Charles Cross OT Miss. State: Scouting Report

Height: 6’5’’

Weight: 310

Overall

Charles Cross is the left tackle in Mississippi State’s air raid offense. In his 3 college seasons, he played in 26 games, starting 23 of them. He is a very good athlete and played against some of the best competition this past season and yet he was still dominant.

Pass Game

Playing in an air raid offense, Cross has an immense amount of experience in pass protection. Off the snap, he has excellent footwork and balance in getting to his pass set and he has the athleticism to continuously mirror his man. He has a good initial punch but thrives on using his hand placement and wide base to square up on the defender and counter against any and all pass rushing moves. He has very good strength but, at times, gives up too much ground against bull rushing defenders so he will need to improve his anchor in the pros. Against stunts has excellent vision and does a great job of down blocking his man then shuffling to the outside of the pocket to pick up any free rushers. He is an exceptional pass blocker and can be a day one blindside protector at the next level.

Run Game

Because he played in a pass heavy offense, Cross did not have a lot of run blocking reps on film. When he did run block though, he showed good strength and the athleticism to get up field and make blocks in space. I would like for him to show more aggression and temperament in the run game though. If he can improve his run blocking abilities and improve his tenacity he can be a very good run blocker in the NFL.

Last Word

Cross played primarily at left tackle in college and projects as a left tackle in the NFL. His technique and athleticism though will allow him to play on the right side of the line or on the interior if needed. He has the talent and experience to be an immediate starter in the NFL and his dominance as a pass blocker gives him tremendous value. He can make an immediate impact on special teams as well.

One-Liner: Charles Cross is a dominant pass blocker who, with further improvement in the run game, can grow into a franchise left tackle.

Grade: 7.1 (High End 3 Down Starter)

Games Watched: 2021 – Texas A&M, NC State, LSU, Alabama

Team Fits: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans