Josh Conerly Jr. 2025 NFL Draft: Oregon OT Scouting Report
Coming out of Oregon, we have an offensive lineman with some excellent traits to his game in Josh Conerly Jr. As we look ahead to the talented 2025 NFL Draft class, Conerly is one of several strong OT prospects who could have a long and successful NFL career. Today, we’ll be breaking down his film in this scouting report.
Josh Conerly Jr. 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Josh Conerly Jr. is a highly athletic and technically promising left tackle with the tools to excel at the next level. His elite foot speed, fluid movement, and natural leverage make him a standout in pass protection. Additionally, his unique ability to climb to the second level enhances his effectiveness in the run game.
Despite some concerns about his overall size and play strength, his football IQ, awareness, and high motor position him as a strong developmental prospect with significant upside. Continue reading for Conerly’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential draft position in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
HT: 6045
WT: 311
HAND: 1038
ARM: 3348
40: 5.05
Strengths
- Elite Athleticism: Conerly moves like a much smaller player, with exceptional foot speed, lateral agility, and burst. His ability to explode out of his stance and cover ground in the run game is rare for a 300-plus-pound lineman.
- Pass Protection Prowess: Displays quick, efficient sets with light feet and excellent mirror skills. He allowed just one sack across 521 pass-blocking snaps in 2024 (per PFF), showcasing his ability to handle speed rushers and redirect against counters.
- Leverage and Flexibility: His low center of gravity and superb knee bend allow him to win leverage battles consistently. His hinge flexibility helps him adjust angles on the fly.
- Hand Usage: Flashes advanced hand technique, with precise, sudden strikes to disrupt rushers. He shows a growing arsenal of punch variations, keeping defenders off balance.
- Zone Blocking Fit: Thrives in wide-zone schemes, using his range and body control to reach the edge and seal defenders. His second-level blocking is a standout trait, often neutralizing linebackers with ease.
- Youth and Ceiling: At 21, with only six years of offensive line experience, Conerly’s trajectory suggests significant room for growth in strength and refinement.
Areas for Improvement
- Play Strength: While functional, Conerly lacks elite power to consistently anchor against bull rushes or displace defenders in tight quarters. He needs to add bulk and core strength to handle NFL power rushers.
- Run Blocking Consistency: Can be more positional than dominant as a run blocker. He tends to rely on angles and athleticism rather than driving defenders off the ball, which limits his impact in gap schemes.
- Technique Refinement: Hand placement can drift wide, risking holding penalties. Occasionally oversets against stutters or hesitations, exposing a soft inside shoulder.
- Experience vs. Power: At times, he struggles against heavy-handed defensive linemen who can reset his base. This was evident in early 2024 reps before he adjusted midseason.
- Snap-to-Snap Focus: Rare lapses in anticipation (e.g., stunt recognition) suggest he’s still honing his pre-snap processing, though this improved markedly in 2024.
Conclusion
Conerly Jr. is a blue-chip prospect with the athletic gifts and foundational skills to thrive in the NFL. His 2024 leap erased doubts about consistency, and with added strength, he could anchor a franchise’s left side for a decade. Teams needing a tackle with immediate impact and long-term upside will find a few better options in this draft.
Conerly profiles as a high-upside left tackle with the tools to start early in his rookie year, particularly in a zone-heavy offense like those run by the Shanahan tree (e.g., 49ers, Rams). His athleticism and pass-blocking chops give him a high floor, while his youth and technical progress hint at a Pro Bowl ceiling. Teams may initially need to scheme help against power rushers until he bulks up, but his trajectory suggests he could become a top-tier tackle by Year 3. In a relatively thin tackle class, Conerly’s blend of polish and potential makes him a second-round pick with a chance to sneak into the top 32.
Like Dion Dawkins, Conerly combines fluid movement with a stout frame and a technician’s approach to pass protection. Both share a basketball background that translates to nimble feet, though Conerly has more developmental runway to exceed this comp.
Round Grade: Late 2nd – Early 3rd Round
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