Ralph Holley Scouting Report: 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Report

 

Defensive Line, Western Michigan Broncos, # 8

 

Measurments

6′ 1/2″ / 286 lbs

40 Time: 4.92-5.1 range

Arm: 32″

Wingspan: 78 3/8″

 

Ralph Holley NFL Draft Profile

 

High School

Holley attended St. Mary Prep School in Orchard Lake, Michigan. During his time as an Eaglet, he played in and won three State Championships and ended up as a 3-Star prospect and ranked top 50 in the state in the Class of 2017, according to 247Sports.com.  He received five scholarship offers including Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, and Kent State, but ultimately chose to take his talents to Western Michigan.

 

College

As a freshman, Holley played in a limited role totalling 80 snaps in five games. His breakout season came in his sophomore campaign where he played in all 13 games, starting 11. He earned MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after their win against Eastern Michigan where he tallied 6 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Over the next few seasons Holley only got better, earning All-Mac Honors, All-Academic Honors, and a Chuck Benarik Award Watchlist in 2021. He ended his career with 138 tackles (77 solo), 5 passes defended, 45.5 TFLs, 19.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.

 

Ralph Holley Strengths

 

Getoff

The very first thing I noticed when watching Holley was his quality burst off the ball.  As a Bronco, he primarily played at NT in a 0 or 1 technique in a 3 down front. At the teeth of the defense vs. IOL, getting off the ball and creating pressure immediately has proven very valuable. Although undersized, he creates excellent leverage from the jump by getting low and using his good power to knock back his man. Coupled with his good power, he also displays the athleticism to knife double teams, or beat his man with above average short area quickness. The old phrase, “The low man wins in football” is a key to his game. With a great get off, Holley begins the play already having an advantage.

Penetration & Pass Rush Ability

As an OT nose, TFLs and sacks usually come sparingly. With Holley, his stats are a different story.  Being a smaller, more atheltic prospect as opposed to the traditional interior clogging DT, Holley has the college statistics, athletic ability, and the tools to make his presence felt through the middle.  Along with his quality explosiveness off the LOS, he shows a good use of hands with a variety of pass rush moves.

He has an excellent swim move where he does not over extend, but keeps close to his body so OLs cannot get to his chest.  He also utilizes the club and rip and a swipe. Holley also does well when looping and has an effective bull rush that condenses the pocket. When he does not get to the QB, he has active hands and gets in throwing lanes. He lives in opponents’ backfields and I do not see this changing at the next level.

Underdog Mentality

What sets Holley apart more than anything is his mentality. He is a grinder with a chip on his shoulder, always finding motivation in the smallest things to keep him pushing. I had the pleasure of having about a thirty minute conversation with him. We talked about football, but I got to know some about his personal life.  Needless to say, he understands that he is a smaller DT and he has always been overlooked because of this. His lack of size only fuels his desire to push himself harder.  He is mentored by Ndamukong Suh and just hearing him speak about what he picks up from him when they are training, you can feel the passion oozing out of him. This attitude directly translates to how he is, both on and off the field.

Ralph Holley Areas of Improvement

Double Teams in the run game

Being in the middle of a 3 down front, he saw many double teams. Although he displayed the ability to split these, I would have like to see him win this at a higher rate. In my opinion, a move to a four down front would be an ideal position for him. Here, he can just have one gap responsibilities and more chances of one on one matchups.

Ralph Holley Draft Stock

At the Hula Bowl, Holley had a solid week of practice, interviews with a ton of teams and a good performance on gameday. Holley put in the work to raise his draft stock. He has not received any invites to any All-Star games or the Combine, but that will only add to the chip on his shoulder.

Player Comparison

When I am watching Holley, I see a Grady Jarrett type. They are the same height and Jarrett has just a few pounds on him. They both use their stature to create leverage and have the quickness to beat guards with speed, but also the strength to bullrush and collapse the pocket.

Ralph Holley Scouting Report Final Thoughts

Holley is an athletic DT who some would say is undersized, but his drive and work ethic make him play much bigger. He makes a home in opposing offenses’ backfields and has an array of moves in his tool bag. Even with a stellar week of practice, interviews with many NFL scouts, and a good performance on gameday at the Hula Bowl, he has not yet received any more invites. I look for him to shine at his Pro Day and expect him to make a rotational impact immediately, whether he is drafted or not. His personality and work ethic would make anyone want to root for him. I am a huge fan of this prospect, both as an athlete and as a man.

Ralph Holley Scouting Report Analyst-Austin Cundiff