2022 NFL Draft Player Profiles: North Dakota State OL Cordell Volson – Steelers Depot

From now till the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as attainable, inspecting their strengths, weaknesses, and what they will carry to an NFL franchise. These gamers may very well be potential prime 10 picks, all the best way right down to Day 3 picks and precedence undrafted free brokers Right this moment, I’ll be profiling an offensive line prospect that starred for a small-school powerhouse within the FCS however could also be finest suited to a place change on the subsequent stage.

#67 Cordell Volson, OL, NDSU (R-Senior) – 6061, 315lb

Shrine Bowl/Mix Invite

Measurements

The Good

— Has nice dimension paired with good size for the following stage
— Sturdy, sturdy body with the thickness and core stability to soak up contact
— Place versatile having performed each guard and deal with spots in school
— Solely identified to have surrendered a half a sack in his school profession
— Aggressive run blocker that appears to run his opponents off the ball
— Bodily play model as he takes satisfaction in placing defenders on their backs
— Efficient sq. puller who can both kick out the sting defender or decide up a second stage field defender and wash them down the LOS
— Has the motion abilities to rise up to the second stage
— Has spectacular grip energy that latches onto the opponent’s pads together with his punch
— Runs his ft on contact and can block to and thru the whistle
— Fast setter in go safety that performs with endurance and good hip/knee bend
— Has proven the flexibility to reflect in go safety and acknowledge twist/stunt pickups
— Core energy and dimension makes him viable go protector in opposition to the bull rush

The Unhealthy

— Athletic profile is pretty restricted by way of lateral quickness and burst/explosive energy
— Foot velocity on contact as a blocker may very well be extra pressing
— Will wrestle dealing with velocity rushers as a deal with on the subsequent stage together with his foot velocity
— Will often get beat on inside counters as a consequence of try and overset in opposition to velocity on the skin
— Does have nice lateral mobility in phrases to adjusting in area to choose up defenders within the open discipline
— Hand placement wants to enhance as he’ll miss exterior the defender’s shoulders every so often
— Can have defenders fall off his block makes an attempt as a consequence of inconsistent hand placement in addition to his upright pad stage
— Can stand to time up his punch higher in go safety to keep away from whiffs
— Sixth-year senior that will likely be a 24-year-old rookie

Bio

— Redshirt Senior prospect (sixth yr) from Balfour, N.D.
— Born July 20, 1998 (age 23)
— Older brother, Tanner, was a middle and Rimington Award winner for the Bison from 2014-18 earlier than signing as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers
— 5-year starter and two-time captain for the Drake-Anamoose Raiders in HS
— Additionally, an all-district performer on the basketball court docket
— Sat out the whole season as a redshirt in 2016
— Appeared in 9 video games in 2017 as a reserve OL
— Backup offensive lineman in 2018 and performed in all 15 video games as a member of the PAT and discipline purpose unit
— Began all 16 video games at proper deal with in 2019 and in 12 regular-season video games had a team-high 100 knockdown blocks and eight.3 knockdowns per sport whereas taking part in 724 whole snaps with solely one-half sack allowed
— Began all 10 video games throughout the spring 2021 season because of the pandemic and noticed time in any respect each guard and deal with positions throughout the yr, performed 403 of 411 offensive snaps throughout the common season and graded out at 90 % with zero sacks allowed and one penalty in opposition to
— Returned to the Bison program for a fifth yr of eligibility in 2021 because of the influence of COVID-19 on the 2020-21 season
— Began all 15 video games at proper deal with in 2021 and graded out at 94 % on 623 regular-season snaps with zero sacks or tackles for loss allowed
— Appeared in a school-record 65 profession video games together with 41 consecutive begins over his last three seasons
— A part of 5 convention and 4 nationwide championships throughout his six-year profession
— Three-time FCS All-American and All-Missouri Valley Soccer Convention first workforce (2019-2021), 2020-21 Phil Steele FCS Offensive Lineman of the 12 months
— 2017, 2018, 2019 MVFC Honor Roll, 2017 MVFC Commissioner’s Tutorial Excellence Award
— Two-time workforce captain (2020 & 2021)
— Graduated from NDSU in December 2020 with a bachelor’s diploma typically agriculture

Tape Breakdown

Cordell Volson leaves North Dakota State as probably the most adorned graduates in program historical past. The 6’6 1/8”, 315lb six-year senior was an element 5 convention and 4 nationwide championship groups throughout his time in Fargo, seeing motion in a school-record 65 video games and beginning 41 of these contests at each place on the offensive line exterior of middle. Volson leaves the Bison as an skilled, well-built blocker that specializes at displacing his competitors within the run sport. His dimension, energy, and demeanor make him a stable run blocker, blowing his competitors off the ball and operating them backward in opposition to their will like we see on these two performs as Volson locates the defender and runs him clear into the secondary.

Volson performs with an aggressive, bodily demeanor within the operating sport the place he seems to be to impose his will on his opponents. He’s a finisher that wishes to place you into the bottom and end on prime of you. We see that within the examples above as properly within the passing sport with Volson executing the snatch entice approach on defensive linemen within the following two clips, grabbing them together with his vice grip fingers and yanking them to the bottom, ending on prime of them for the pancake block.

Volson proved to be a succesful athlete out in area as properly for the Bison, being able to sq. pull to get the kick out block and clear large operating lanes proper of the LOS like we see on this lengthy TD run in opposition to rival North Dakota.

Volson’s dimension and energy on the level of assault make him a transparent mismatch on linebackers when he climbs to the second stage within the operating sport, having the energy and momentum to scrub defenders down the LOS and clear them out of the play fully like we see on this rep, springing the runner for a protracted TD scamper.

Volson’s versatility is also a pleasant trait to have in an offensive lineman making the transition from school to the professionals. He has began on each side of the LOS at deal with and guard and showcased his skill to play guard at a excessive stage on the East/West Shrine Sport. His sturdy, thick body and core energy make Volson a succesful go protector, making him troublesome to maneuver off his spot. Listed below are just a few clips sowing Volson in go safety the place he reveals the flexibility to reflect the push and decide up stunts and twists coming to his facet, stalling the push fully.

Nonetheless, there are some areas to Volson’s sport which will restrict his total upside on the subsequent stage. He’s an honest athlete out in area, however lacks the foot quickness in go safety to seal off velocity rushers from getting across the nook in addition to transfer laterally in area to push up second stage defenders constantly out in area. We see an instance of the latter right here in opposition to North Dakota as Volson climbs to the second stage in search of work however fails to sq. up two defenders in open area. He will get fingers on the second defender, however his hand placement isn’t nice which may result in extra holding penalties on the subsequent stage.

His lack of lateral mobility additionally causes Volson to be sluggish at adjusting to defenders trying to evade his blocks, thus leading to him lunging ahead and taking pictures his fingers early which result in whiffed block makes an attempt. Right here is one instance in the identical sport the place Volson sq. pulls and sees the cornerback coming throughout his face, resorting to leaning ahead with outstretched fingers, however whiffs the block try because the defender will get round Volson to wrap up the ballcarrier for no acquire on the play.

Conclusion

General, Cordell Volson is a battle-tested, extremely revered offensive line prospect that brings an edge to the sport as a bodily run blocker and succesful go protector. He has the dimensions and size you search for on the place and lead the cost for an offense trying to set up an identification on the bottom each as a bulldozer straight forward in addition to when requested to get out in area. Nonetheless, Volson is a restricted athlete that may see elevated stage of competitors on the subsequent stage and should wrestle with extra athletic velocity rushers on the sting as a consequence of inconsistent hand placement and foot quickness. Thus, transferring inside to protect in all probability is his finest wager to make an NFL roster and probably earn a beginning function.

When watching Volson at NDSU, former San Francisco 49ers OG Alex Boone got here to thoughts as a professional comparability for quite a lot of causes. Boone got here out of Ohio State additionally as primarily an OT with some expertise at guard earlier than transitioning to OG full-time within the league. He shares comparable dimension and size as Volson (6’7, 310lb, 34 3/8” arm, 9 7/8” hand) together with almost equivalent athletic testing (5.23 40, 27.5” vert, 8’7” broad). Boone too was a imply, bodily blocker on the level of assault, doing his finest work within the operating sport whereas being a succesful go protector when kicked inside. He ended up going undrafted and signed with the 49ers in 2009, changing into a full-time starter in 2012.

Whereas I foresee Volson getting drafted in contrast to Boone, I do suppose that his profession projection follows an identical path finally as a man that strikes inside and gives good depth at guard that may additionally play deal with in a pinch however can turn into an eventual starter in time with improved hand placement and constant go units. His finest work comes inside a telephone sales space and his dimension and talent to drag can be maximized inside at guard. Pittsburgh may use extra depth alongside the offensive line and Volson may comply with an identical profession trajectory as former Steeler Matt Feiler who began out as a backup, however finally discovered his means into the beginning lineup as a succesful starter within the league.

Projection: Late Day Two to Early Day Three

Depot Draft Grade: 7.9 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (third Spherical)

Video games Watched: vs North Dakota (2021), at Montana State (2021), Shrine Bowl (2021)