From now until the 2025 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson.
NO. 76 CARSON VINSON, OT, ALABAMA A&M (R-SENIOR) – 6071, 314 POUNDS
SENIOR BOWL PARTICIPANT
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Carson Vinson | 6071/314 | 10 1/4 | 34 1/2 | 84 3/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.12 | 1.80 | N/A | 7.51 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’3″ | 28.5 | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Possesses ideal, size, height, and length for the position
— Effective mover and space, as well as in his pass sets
— Can move laterally in a shuffle, mirroring pass rushers
— Effective at combo blocking with the guard to the second level
— Able to perform reach blocks to seal off defenders
— Has a finisher’s mentality as a run blocker
— Does a good job recognizing twists and stunts up front
— Stays calm and collected in pass pro
— Will knock down pass rushers’ arms to thwart their rush
— More than held his own against heightened competition at the Senior Bowl
THE BAD
— Can fail to sync up his hands and feet at times as a blocker
— Will latch on and hold rather than move his feet for position as a run blocker
— Likes to get a jump on the rush and will lunge forward in attempt to establish first contact
— Relies a lot on his size and length against lesser competition than crisp technique
— Will be facing a competition jump at the next level
BIO
— Redshirt senior prospect from Morrisville, NC
— Two-star recruit according to Rivals
— Also played basketball as a prep athlete
— Committed to Alabama A&M out of high school
— Lost his mother, Tonya, at age 15 and plays for her memory
— Played in 48 games during his college career
— Started every game at left tackle following a redshirt year in 2020
— Was the only HBCU player invited to the Senior Bowl
— First Team All-SWAC (2024)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Carson Vinson has been a riser throughout this draft process, coming from a small school at Alabama A&M as the only HBCU player invited to the Senior Bowl. Vinson proved he belonged in Mobile and followed that up at the NFL Combine. He showcased impressive athleticism packed into a 6071, 314-pound frame with the 34 1/2-inch arms you want in a prototypical NFL offensive tackle.
When you pop in the tape on Vinson, you see the measurements and traits you want in a blindside protector. He can move with the best of them laterally and has the size and length to compete with capable edge rushers on the outside. Watch this 1-on-1 rep with Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart down in Mobile, adjusting to the inside spin move and escorts Stewart out of the pocket, getting cheered on by his teammates for winning the rep against a likely first-round pick.
Vinson has the size and length to overwhelm most edge defenders he faced in college, but he also showed patience and would allow rushers to come to him, being able to use his reach and frame to seal them off from getting the edge. Watch the clips below of Vinson being poised in pass protection, sealing off the edge rusher in the first clip while handing the twist upfront with the left guard well in the second clip.
Vinson can handle pass rushers in various ways as a pass protector, either using his size to dig his feet into the ground to sustain the bull rush like you see in the first clip against Auburn, or he can be more of a technician and use his hands to knock down the opponent’s arms so they can’t get on his frame like you see in the second clip against the Tigers.
While Vinson is capable in pass protection, his strengths as a prospect come as a run blocker. He likes to impose his will on defenders coming downhill or driving them backward, making blocks like the one below where he washes out the defensive lineman on a down block, tossing him to the turf at the end of the play.
Vinson is an athletic blocker who can make blocks out on the move or climb to the second level to pick off defenders. Watch this clip below against the Auburn Tigers, where Vinson performs the reach block on the defensive end, lining up inside the shade of his right arm. Vinson takes a hard vertical step out of his stance to seal off the defender from making a backside pursuit of the runner, keeping up away from making the play.
Vinson has plenty of upside and the physical tools to develop into a capable NFL offensive tackle, but he still needs to work on refining his game to be ready to make the large jump in competition. He can get impatient at times and looks to make first contact at times as a blocker, playing with his shoulder pads over his toes.
He also can get lazy with his feet sometimes, as well as a blocker like in the clip below, getting hands on the defender, but doesn’t work to seal him off with his feet and hips. The defender nearly gets free, but Vinson yanks his chest plate of his shoulder pads, being in position to draw a holding penalty.
CONCLUSION
Carson Vinson is a tantalizing prospect who has what you are looking for in the position of offensive tackle. His height, length, and the way he represented himself at the Senior Bowl and his testing at the NFL Combine show that he can be a quality tackle at the next level. Cleaning up some technical issues as well as adding some more strength and functional mass to his long frame to better withstand NFL edge rushers will help him go a long ways from being just a backup at the next level to more of a swing/future starter role.
When coming up with a pro com for Vinson, Terrence Steele comes to mind as a comparable athlete from a size/testing perspective, as well as the fact that Steele was raw coming out of Texas Tech and needed time to develop into a capable starter for the Dallas Cowboys. Steele is more of a right tackle, while Vinson is better suited for the left side, but Vinson has the same potential to become a future starter in the league if an offensive line coach can work with him to maximize his physical gifts and his play demeanor.
Projection: UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 7.4 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: at Auburn (2024), vs Southern (2024), vs Jackson State (2024), Senior Bowl
