Hogs Haven takes a look at 2019 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Redskins
Hjalte Froholdt, OG/C
School: Arkansas | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Senior | Age: 22
Height / Weight: 6-4 / 306 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 4th or 5th Round
NFL Comparison: Sean Harlow
College Statistics
N/A
Player Overview
Hjalte Froholdt (Yell-duh Fro-holt) was an exchange student from Svendborg, Denmark when he first came to America back around 2013. Froholdt landed in Ohio where he started playing football to immerse himself more in the culture and make friends. Froholdt moved to Florida towards the end of his high school career and he started playing at IMG Academy coached by former NFL QB Chris Weinke. Amazingly Froholdt achieved a 4-star recruiting grade and was pursued by a lot of schools including Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State to name a few. Froholdt chose Arkansas over all of them. At Arkansas he played guard and center and is considered a powerful and versatile player. He was named a preseason candidate for the Outland Trophy. He may not have quite lived up to those expectations this season but he was one of the few bright spots on a bad Arkansas team. He never thought he would be in this position as a legit NFL prospect but he loves the game and loved preparing for it. He received an invitation to the combine. There he will answer a lot of questions about his technique and athleticism which could determine if he moved up or down a round or two in the draft.
Strengths
- Tough, physical, strong player carrying good weight has decent athleticism for the position.
- Makes his mark in the run game where he executes very well on pulling blocks, reach blocks, combo blocks, and can get to the second level. Can get his hands square inside the shoulders and move people. Athleticism can shine when he is in space looking for a man to block.
- Has position versatility with experience starting at center and guard.
- When he plays with a wide base as a pass blocker he can do a good job of absorbing initial contact and resetting his stance.
Weaknesses
- Better run blocker than he is pass protector when facing speed and power he can lock his lower body and relies heavily on his upper body strength. He becomes stiff and plodding and grows roots in the ground. Makes him susceptible to losing his balance and leverage and he can get pushed way back.
- Inconsistent technique overall, footwork can be hit or miss, same for hand placement and punch. Has issues popping up when trying to engage opponents.
- Once beaten by speed he doesn’t have the necessary counter or athleticism to recover. He’ll hold or lunge out of desperation.
Let’s see his work:
Don't sleep on Hjalte Froholdt.
— Dion Caputi (@nfldraftupdate) February 9, 2019
A brutish OG with a high degree of power. Think his best football is ahead of him he'll make for a good long-term interior starter. https://t.co/wR6ktVxr79
You know who's flying under the radar in this OL draft class? Hjalte Froholdt (iOL, Arkansas). I've yet to see anyone talk about him yet he's a solid 2nd round talent, imo. Handled himself very well against Alabama's DL.
— Robbie Duncan (@RobbieDuncanOL) February 5, 2019
My favorite part of scouting is learning about a player's journey.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 15, 2018
Like @RazorbackFB OG Hjalte Froholdt, who fell in love with football in his native Denmark and cultivated his game in Warren, Ohio. Up next? The NFL. https://t.co/e03Ehs215j
How He Would Fit On The Redskins
Froholdt has a great story and he has come a long way for a guy only playing football for six years. Your viewpoint on him will likely correlate to just how much upside you think he has. It’s a viewpoint that a lot of people will be solidifying after the combine. Right now, in my opinion, Froholdt is not ready to start in the NFL. He needs so much work regarding his technique that I don’t think he would be any upgrade to the bodies the Redskins rolled out at guard last year. I think he has a lot of potential if he can become more consistent and improve the technical aspects of his game. That process however could take a full season, maybe more. Speaking optimistically if all goes well it would be a wise investment in the future of the OL for many teams but the Redskins need help now. While I don’t think he can help right away in a pinch he does offered much needed versatility along the interior OL. The value of this can’t be overstated given the Redskins recent history with injuries along the offensive line. It would also be nice to have a drafted a young player to come in rather than rely on guys on the couch. His experience playing center is certainly a credit to his ability to learn in a short period of time. I think he could play both positions for the Redskins. If drafted it would be interesting where the team see’s him as far as position.
from Hogs Haven - All Posts http://bit.ly/2SOP6ki
No comments:
Post a Comment