Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Vinson was a two-star recruit from Panther Creek High School in Cary, N.C. in the class of 2020

Alabama A&M left tackle Carson Vinson turned heads early during Senior Bowl week before struggling to close his time in Mobile. He possesses all the ideal physical traits for an NFL lineman and should hear his name called on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Vinson projects as a multi-year developmental flier.

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Carson Vinson, LT Alabama A&M: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth-year senior left tackle from Morrisville, N.C.

Background: Vinson was a two-star recruit from Panther Creek High School in Cary, N.C. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 3,742 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 2,706 (three-star) for On3.com. Vinson didn’t receive a star rating or grade out of 100 from Rivals or ESPN. He lettered four times in high school, primarily at left tackle and left guard, but he also saw some action at center and along the defensive line. Vinson was an All-Conference selection as a senior. He also lettered on the basketball team. Vinson was born on Nov. 13, 2001.

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2024 First Team All-SWAC, 2024 Honorable Mention FCS All-American (AP), 2024 Honorable Mention HBCU All-American (BOXTOROW)

Pros: More than 3,400 career offensive snaps, nice frame with room to add mass, arm length thoroughly checks the box, physical tools on top of tools, rare mover at his size, massive hands, insane grip strength, arrests rushers with vice-like hands, throws feints, loads and delivers some jarring blows in pass pro, extensions re-route outside linebackers, drops hips to finish reps in pass pro, smooth mover on gap pulls, good mover in space, quick enough first step to reach block, overwhelming force on angle blocks, churns legs through contact, rolls power through his hips in run game, comfortable working to the second level, flashes of a mean streak and playing through the whistle for pancakes

Cons: Committed 13 penalties over the past two seasons, competition level, heavy reliance on sheer size, lower half play strength needs work, current kick step doesn’t gain necessary width and depth, footspeed doesn’t mirror defenders, beaten to the top of the arc by wide-alignment rushers, too much easy access to his chest, hands can be late, hand counters need development, hands lack pop, plays top heavy at times, caught overextending for punches leaving him off balance, extends chest over knees and chases rushers, clamp and grip strength were poor vs. Auburn (2024), grip strength leads to holding on scrambles and off-tackle action, struggles to keep blocks framed, vulnerable to speed to power, clubbed or long-armed to open the B-gap, clearly overpowered and unable to displace or sustain vs. Auburn (2024), chest far extends over knees in run game, didn’t latch and drive vs. Auburn (2024), driven backward in the run game by Auburn (2024)

Overview: Vinson played more than 3,400 career offensive snaps almost exclusively at left tackle across five seasons with the Bulldogs. He’s got enough physical tools to make even the most stoic offensive line coach raise an eyebrow. Vinson measured in with 35 1/8-inch arms at the Senior Bowl and 34 1/2-inch arms at the botched Combine. He’s still a little lean in his lower half, but his tall and broad frame has the room to add positive weight. Vinson won by relying on his superior size and athleticism in the SWAC, and he’s in for a rude awakening in the NFL. He’s a terrific athlete and mover for his size but doesn’t gain the width and depth with his kick step to consistently beat wide-alignment rushers to the arc’s peak. His foot speed makes him vulnerable on an island against twitchy or sudden defenders. Vinson’s hands are massive, and his incredible grip strength arrests defenders. The North Carolina native flashes some impressive foundational hand usage. He loads and delivers massive strikes, throws feints, and re-routes pass rushers. Vinson’s hands lack consistent pop, and his wide placement and late strikes expose his chest. He lacks the hand counters to combat bull rushes. Vinson struggles to keep blocks framed, which is surprising considering his length and grip strength. This issue stems from a lack of anticipation, poor balance, and inconsistent placement when fitting his hands. He frequently plays top heavy and gets caught overextending while trying to initiate contact. This compromises his balance and softens his shoulders. Vinson tries to drop his hips to anchor against power rushes, but speed to power drives him back into the pocket or blows open the B-gap. He looked underpowered and overmatched against Auburn (2024), although that was only his first game of the season. The All-SWAC selection moves well in space and is a smooth operator on pulls for gap runs. He’s quick out of his stance to establish reach blocks, climb to the second level, or take defensive linemen for rides on angle blocks. Vinson drives his legs through contact and rolls power through his hips to generate displacement. He has flashes of playing through the whistle and going after pancakes. Unfortunately, Vinson plays with his chest way over his knees, leading to him falling off blocks. NFL-caliber defenders find success stacking Vinson at the point of attack or using their leverage advantages to drive him into the backfield.

Overall, Vinson is a ball of clay who needs to land with a stable organization with a proven offensive line coach who is willing to invest in a project that could take three or more years to find his rhythm. Vinson is too technically unrefined to play a significant role early in his career. He’s a low-risk, high-reward option on the second half of Day 3.

Role & Scheme Fit: Third string left tackle or left guard in a gap scheme

Round Projection: Late Day 3

Size: 6'7 1/8", 314 lbs. (NFL Combine)

Submitted: 03-09-25

Updated: 04-10-25