 6'5"
- Weight: 295lbs
Film Watched: Army 2021, Clemson 2021, Florida State 2019
Pro's:
- Quick, fluid offensive lineman with excellent footwork to reach his landmarks as a run blocker
- Technically sound through contact; sinks his hips and drives up through his opponent
- Times his hand strikes with impressive effectiveness, constantly refitting them to maintain leverage
- Has good instincts, always looks for work, and prioritises threats when tasked with two opponents
- Gets excellent depth to his pass sets with a smooth kickslide at tackle
- Shows quickness to reset against pass rushers throwing counters his way
- Versatile – extensive history at both center and left tackle, and operated at a high level at both spots
Zach Tom is a OT prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.68 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 38 out of 1146 OT from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/dh21iYXJlg #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/dRcmmEX2xy
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 5, 2022
Con's:
- Lightweight for an NFL o-lineman, with significant lack of lower body mass
- If hands and leverage aren’t perfect, play strength deficiency is exposed
- Short arms, which will test his pass blocking skills to the extreme at the next level
- Doesn’t have heavy hands, and wins with accuracy and timing rather than physicality
- Bull rushers can get inside his arms and displace him
- Lack of nasty about his play
The Verdict:
“A true technician, Zach Tom was a valued four year starter for Wake Forest, first as a center before moving to the blind side his final two years in Winston-Salem. Tom wins with a quick mind and quick hands and feet; he jumps out of his stance and gets set in the spot that gives him the best chance to succeed, before delivering almost perfect strikes to his opponents pads. Tom isn’t a mauler but is highly effective blocking in zone schemes on the move, and as a pass protector has the finesse to be a high level NFL starter. Tom is a little undersized but more concerningly has a significant shortage of length, which likely moves him back inside at the next level. Any team who runs outside zone and needs some versatility up front should take a serious look at Tom, who has enjoyed a good pre-draft process and might just gatecrash day two.”
Simon Carroll
Head Of NFL Draft Content
NFL COMPARISON: CREED HUMPHREY
PREDICTION: 3RD ROUND PICK
5/5