Player Profile: Weston Richburg

Height:  6'3
Weight:  298
School:  Colorado State
Position:  Center
Ranking:  #2 Center
Projection:  Day 2 Pick

Strengths
-Experienced.  Started every game since red-shirt freshman year (39 games)
-High football IQ.  Makes all the line calls
-Does a good job of keeping head on a swivel during pass protection
-Uses his long arms (33 3/8) to keep defenders at bay in pass protection
-Has active heavy hands used to keep defenders back during pass protection
-Good speed and quickness for the position.  Was QB during freshman year of HS
-Able to get set up in a pass protection quickly
-Uses athletic ability to get to the second level and to pull and trap block
-Does a good job of blocking in space. Very good in the screen game
-Able to reset his anchor after initial push back
-Has experience playing Guard (3 starts) and tackle (2 starts).   
-Tough.  Played through broken right hand.  Had to snap left handed
-High motor.  Always moving and looking for somebody to block.
-Great durability.  Never missed a game in four years

Weaknesses
-Will need to put on weight to go against bigger NTs
-Doesn't have the strength (25 reps) to move defenders off their spot
-Gets too high with his pad level.  Decreases good leverage
-Lacks a solid anchor.  Will get pushed back by a good bull rush
-Lacks that nasty streak you want in a lineman

Summary
For a player who was a 5'10 150lb high school freshman and had never played center before coming to Colorado State is now one of the top center prospects in the NFL Draft. Richbrug is a good athlete for somebody his size.  He's at his best when on the move pulling, trapping, and getting the second level.  Because of that his best fit is in a zone blocking scheme.  Richburg is a good run blocker using leverage and technique to seal off defenders and open up running lanes.  However he lacks good strength and power to move defenders off their spot.  He needs to add some weight to his 298 pound frame.  Putting on ten or fifteen pounds to go with his athletic ability should  help.  In pass protection Richburg uses that quickness and lateral agility to stay in front of blockers.  However he lacks a good anchor and will get pushed back.  He had to rely on the guard coming over to help too often this past year.  However even with Richburg being a redshirt senior, he still has a lot of potential given that he can add weight.  Teams will like him because of his athletic ability and how he can make blocks in space. His best game as a senior was against Alabama and their big defensive line.  Look for him to go somewhere in the third round, but don't be surprised if somebody falls in love with him and he goes in the late second.  A team like New Orleans who needs a new center could be a landing spot in the third round.  But keep an eye on Baltimore who could be looking for a new center and is now running the zone blocking scheme under OC Gary Kubiak.