From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#58 Matt Hennessy / IOL Temple – 6040 302
The Good
- Consistent form and quickness in his pass set
- Good hand placement and strength to control rushers
- Good mental processing of stunts and blitz
- Scheme flexibility
- Strong push on Down, Double and Combo blocks
- Short area quickness and positioning on Reach blocks
The Bad
- Some lean into his blocks
- Average arm length
- Timing on blocks to second level and screens
- Ability to move heads up blockers alone
- Poor timing on cut blocks
Bio
- Three year starter (36 games) at center
- 2019 – First team ALL-AAC and All-Academic Team
- 2019 – Third team AP All-American
- 2018 – American Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year
- 2018 – Started wearing #3 in practice – Temple awards single-digit jerseys to the toughest players on the team
- Older brother Thomas (24) who played at Duke and now plays for the NY Jets (long snapper)
- Graduated with a finance degree in spring of 2019.
- Senior Bowl Invitee
Tape Breakdown
Matt Hennessy is a three year starter with good size and solid length who processes well, is a good communicator and is technically sound as a blocker. He has played in an offense that uses both Gap/Power and Zone runs and quick passing game.
As a pass blocker, he displays good quickness to get into his set and gets his hands up quickly. He uses good hand placement with very good leverage and hand strength to strike inside on a defender and lock on. He has good lateral agility to mirror the movements of his opponent and sustains his blocks. He has good core strength and a solid anchor to handle power rushers. Very good mental processing on twists, stunts and picking up free rushers. Will look for work when uncovered and gets a good push to the ribs to help his teammates. Solid ability to get out in front on screens and is solid blocking in space.
At Boston College, he uses good leverage and hand strength to lock on to the DT. When he locks on his hands don’t come off.
Vs Maryland, here is an example of his mental processing to pick up the stunt. After the snap he’ll help on the 3T before picking up the defender looping to the inside.
He will lean into his blocks making him susceptible to yanks and quick swim moves. Defensive tackles with very good length will have an advantage using a stab/long arm to keep him from being able to lock on with his hands. His release timing is a little late on screens making him really have to hustle to get out there. His cut blocks were poor making his move too far from the defender.
Vs Cincinnati, the 0 tech beats him to the punch chopping his hands down and swimming over him.
As a Gap run blocker, he displays good quickness to get into positon after the snap and has good hand placement and footwork to get into advantageous positions. He gets a good push on down blocks, double teams and as the post on combo block. On base blocks, he uses good positioning and play strength to stalemate and keeps himself between the defender and the ball. He has good agility to pull outside and picks up the most dangerous defender.
At SMU, shows good quickness and push on the down block taking the defensive tackle out of the play.
Vs Georgia Tech, he’ll pull to the right and pick up the safety to open a lane to the outside for his RB.
At Cincinnati, up against the 0 Tech it’s a stalemate initially and he gets late push to move and sustain and you can see his hand strength at the end as he is still locked onto him even while on the ground.
As a Zone run blocker he shows good short area quickness to move laterally and is solid on reach blocking the 3 tech with help from his guards. He sustains well when the reaching solo and will get a good push on his defender.
Vs Georgia Tech, this is an outside Zone run to the left. The left guard will stab the DT giving Hennessy a little help and he uses it well to work around him and wall him off.
On heads up one on one block he doesn’t get enough leg drive to move defenders. Foot speed is adequate getting out on pulls and shows adequate timing getting to the second level and will over extend to reaching for the linebacker.
Hennessy is technically sound, a good communicator and has very good mental processing. He has very good hand strength, plays with very good leverage and is quick getting in position after the snap. He’ll look to improve on leaning into his blocks, timing to second level and outside blocks and leg drive to move defenders. He is capable of playing in a Zone or Gap running scheme and could benefit from some added upper body strength.
Projection: 3rd round
Games Watched: 2018 – At Boston College; 2019 – Vs Maryland, Vs Georgia Tech, At SMU, At Cincinnati
