Jennifer Stewart – USA Today Sports
Hironiss Grasu is getting early notoriety again as he was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list (the award given to the best center in all of the NCAA) for the second straight season.
The 6’3, 295-pound center has made an immediate impact since stepping foot on the Oregon campus.
He started 14 games as a freshman, being named to Phil Steele’s All-Freshman second team, as he was a part of an offensive group that was top ten in all statistical categories.
One thing that makes a good offensive lineman for Oregon is pure athleticism, and Grasu has always been extremely physically gifted. During his first season, Grasu ranked top three amongst his offensive lineman teammates in vertical leap, power clean and shuttle run. His most impressive physical stat was his squatting max that was 485-pounds, good enough for second among the group.
Grasu has continued to get stronger and quicker, becoming one of the most reliable offensive linemen the Ducks have ever had.
Right now, NFLDraftStock.com has him projected as the 3rd best center in the 2015 NFL Draft; but I foresee him propelling himself to the top overall offensive lineman.
With this past NFL Draft, teams have directed their focus on the offensive line as one of the most important aspects — as three of the first four picks were offensive lineman.
Now it can be argued that this past draft lacked true-skill players that warranted teams taking them with a first-round pick, but if you look to next year’s top prospects of the top 11, four are offensive lineman.
Of those four linemen, none have the experience and success that Grasu has had during his first two seasons at Oregon.
When you combine the experience, success and pure athleticism, there is no one that can compare to Grasu. If his next two seasons are anything like his first two, he is without a doubt going to be one of, if not the, top offensive lineman in the 2015 NFL Draft.
