Emil Ekiyor Jr. Complete NFL Draft Profile (Lengthy Guard Ready for NFL Jump After Success at Alabama)

Alabama guard Emil Ekiyor Jr. is headed to the 2023 NFL Draft after a standout college career. Touting positional flexibility and size, Ekiyor is a lock to hear his name called at some point during the festivities.

Here's everything you need to know about Emil Ekiyor heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/26: NFL.com, ESPN, CBS Sports, Walter Football, Sporting News.

Projected Draft Round: Round 4 (2), Round 3 (1), Round 6 (1), Round 7 (1)
Projected Team: Panthers (2), Colts (1), Jaguars (1), Ravens (1)

Emil Ekiyor Jr. Scouting Report

After playing a limited amount as a true freshman in 2018, Ekiyor became an anchor on Alabama's offensive line. From 2020-2022, Ekiyor appeared in 40 games for the Crimson Tide, protecting future pros like Mac Jones and Bryce Young. He was extremely effective whenever he was on the field, logging 0 sacks allowed in two of those three seasons and giving up just 2 sacks in the other campaign.

The Indianapolis native is known for his great football IQ and instincts, which allow him to neutralize opposing defenders. He also plays with a noted nastiness that teams would love to have setting the tone on their offensive lines.

Ekiyor's not without his weaknesses, though. The O-lineman will need to work on his strength in order to survive against the tenacious athletes at the next level. There's also some technique issues Ekiyor needs to correct, like dropping his head on blocks.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. NFL Draft Prediction

With starting experience on one of the best teams in the country and the ability to play left or right guard, Ekiyor is certainly going to have interest in the draft. As a mid-round or later pick, he'll be looked at as a depth option who could develop if given the opportunity.

The Baltimore Ravens stick out as an obvious fit for the lineman. Baltimore lost starting left guard Ben Powers this offseason, creating a huge hole on the O-line. The inexperienced Ben Cleveland is set to take over Powers' spot, and Ekiyor could provide the perfect kind of competition to make sure the best man wins.

Even if Ekiyor doesn't make an immediate bid for a starting role, he'd be an excellent rotational piece who could cover at either guard spot. Baltimore should make sure to improve its protection around Lamar Jackson, and Ekiyor's college performance shows he's up to the task.

Prediction: Baltimore Ravens (Round 5, 157th overall)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Emil Ekiyor Jr. NFL Combine Results

Emil Ekiyor Jr. Alabama Stats

Emil Ekiyor Jr. Alabma Highlights

Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.