From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to 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, a scouting report on Penn State offensive lineman, Hunter Nourzad.
#64 HUNTER NOURZAD, IOL, PENN STATE (rSR) — 6031, 317 lbs.
East West Shrine Bowl
Combine
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Hunter Nourzad | 6031/317 | 10 3/4″ | 33 1/8″ | 79 3/8″ |
| 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 | 27 |
The Good
— Good snap quickness, balance and pad level
— Experience at center, guard and right tackle
— Strong, active hands; usually first to make contact
— Nice quick sets and good anchor versus power rushers
— Good snatch to take down rushers
— Mobility to get out on screens
— Experience blocking in zone and power schemes
— Feet constantly moving, working to move defenders
— Quickness to reach block and pull outside
The Bad
— Inconsistent lateral agility to mirror rushers
— Facing quick rushers across his face
— Finding the looper on twists and stunts
— Push on base blocks
— Consistency versus speed rushers
— Timing and location on second-level blocks
— Depth of aiming point on lateral blocks
— Still learning new positions
Bio
— 2023 Second Team All-Big 10
— At Penn State, 24 games/21 starts at center and guard
— East West Shrine Bowl invitee
— At Cornell, 2021 second-team All-American from AFCA; first-team All-Ivy league
— Played right tackle at Cornell, starting 20 games
— 2021 Phil Steele’s Ivy League Offensive Lineman of the Year
— In high school, lettered in lacrosse and track and field; All region in shot put
— Earned degree in engineering at Cornell
— Birthday: November 26 (Age 23)
Tape Breakdown
If you like your offensive linemen to be versatile, then Hunter Nourzad is your man. Starting his career at Cornell University, he was a two-year starter at right tackle. After transferring to Penn State, he spent most of 2022 at left guard and 2023 at center. He has solid height and arm length, good weight, and good hand size.
As a pass blocker, he has good snap quickness, balance, and pad level. Generally, he is the first to make contact with his hands and has solid punch placement. His hands are actively working to refit during each rep to counter the defender. When engaged, he showed good hand strength to stay engaged and looked good on quick sets. Against power rushers, he displays good play strength and good anchor to subdue the rusher.
Here is an encouraging look at his ability to mirror.
His mental processing is good to pick up the blitzing linebacker, and when uncovered, he continually looks to help other linemen. He displays a very good snatch to take down would-be rushers. Despite Penn State being a terrible screen team, he displayed good mobility to get out in front of the receiver.
Sample of Nourzad picking up the blitz.
Snatching down pass rushers.
As a run blocker, he has experience in zone and power schemes. Being quick out of the snap and having good leg drive are consistencies. His pad level is solid, and he was effective on doubles and combos, getting hip to hip with teammates to get an initial push and displaying good quickness on Down blocks. When pulling, he displayed very good mobility from center or guard to get around the edge and was good at locating his man. On zone blocks, he maintained a solid push on outside runs and flashed the quickness to execute reach blocks on defensive tackles.
A couple of plays show him pulling. That first DB got obliterated.
More mobility, this time on a reach block to the 2i defender.
Clearing some lanes for some nice runs.
Working to the second level.
Stunts and twists gave him trouble, especially at center, and he needs to keep his head on a swivel. He gets turned to one side following the penetrator, allowing a land for the looper. His lateral agility is inconsistent, and quicker rushers crossing his face will have him reaching unless he moves his feet more efficiently. Swim moves were also troublesome, but he showed improvement last year. On combo blocks, his timing to the second level and locating defenders was adequate. His aiming point on lateral blocks can get too deep, allowing defenders room to get upfield. On base blocks, he got a marginal push on defenders.
Quick defenders across his face gave him some trouble.
Conclusion
Overall, Nourzad has much starting experience at multiple positions along the offensive line. He has good snap quickness, pad level, and balance. His hands are strong and active to perform a snatch or refit in pass protection. He is effective on quick sets and a good anchor versus power rushes. Blitzers are handled well, and he has the mobility to get out on screens.
As a run blocker, he’s worked in multiple schemes with good snap quickness and leg drive. He was effective on combos and double teams and displayed the mobility to pull outside. On zone runs, he gets a solid push to the outside and can execute reach blocks.
Areas to improve include his lateral agility to mirror quicker pass rushers, his handling of rushers across his face, and his mental processing on stunts and twists. In the run game, his aiming point on lateral blocks, push on base blocks, and timing to the second level can be finetuned.
In the past two years, he made the jump to FBS and played two new positions. There was going to be some growing pains, and that showed. However, you could also see his improvement over the course of each season learning the new positions. He is still improving, and I feel he is very coachable. I think his best fit would be in a zone scheme, but he can potentially handle power as well.
Some teams may see him as a guard, while others will see him as a center. His flexibility to play multiple positions will also be enticing to teams. The Steelers will likely be looking at center early in the draft, but if they miss out, I can see a guy like Nourzad being on their radar as a player with room to improve who they feel they can coach up.
For a player comp, I’ll go with another former Penn State player, John Urschel. They are similarly sized and engage quickly with the mobility to pull and work to the second level.
Projection: Mid-Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.7 Backup/Special Teamer (5th Round)
Games Watched: 2022 – vs Michigan, Vs Ohio State; 2023 vs Illinois, vs Michigan vs Ohio State
