2022 NFL Draft Profile: Washington State OT Abraham Lucas

With the Denver Broncos pressing issue at right tackle, the team has already brought in a few prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft who can help fill that void. One such player was Washington State OT Abraham Lucas, who the Broncos are using one of their “top-30” visits.

A four-year starter with 42 career starts at right tackle, Lucas is an experienced tackle prospect. In his career at Pullman, Lucas has recorded 2,195 pass-blocking snaps, giving him plenty of experience in handling virtually every sort of pass rusher.

A former basketball star and Washington native, Lucas earned a 3-star ranking and was 24/7’s 7th highest-ranked recruit in the state of Washington for the class of 2017, ahead of a couple of notable names like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Cade Otton, and Ali Gaye. After redshirting as a freshman, Lucas started all 13 games at right tackle as a redshirt freshman and didn’t look back. Lucas was named to the Freshman All-America Team by USA TODAY and The Athletic that year, and was voted Second-Team All-Pac-12. Every season Lucas has been in Pullman, he has been included on the All-Pac-12 team, including All Pac-12 First-Team honors from the Associated Press in 2020.

In 2021, Lucas did not allow a single sack and only allowed 9 pressures. For comparison’s sake, Bobby Massie allowed 5 sacks and 36 pressures this season.

Scouting Report

Strengths

• Overall a good athlete on film, but testing showed a greater athlete than film. Suggests plenty of athletic upside
• Experienced with almost 2,200 pass-blocking snaps
• Good frame, lengthy and well-built. Tough for edge rushers to get around.
• Knows how to properly use his length to stymie edge rushers in run and pass blocking
• Great use of hands, rarely misfires, and combats different pass rush counters well
• Great play strength, hands pop into opposing rushers
• Has the early quickness to set the edge
• Patient pass protector
• Experience shows up in identifying and picking up stunts and slants
• Good athleticism on the move to climb and hit second-level defenders, takes good angles and times his blocks well
• Durable
• Rarely oversets
• Independent hands
• Finishing mentality in run block

Weaknesses

• Middling (at best) run blocking technique and drive, more of a positional blocker than anything but strength to grow in this area.
• Poor anchor versus power rushers.
• Will struggle versus speed rushers with inefficient footwork out of his stance
• Lower body mechanics will need a technical overhaul in the NFL, afraid of speed rushers outside and opens up too early often
• Plays too high, his 6’7 frame can bite him trying to maintain leverage and anchor
• Will need to adjust away from wide OL splits in college

Final Thoughts

There are some pretty intriguing traits with Abraham Lucas. His experience, play strength, length, and use of hands offer a pretty solid floor as a backup with the athleticism to develop into more. He’ll need to overhaul his footwork to succeed against NFL speed outside and his height can play against him anchoring. While I’m not convinced he’ll ever be a great run blocker, he has the potential to grow and develop in that area but will need to shore up his pass protection ability to make up for his run blocking.

It’d be an interesting parallel to see a battle between Lucas and Tom Compton in camp. While Lucas could start as a rookie, I’d be hesitant to throw him out right away against NFL speed as a rookie. There are plenty of tools to work with as a developmental tackle prospect, however, making him an intriguing Day 3 choice.