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Walter Rouse 2024 NFL Draft: Combine Results, Scouting Report For Oklahoma OT

Originally posted on The 33rd Team | By Greg Cosell | Last updated 4/11/24

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information.

Here's our report on Walter Rouse.

Walter Rouse 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6-foot-5 ¾
Weight: 313 pounds
40-yard dash: DNP
10-yard split: DNP
20-yard shuttle: DNP
Vertical jump: DNP
Broad jump: DNP
Arm length: 35 1/8"

Walter Rouse 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

Some strong reps in pass protection with good knee bend and balance, firm base and well-timed hand strikes.
Showed lower body strength and technique to re-anchor after initially getting pushed back by speed-to-power.
Consistently showed excellent awareness and accelerated vision when recognizing and reacting to stunts/pressures.
Came off the ball low with leverage in the run game. Able to generate and torque through his core and hips.
Did a good job as a side seal/cut blocker in the zone run game. Quick feet with good balance and body control.
In 2023, showed independent arm technique to control edge rushers early in the down. Forced a wider edge.
Strong pass protection reps with efficient, clean slide and knee bend. Balance with a firm base and hands inside.
Showed strength and power to anchor in pass protection vs. speed-to-power. Stayed straight in his cylinder.
Effective as a down blocker in the run game with good movement off the ball; generates strength and power.
At his best in both run blocking and pass protection when he engaged early in the down and used his strength.

WEAKNESSES

Not a higher-level athlete for the offensive tackle position. At times, he looked a little labored in kick slide in his vertical pass set.
Tendency to reach and lunge when immediately challenged/stressed on high side. Balance/body control issues.
May not have the requisite athleticism to vertical set and effectively pass protect vs. quality edge pass rushers.
Consistently showed a tendency to punch with hands too early in pass set, often resulting in bending and lunging.
Lateral movement was, at times, labored. Some heaviness to foot movement. Struggled to redirect with efficiency.
Balance and body control issues at the top of the arc. Could not stop his body to redirect vs. secondary moves.
Looked a little heavy-footed and stiff working to the second level in the run game. Tight-hipped, lacking fluidity.

NFL TRANSITION

Rouse started 52 games at left tackle in his college career, but he is not likely to transition to the NFL at that position, given his traits profile. Rouse had snapshots of strong pass protection reps with an efficient kick slide, good knee bend and balance, and he keeps his hands inside.

But overall, he lacks the athleticism and fluidity in his lower half to be an effective 1-on-1 pass protector vs. quality rushers, with his only means of being successful to engage early in the down by using his strong hands and overall strength and minimizing his weakness of lateral range and reactive athleticism.

Rouse lacked the requisite foot quickness and lateral range to be consistently effective in 45 degree and vertical pass sets, and there were too many snaps where he stopped his feet in response to pass rush quickness and then bent at the waist to compensate.

Rouse had strong snaps as a run blocker where he could come off the ball with leverage and generate power and force on contact, and that was especially the case as a down blocker on the play side in the gap scheme run game. Overall, Rouse's 2023 tape showed a player who cannot make the transition to the NFL at the offensive tackle position, and my sense is the only position he could play at the next level would be center.

OTHER NOTES

Rouse came out of Washington, D.C., as a four-star recruit and finished his Stanford career as a four-year starter at left tackle. He transferred to Oklahoma for his fifth-year graduate season in 2023. Rouse started 52 games at left tackle in his college career, including all 13 at Oklahoma in 2023.

In 2021, Rouse dominated Kayvon Thibodeaux in their 1-on-1 pass protection snaps. Thibodeaux could not beat Rouse with speed-to-power and could not get the edge on Rouse. Rouse clearly improved in pass protection as the season progressed. He looked more comfortable with his movement and the coordination between his lower and upper halves.

This article first appeared on The 33rd Team and was syndicated with permission.

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