Gabe Hall NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle School: BaylorHeight: 6’6″
Weight: 291 lbs
Arm: 34 1/2″
Hand: 9 1/2″
40 yard Dash: 5.03 seconds
The Baylor Bears football program became one of the most pleasant surprise success stories of the 21st century. Once a proud program of the 20th century, Baylor had taken a turn for the worst. From 2000 to 2009, Baylor had no winning seasons and was in sports hell. However, Art Briles and his revolutionary spread offense changed their fortunes. Even with the scandal, Matt Rhule did a fabulous job. You don’t win many games without good talent. Recently, Baylor has been producing pros such as Jalen Pitre. This year is no different with the hidden gem Gabe Hall.
Hall was a three-star recruit out of Texas and committed to the Baylor Bears. During his first two years at Bear Hall, he injured his knee and had to redshirt. By his redshirt sophomore season, he was a full-time role player, appearing in all 13 games with eight starts. Over the next two years, Hall would become a full-time starter, tallying 53 tackles and 6.5 sacks. The former Big 12 star has long arms and the potential to start in the NFL. Has he earned a first-round grade? Let’s dig into the film.
2024 NFL Draft: Gabe Hall Scouting Report
Hall’s Strengths
- Has “the look” with NFL-level size and frame, excellent arm length, and thick build.
- One of the best defensive linemen against the run. Knows how to use his arm’s length and strength with a strike-first mentality. Stacks and shed blockers with ease with natural leverage
- He has a surprisingly good set of pass rush moves, including an NFL-caliber spin move that he can use at any time.
- He also has a solid bull rush and counters with a swim move.
- He has good first-step quickness and the ability to penetrate gaps or handle multiple blockers effectively, which opens up his scheme versatility.
- He has a strong motor, often chasing the ball until the whistle is blown.
- He had an amazing Senior Bowl, showing his potential to win one-on-one matchups.
Hall’s Weakness
- He is constrained in terms of elite explosiveness in his lower body. Is very stiff and robotic.
- He struggles a bit against Zone and athletic offensive linemen.
- His pad level goes up, exposing his lack of athleticism.
- His lack of twitch decreases his chance to make football plays vs. misdirection plays.
- He is slow to react to the play, looking confused at times.
- He lacks a push-rush plan and needs to improve his hand usage to fulfill his potential.
Projection: Fourth Round Pick
NFL Comparison: Hassan Ridgeway
Best Fits: New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and the Atlanta Falcons.
Bottom Line
Gabe Hall has NFL-level size and frame, excellent arm length, and is one of the best defensive linemen against the run. He has a good set of pass-rush moves, including an NFL-caliber spin move. However, he has some limitations including struggling against Zone and athletic offensive linemen, lacking push-rush plan, and needs to improve his hand usage. This will likely cause him to be a later-round pick. Main Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsMore must-reads: