Alex Forsyth Draft Profile and Scouting Report
Alex Forsyth Scouting Report: Center, Oregon Ducks, #78
2023 NFL Draft Measurements
6’4” / 312 lbs.
Alex Forsyth 40-Time – 5.20
Alex Forsyth NFL Draft Profile
Forsyth is a former 3-star recruit from West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon. According to 247sports, Forsyth was the 8th-best player in Oregon in the 2017 recruiting class. He was also the 76th-best offensive tackle in the nation. One notable player that he was ranked behind was current Giants OT, Andrew Thomas. This ranking led to him receiving 19 Division I offers, some of these schools were Michigan, Washington, USC, and Oregon. After only visiting Oregon, Forsyth decided to continue to play ball in his home state.
Although Forsyth was a tackle in high school, he played most of his snaps at center for the Ducks. He had snaps in five seasons with the Ducks, but did not start until the 2020 season. According to PFF, in his last 3 seasons with Oregon, he allowed 12 pressures, 6 hurries, 3 QB hits, and 3 sacks.
Alex Forsyth Strengths
Athleticism
Given Forsyth’s amazing size and length, he is incredibly light on his feet. In pass protection, this allows him to quickly get to his set point and mirror defenders who have good lateral agility. When he is zone-blocking, it also allows him to work up to the 2nd level and open a lane for the ball carrier. Forsyth also moves laterally with ease which makes him an effective blocker against power and speed rushers. He can also use his lateral agility to react to stunts and late blitzes. His active feet allow him to keep moving with the defender and keep them centered on his body.
Mental Processing
Prior to the snap, I noticed that Forsyth does a very good job of reading the defense. He can then inform his teammates so the QB can adjust the play if needed. After he snaps the ball, he does a good job of knowing who to block to buy his QB some more time. If he does not have a blocking assignment, he keeps his head on a swivel to pick up lat blitzes. When run blocking, he has a good knowledge of knowing when to disengage in blocks and work in front of the ball carrier. He also does a good job of knowing when to help out his teammates and double-team a defender.
Gap Blocking
As I briefly mentioned earlier, Forsyth has a very good understanding of blocking angles. This makes him a very good lead blocker for the running back on runs up the middle. He can also be a good lead blocker on the outside as well because his acceleration allows him to quickly pull block across the line. When drive blocking, he does a good job of keeping his back parallel to the ground and attacking defenders’ hips. This forces the defender off-balance and can open up a lane for a short run gain.
Pass Protection
Off the snap, Forsyth does a good job of quickly getting to his set point. This is due to his foot speed and reactions after the snap. At the point of contact, Forsyth does a good job of putting his hand in the right position to keep leverage. He is also good at fighting away defenders’ hands during their rush so he can take away their leverage. Although I do have some concerns about his pad level in pass protection, he does a good job of containing bigger tackles. If you want to see what I mean, check out his game against Georgia this season. In this game, he had to constantly block Jalen Carter who is arguably the best player in the draft. Although this wasn’t his best game of the season, he definitely held his own.
Alex Forsyth Weaknesses
Play Strength
The biggest concern that I have about Forsyth’s game is his lack of play strength. At the point of attack, he does not have a powerful enough punch to knock defenders back. He also has below-average lower body strength and struggles to drive defenders upward, taking away their power. Instead, it is more common to see him get his pad level too high and forced on his heels. When he is run blocking, I also had concerns about his lack of aggression. Although he can steer defenders when in the phone booth, he does struggle to move them out of the way.
Pad Level
As I briefly mentioned above, Forsyth has a tendency to play with his pad level too high. After snapping the ball, he often gets too upright. If his blocking assignment’s pads are lower than his, he will get forced onto his heels and lose most of his power. This is really exposed when he is dropping the anchor against the bull rush. When dropping the anchor, he struggles to sink his hips and drive the defender upward. Instead, when his pad level is too high he is forced to drop the anchor several times to try and slow down the defender.
Alex Forsyth Draft Stock
As of today, nflmockdraftdatabase has Forsyth as the 192nd-best prospect in the draft. After watching countless hours of film on Forsyth, I would give him a similar ranking. Given his overall ability and what he brings to a team, he will likely get drafted in the 6th round.
Final Thoughts on Alex Forsyth Scouting Report
Alex Forsyth is a natural athlete and is very light on his feet given his size. This allows him to be an effective pull blocker and 2nd level blocker. His active feet also allow him to mirror defenders and counter a variety of pass rush moves. Forsyth is also one of the smartest offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a natural at diagnosing the defense pre-snap and calling out when the defense is blitzing. If he does not have a blocking assignment, he keeps his head on a swivel. This allows him to pick up late blitzes and help his teammates if they lose leverage. Going forward, I have concerns surrounding his play strength and pad level when blocking. If he can work on keeping his hips low throughout the play, both of these problems will be resolved.
Alex Forsyth Player Comparison
Alex Forsyth’s play style is very similar to Ben Jones. Both players do a good job of getting to their pass set early after the snap. Jones and Forsyth also don’t pack a punch when in the phone booth but can slow down defenders. The only major difference in their games is that Forsyth is better at blocking in open space.
Alex Forsyth Scouting Report and Player Profile Analyst – Matthew Lewis
