Traits-first interior lineman whose draft stock runs well ahead of his box score — and the industry keeps paying it anyway. Texas Tech beat out a crowd for the 6-4, 300-pound Wake Forest transfer, and 247Sports ranked him the No. 5 most critical player on a roster fresh off a Big 12 title. The 2025 tape showed the first real flash: 21 tackles, 2 sacks and a forced fumble in his first year of meaningful snaps after a near-invisible 2024 (one tackle). The frame, the movement and the portal valuation all point to a player teams believe pops with volume. However, two career sacks is the entire disruption résumé, and this evaluation is honest about that — the grade is a projection on traits and market, not production. Day 2-caliber if the interior pressure shows up in Lubbock in 2026; the burden of proof sits squarely on him.
Ceiling · 8.4
Projected 2026 starter (DL1) — real opportunity to climb; close to ceiling (+0.4) · up-year team · Big 12 draft-temper.