Ciron Black, 2010 NFL Draft
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Offensive Tackle |
Big, smart, tough and experienced, all of that adds up to the best OT in the 2009 college season. Ciron Black has a 40-game start streak dating back to his very first game of college football and is the unquestioned leader of LSU’s o-line. If he continues to play at his best, Black could hear his name called as the first o-linemen off the board in 2010.
Black has earned a 2008 All-SEC 2nd team picks by the coaches and media in 2008, was named to the Outland watch-list, was a 2007 All-SEC 2nd Team pick by the coaches and garnered First Team Freshman All-American honours from the Football Writers Association and College Football News, Sporting News 3rd Team Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC by SEC Coaches in 2006. Black stepped into the Tigers’ starting line-up right away as a redshirt freshman, playing the high profile left tackle position no less, and has one more season to add to an already decorated career.
At 6’ 5” 330 pounds Black is a tremendous run blocker who should immediately be an asset to an NFL team in this area. He has a hard first punch, likes to make first contact and can control once locked on. His arms are a good length and he’s thick with powerful legs. Black generally gets a good push and combo blocks very well. In pass protection, Black has a good, deep kick slide, mirroring the defender and walling them off. He could get better against speedier rushers but pits strength vs strength and can win that battle. He has greatly improved his footwork and hands, becoming very technically sound and uses technique to mask some quickness disadvantages. He’s pretty smart, works hard and should have no problem with picking up a playbook.
He may cap out as a RT which limits his ceiling and may keep him from going as high as his talent would suggest. He could stand to lose about 10lbs to enhance his speed and quickness and help him to better recover when beaten. Black doesn’t always show that and speed will give him fits. His technique helps him to keep even the best in check the majority of the time but focusing on slimming down and getting quicker will make him an even better player.
Black has the talent to be a premier LT in the NFL and a very high pick. He has great size and will keep getting stronger. If he does not find a home at LT, Black will at least be a great RT. He has another season to improve even more and showing that he’s in great shape, fully motivated once again and a dominating player on the field will send his stock soaring to a high 1st round pick.
