Max Iheanachor does not move like a 322-pound offensive tackle. He moves like a 272-pound one — and that is both his calling card and the reason NFL offensive line coaches will be watching his Senior Bowl film with a pen in hand. At 6'5 5/8" with the athleticism to reach linebackers in the open field before they can react, Iheanachor brings an elite physical package from Arizona State's Big 12 slate. He earned a Senior Bowl invitation, competed on the American Team, and validated his run-blocking credentials against Big 12 defensive fronts that included TCU, Utah, and Baylor.
The honest evaluation is straightforward: Iheanachor is a run-game weapon and second-level monster who needs meaningful technical refinement in pass protection before he becomes a complete starting offensive tackle. His initial punch lacks violence, his pad level deteriorates in the kick-slide, and his stunt and blitz recognition grades as a genuine developmental area. The question for NFL teams is whether his elite athleticism and nastiness in the run game justify the investment while the pass protection develops — and the answer, at the right Day 2 price, is yes.
STRENGTHS
The second-level blocking ability is the elite trait and the core of Iheanachor's draft value. Film shows him releasing off the line and reaching linebackers 10+ yards downfield before they can set their leverage — a play that requires the first-step explosion of a much lighter player. The A-grade in second-level speed is not hyperbole; it shows up on tape repeatedly, most clearly on Arizona State outside zone plays where he walls off pursuit defenders with body control that no 322-pound tackle should possess. For any NFL team running outside zone or stretch concepts, that trait is immediately deployable.
His run-blocking finish is genuine nastiness. Pancake sequences from the film show him completing drives with sustained hip engagement and a disposition that defensive coordinators must account for. He is not a run-blocker who just controls defenders — he buries them, and he does it with consistency that suggests it is how he competes rather than cherry-picked moments. The grip strength grades B+, meaning when his hands land inside the framework of a defender, the defender is not getting out cleanly.
His first-step explosion off the snap complements the second-level ability. Iheanachor fires out of his stance urgently in both the run and kick-slide, giving defensive linemen minimal time to read his assignment before he is engaged. That quickness makes him an ideal outside zone tackle who can reach defenders laterally before they can anticipate the reach block.
CONCERNS
Pass protection is the defining developmental challenge. Iheanachor's initial punch lacks violence — his arms tend to extend and widen rather than firing a tight, compact strike to a defender's breastplate, which gives pass rushers a timing window to rip or swim inside. His pad level deteriorates once he is moving laterally in the kick-slide, creating the upright chest-exposed position that NFL edge rushers specifically train to exploit. Film shows him getting beaten on speed rushes when the leverage advantage inverts from his elevated position.
His stunt and blitz recognition is a legitimate gap — he can be manipulated by line games and his processing lags behind the initial movement. At the NFL level, left tackle is a position where stunt recognition errors become sacks, not just pressures. This is a coachable deficiency, but it requires dedicated developmental time before he is a reliable blindside protector.
SCOUT GRADES
Both scouts graded Iheanachor similarly on overall assessment and draft range, with the primary distinction in their lens on his pass protection. Scout 1 assessed him at 72/100, projecting Round 2, picks 40-58, with the Germain Ifedi primary comp — an athletically elite but technically raw tackle who needed NFL coaching to develop into a functional starter. Scout 1 emphasizes that the tools are good enough to justify the investment.
Scout 2 graded him at 83/100, projecting Round 2, picks 40-60, and frames him as a "massive road-grader" with elite run-blocking credentials but "raw pass pro polish" that limits him to right tackle or guard in power-run schemes. Scout 2's ceiling comp is Jawaan Taylor — a mauler right tackle whose run-game dominance defines his value while scheme-fitting limitations exist in pass protection.
PROJECTION
Iheanachor's dynasty value is straightforward for offensive linemen in IDP formats: he projects as a starting offensive tackle with strong run-game value in Year 1-2 while the pass protection develops. He is not a blindside protector on Day 1. The most likely immediate NFL role is right tackle in a power-run offense, with the possibility of guard as a fallback if the tackle pass-protection development stalls.
For dynasty managers tracking offensive linemen, his Senior Bowl participation and physical profile at 6'5" / 322 pounds with elite athleticism represent the kind of prospect that NFL coaches fall in love with during the development process. The athletic ceiling for an offensive tackle who moves this way is a 5-8 year starting career in the right scheme. Target him in the latter rounds of your 2026 rookie draft and prioritize his landing spot — a run-heavy, outside-zone team maximizes his skills immediately.
View Max Iheanachor's full player profile, measurables, and scouting breakdown →
🎬 All-22 Film Analysis Update
*Updated after All-22 film review by Scout1 and Scout2.*
Film Score: 77.5/100 (→ No change from base score of 77.5)
Composite Score: 77
Scout1 Assessment Max Iheanachor is a freakishly athletic offensive tackle who moves like a man 50 pounds lighter — and that athleticism is both his calling card and the reason teams will justify drafting him in the middle rounds despite some genuine technical warts. The case for him is straightforward: elite second-level blocking, A-grade first step, legitimate zone-scheme fit, and a frame at 6'5" 322 lbs that checks every box on paper. The case against is equally honest: he plays tall, his initial punch is weak...
Scout2 Assessment Day 2 steal for run-heavy teams — Iheanachor crushes people but needs footwork fix to stick at tackle. Pass if you need LT or zone scheme — overdrafted if Top-50 buzz builds.
*Film analysis is based on All-22 footage reviewed independently by two scouts. Scores reflect on-field evidence and may differ from pre-film model projections.*