Throughout the fall at Steelers Depot, we will be highlighting draft prospects the Pittsburgh Steelers may have interest in for the 2024 NFL Draft and their performance during the college football season.
The Georgia Bulldogs beat the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, 30-21, keeping their undefeated season alive as they continue their pursuit for three-straight national championships. The Bulldogs were fairly balanced with the offensive attack, QB Carson Beck throwing for 254 yards and two touchdowns while the running game totaled 133 yards, averaging four yards per pop. One member of the offensive line who has been a big reason for Georgia’s success is C #63 Sedrick Van Pran, who is widely considered the top center prospect in this draft class.
The Film
When it came to pass protection, Van Pran did a good job of not allowing his man to get a sack in the game. However, Van Pran can play with a little more spatial awareness and do a better job on sustaining blocks to the whistle. Watch this play where Van Pran and the left guard double team the defensive tackle for Missouri. Van Pran stops blocking the defender attempting to split the double team, standing straight up looking for another defender down the field rather than maintaining his block. The defender doesn’t directly get the sack, but he does get in on the action late as you’d want to see Van Pran maintain his block to the end of the rep.
When Van Pran sustains his blocks, he does a great job stalling the opposing pass rush. Take a look at this clip where Van Pran is initially one-on-one with the nose tackle, working to get a good fit with his hands inside the defender’s shoulders. He maintains his block and slides to the right guard, who comes to help neutralize the defender, giving Beck plenty of time to find his target downfield for the completion.
In the running game, you see Van Pran’s athleticism on full display as a natural mover in space. Watch this rep where Van Pran combo blocks the defensive linemen with the right guard before climbing up to the linebacker in the box. He doesn’t quite get there as he just gives a subtle shove on the defender but the runner scoots right past him, getting up field and picking up the first down.
You see another example of Van Pran’s athleticism on the move on this play below. He and the right guard pull out to the right, clearing a nice wide hole that the runner exploits to reach the first down marker. Van Pran does a great job locating the linebacker and gives him a nice shove to get him off his path of pursuit, but he can do a better job of latching on and driving him out of the play as the same defender ends up making the tackle. Overall, it’s a successful play and a good one by Van Pran, but the little details like sustaining blocks could go a long way in generating more explosive runs on the same rep.
When working on double teams as a run blocker, Van Pran does a great job displacing defenders off their spot to create wide running lanes. Watch this rep where the runner takes the carry off tackle for the score. Van Pran and the right guard double team the 1-technique, working to seal him off from the play as they turn their hips and shoulders, creating a natural running lane that the back exploits for the score.
Conclusion
Sedrick Van Pran played as advertised against the Tigers, showcasing that impressive athleticism and movement skills in space for a 6-4, 310-pounder blocker. Van Pran does have some issues in his game that he needs to work out, including sustaining his blocks as well as body positioning on blocks. He is an athletically gifted center but shouldn’t be considered a generational-type prospect.
Still, Van Pran has the size, strength, and movement skills you desire in an NFL-caliber center that can do it all. He is only a junior and is still developing despite being a three-year starter with plenty of experience under his belt. He should be able to play early in his rookie season, making him a legit possibility for the Steelers as they need a long-term solution at center with Mason Cole having his struggles this season.
Van Pran would be an upgrade over Cole once he’s up to speed, having a stronger base and more power to his game. Van Pran profiles as a late first/early second-round pick at this juncture, meaning the Steelers may need to target him in the first round to secure him rather than waiting until their second pick to see if he’s still on the board.
