From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.
#51 MICHAEL HALL JR./DT OHIO STATE – 6026, 290 LBS. (R-SOPHOMORE)
Senior Bowl
Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Michael Hall Jr. | 6026/290 | 10 | 33 1/2 | 81 1/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Solid athletic ability
– Solid off the line of scrimmage and good overall short area quickness
– While his height is on the shorter end, his arm length makes up for it
– Has a very quick swim move that he goes to frequently
– His lack of height gives him good natural leverage which he uses to his advantage
– Solid competitive toughness and motor
– Good awareness to get his hands up in passing lanes when he can’t get home on his pass rush
THE BAD
– Tweener body type, unclear where his ideal fit is along the defensive line
– Does not have a consistent counter when his bull rush fails
– Not enough body mass to absorb or anchor against duo/combo blocks
– Needs to develop more pass-rush moves
– Had a more productive 2022 season and not a ton of production overall in college
BIO
– Originally a four-star prospect out of Streetsboro HS in Streetsboro, Ohio
– 20 years old, will be 21 in June
– Appeared in 28 total games, starting 11 of them
– Played OL and DL in high school
– Played through a broken hand in high school and a lingering shoulder injury in 2022
– Suffered an undisclosed injury in 2023 that caused him to miss one game
– Logged 45 total tackles, 19 solo tackles, 10 TFLs, and 6 sacks at Ohio State
– DL Practice Player of the Week at the Senior Bowl
– Played the majority of his snaps as a B Gap defender
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Hall’s go-to move in most situations is the arm over. Sometimes he will set it up with a cross chop, but most of the time he is just winning with his quick first step and short area quickness. He doesn’t otherwise have a wide array of moves that he employs. There is the occasional spin move or swipe-rip, but he leans on the arm over move a lot. This clip shows a few situations where it works, but the last play of the clip also shows what happens when an offensive lineman is ready for it. NFL linemen are going to be ready for it a whole lot more than his opponents in college.
His arm over move can move him out of the play at times as he doesn’t stay tight to the OL and takes the path of least resistance, moving himself well outside of his intended gap.
He plays with a nice wide base which helps him absorb contact and change direction while engaged with a lineman. In this clip, he gets chipped by the tackle, absorbs the blow and changes direction to shed the block and make the tackle.
He is able to generate a lot of power due to the natural leverage that comes with being on the shorter end of an NFL DL. His low center of gravity allows him to consistently win the leverage battle and his arm length helps him extend and bring his hips to create power. He can convert speed to power and can push the pocket.
He has a solid motor and will work to the ball all the way until the whistle. He doesn’t make the tackle on this play, but he got five yards into the backfield before turning and chasing the receiver another 15 yards up field. That effort was consistent throughout his tape.
CONCLUSION
Hall is a bit of a difficult projection at the next level as he has very little starting experience at the college level. He is also a tweener who will not have versatility to play all positions along the defensive line. He is pretty locked into being a 3-tech or 4i defender. His arm over pops on tape, but he needs to develop more moves to change things up and counter when his move fails. Fortunately, he is 20 years old and still has plenty of room to develop and add to his physique. He has a very similar body type and some of the same strengths and weaknesses to Adetomiwa Adebawore in last year’s draft class, though he won’t test quite as well.
Projection: Mid-Late Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 7.8 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: at Georgia (2022), at Notre Dame (2023), vs Penn State (2023)
