With being more than halfway through the college football season, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Michael Hall Jr. from Ohio State.

• 2024 NFL Draft Guide
• 2024 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | iOL | DL | EDGE | LB | S | CB
• 2024 NFL Mock Draft: First Round Picks & Predictions

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Michael Hall Jr.

Michael Hall Jr. (DL – Ohio St.)

6’2” – 280 lbs.

Background:

He’s a four-star recruit who redshirted after he played a handful of snaps in 2021 and then began the following season as one of the Buckeyes’ starting defensive linemen (although he eventually lost the job). In total, Hall Jr. has played over 266 snaps and went 19-7.5-4.5 with five of his appearances being starts. He hasn’t been a full-time starter this season, but averages more than 35 snaps per game as of the time of writing.

Positives:

Hall Jr. has essentially two years of experience playing for one of college football’s premier teams. He has a trim build and carries his weight well. A high-motor player who gives consistent effort. He has a lot of suddenness out of his stance, which allows him to threaten gaps with his excellent first step. Plays with effective knee bend and leverage. Agile with impressive body control; looks good flowing laterally and defending outside zones and other runs of that nature. Has impressive leg drive after contact, allowing him to generate some push with his bull rush despite being a smaller interior defender. Active with his hands to work his way past blockers. Much rangier than a typical defensive tackle. Has the ability to effectively execute stunts and twists in the passing game.

Negatives:

Relatively small for his position. Hasn’t really been able to nail down a full-time starting job in either of the past two seasons. Has a tendency to gamble with his first step, leading him to be caught out of position when he guesses wrong. Ability to locate the ball is still a work in progress. Would like to see him keep his shoulders square more consistently when playing the run. Could stand to play with more patience to minimize wasted motion. Can struggle to hold the point of attack when run at by opponents. May not be quite big/long enough for some teams to view him as a potential five-technique.

Summary:

One of the more impressive athletes in the class at his position, Hall Jr. combines suddenness, agility, speed and a high motor to generate disruption. He also has about the anchor you’d anticipate given his lack of ideal bulk. Could be relegated to serving as more of a rotational pass-rusher at the next level unless he shows that he can get his weight and anchor strength up. But he still has impressive traits for that kind of role. His best fit would clearly be as a three-technique on an even line with one-gap principles and an emphasis on swarming.

Projection: Round 3-4