O'Cyrus Torrence - OG - Florida
We haven't seen a guard go top 10 since Q Nelson
O’Cyrus Torrence checks two boxes that not many prospects in this class check.
Big enough to play football ✅
Knows how to play football ✅
I think Torrence has a very real chance to go top 10 in a class that doesn’t possess a ton of high end talent. He’s very polished and could instantly provide high level play at the guard position.
According to PFF data, Torrence not only didn’t allow a sack in 2022, he didn’t allow a QB hit, and didn’t commit a penalty. That’s a pretty clean sheet.
My favorite part of Torrence’s game is how cerebral he is. Good luck trying to run any kind of game to his side.
Initially Torrence’s man is the end angling inside. You can see the power in his hands when he punches and knocks the defender backwards. I’d like to see him keep his head out of the play more than he does, but Torrence is still able to notice number 10 stunting inside. He passes off the end to the tackle, and is able to take down the looping defender.
He’s comfortable with letting guys go, it’s a well coached line and it’s clear Torrence has a lot of trust in the guys to either side of him. He doesn’t get distracted by guys crossing his face, he is focused on his gap and his assignment.
He ignores Jalen Carter here as soon as it’s clear Carter isn’t threatening his gap. He gives the linebacker a shove that pushes him outside the tackle, then disconnects and stops 11 in his tracks. Torrence makes it all look easy.
The other thing I like about his game is his hands. I’ve written about several offensive lineman in this draft that are more “huggers” than punchers, but Torrence is proactive with good hand placement.
I like his aggressiveness. Get hands on first, take the air out of the rep.
Here his initial punch is too high, and it first it looks like he’s in a bit of trouble, but Torrence resets his hands mid-rep. Gets under the pads and creates upward lift, and anchors.
Torrence’s hands measure nearly a foot across, and his wingspan is in the 96th percentile. His features help him latch on to rushers from long range and keep them at bay. He’s great at staying connected, latching on to their frame and not letting go even if the defenders chop at his arms.
Torrence also has the power to dominate down blocks and reset the line of scrimmage, using his massive frame and long arms to create displacement and open up big holes.
The list of positives is long. The frame, the power, the recognition, positional versatility (he can’t play tackle but he’s been LG, C and RG), the punch, it’s all there. He also transferred from Louisiana Tech to the SEC, even though he was already a highly regarded prospect, which shows ideal levels of dawg.
I do think he struggles to keep his head out of the play at times, in the first clip I showed you see it a little bit. Overextending himself is his main technical issue.
The main question with him will be about the high end athleticism. He tested as a pretty mid athlete at the combine, and isn’t really dangerous tracking guys down at the second level
He’ll always be a bit stiff. Here Carter wins the outside shoulder and Torrence isn’t going to be a guy who can quickly flip his hips and push Carter up the arc or quickly shuffle to stay in front of him.
But overall I’m not too concerned about athleticism at guard. Torrence isn’t a horrible athlete either, I’ve seen him reach guys in zone a fair number of times. He’s just not a Quenton Nelson type athlete at all, which might be what it takes to be a top 10 guard.
Torrence falls short of being a blue chip prospect to me, but I do think he’ll be a good starter right away. Torrence checks the boxes needed to be a first round caliber guard in any class, and has been one of the easier league projections I’ve seen so far.
Grade: 6.7 - Early Impact Starter - Early 1st Rounder
Where I’d like to see him:
Minnesota Vikings: I understand that Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram are young players they drafted pretty high, but they were one and two in the league in QB hits allowed, according to PFF. Torrence would provide stability at the guard position that the Vikings haven’t seen in a long time. If they let Bradberry walk, maybe maybe maybe Torrence could play center.
Las Vegas Raiders: Seven is almost certainly too high for a team to pick Torrence but he would fit well in Las Vegas’s running scheme that is very power-oriented. With no real QB option on the roster and Josh Jacobs back on a new deal, this team may just want the nastiest run blocker they can find. Alex Bars is not it. O’Cyrus Torrence might be.
Washington Commanders: The 16th overall pick feels about right for Torrence, and Washington has a big need at guard. The right guard position was a revolving door for them, Trai Turner is old and was benched at points this season. Andrew Norwell is also old and didn’t play at a high level. Torrence would fill a need and would be fine value in the middle of first round.
How well do you think he'd fit in seattle
please don’t be a commander 🙏