Jaelyn Duncan Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile
OT, Maryland Terrapins #71, RS Senior
Measurements
6’ 6” / 320 lbs
Jaelyn Duncan 40 time: Projected 5.2-5.35 seconds
Jaelyn Duncan Player Profile and Scouting Report
Recently I’ve noticed Duncan climbing up draft boards, so I thought I should take a deeper look. I learned that Duncan is a homegrown talent. He played his high school ball at Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore. It was there he earned a 4 star rating from 247sports, as well as the rank of the 11th best tackle in his draft class.
Duncan was already a massive human being standing 6’ 6” and weighing in at 300 lbs. his senior season. He garnered attention and offers from major football power houses like Michigan, Florida, and LSU. In the end, he stayed close to home. He now has an opportunity to be the first Maryland offensive lineman to be selected in the 1st round of the NFL Draft since Ron Solt in 1984.
Strengths
Protypical Tackle Build
With players like Evan Neal, Mechi Becton, and Daniel Falaalele being drfated in recent yearsm one might think the bigger the better. I think not. Duncan posseses an elite NFL Tackle frame and build. He has strength in his uper and lower body. This is unlike some players who are strong in one or the other. His 6’6″ frame allows him to utilize long arms, which he should be able to use to keep defenders at bay.
2021 Film
To be honest, I wasn’t impressed by Duncan at all while watching his 2022 film. I figured I must have missed something with all the hype around him, so I went and watched his 2021 film as well.
The tape from his RS Junior season looked much more promising to me. I see some flashes of the athleticism I’ve been reading so much about. I see his ability to use his strength to move run defenders with ease and his quick burst to get to the second level and even be used as a pull blocker. Based off of his 2021 film alone, I see a lot of potential and upside and could see him developing.
Weaknesses
Doesn’t Finish Plays
Let’s begin by saying 2022 left a lot to be desired. One glaring hole in Duncan’s game is his new found lack of aggression. I don’t see him punish a single pass rusher during the Michigan or Ohio State game. I love to see a mean streak in my lineman and he just doesn’t have it. If you aren’t going to be a “Dog” then you need to be a technician and he is not one of those either.
Speed Rushers
Duncan is repeatedly beat by straight speed rushers to the outside. If you watch his performance against Michigan and Ohio State this last season, you will quickly see that he is not a first round talent. In those two games combined, he gives up at least four sacks. Its hard to keep count when defenders fly by him so often. If a team is willing to take a tackle in the first round, he should be ready to start year one. Duncan is not that guy, he is a player who needs a lot of refining.
Jaelyn Duncan Draft Stock
I’ve seen reports of Duncan going as high as the 16th overall pick and if he is he will be the next Alex Leatherwood, whom I hated as a first rounder as well. Some scouts and websites are listing him as the best tackle in the second tier of 2023 draft hopefuls. I wouldn’t feel comfortable drafting him on day 1 or 2.
Final Thoughts on Jaelyn Duncan Scouting Report
Duncan showed flashes as a RS junior, but looked to regress during the 2022 NCAA season. He struggles against outside pass rush moves and NFL coordinators will attack him regularly. Zach Harrison registered 2 of his 3 sacks this season against him. A player like Nick Bosa would be salivating with aspirations of setting a new single game sack record if he lined up across from him at this point.
That doesn’t mean he’s a bum, it just means he isn’t a first rounder. With a year or two of good coaching Duncan would be a servicable starter at RT in the NFL.
Jaelyn Duncan Player Comparison
Josh Jones (a look back at Jones) of the Arizona Cardinals. They are of similar builds and athletic ability. However, I think Jones was a better pass blocker at this point in their careers. Jones had a lot of hype entering the 2020 NFL Draft, but ultimately teams decided he was only worth a third round pick. Subsequently, that’s the ceiling for Duncan on my draft board (Late 3rd). I, unlike others, don’t really care to guess when teams will take players. Instead I like to talk about when they should be drafted, as we see egregious reaches year after year.
Jaelyn Duncan NFL Draft Profile Analyst-Ken Noble
