Earl Bostick Jr., OT Kansas: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Bostick was a two-star recruit from Barnwell High School in Barnwell, S.C. in the class of 2017

The Kansas Jayhawks aren’t undefeated anymore, but the spotlight hasn’t completely turned away from the program and its top players. Left tackle Earl Bostick Jr. has some intriguing physical traits that could lead to a team calling his name in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Earl Bostick Jr., OT Kansas: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior left tackle from Barnwell, S.C.

Background: Bostick was a two-star recruit from Barnwell High School in Barnwell, S.C. in the class of 2017. He was the No. 2,449 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 2,236 (three-star) for On3.com. Bostick was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked two-star recruit for ESPN with a 69 grade out of 100. He was selected to play in the 2017 Border Bowl, which featured the top players from South Carolina against Georgia’s top players. Bostick played tight end and defensive lineman in high school, earning All-Area honors as a senior defensive lineman and All-Region honors as a tight end in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he totaled 80 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Bostick also caught seven passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns. He originally committed to Appalachian State before swapping to Kansas.

2021 Production: 12 games, 2 sacks allowed, 3 penalties committed

2020 Production: 9 games, 4 sacks allowed, 1 penalty committed

2019 Production: 4 games (Redshirt Year)

2018 Production: 8 games, 1 penalty committed

2017 Production: 10 games (started 4 games at tight end)

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2018 Academic Rookie Team All-Big 12, 2020 Academic Second-Team All-Big 12 Football, 2021 Academic First-Team All-Big 12

Pros: Experience playing right and left tackle, tight end background, only three penalties committed in 2021, special teams experience on the punt coverage and field goal units, frame has room to add weight, possesses ideal arm length, grip strength to latch and sustain blocks, foot speed, light feet and a smooth slide in pass pro, quick get off, strength and quickness to seal defenders in the running game, displays natural athleticism in space, chest and knees don’t extend over his feet, some explosiveness out of his stance, frames blocks in pass pro well, creates sufficient space on down blocks, athleticism to mirror the pass rusher, maintains balance well

Cons: Age, false steps in his setup as a run blocker, pad level is inconsistent, pad level leads to him being out-leveraged, takes poor angles to second-level defenders, whiffs on second-level blocks, needs to get his hands up and engaged sooner, high-hipped with a pear-shaped build, leaner lower half, doesn’t consistently generate movement in the running game, lacks a mauler’s mentality, carries hands too low when not engaged, hands lack pop, below-average knee bend, slow to recognize stunts and twists, prone to overset and open inside rush lanes, internal GPS, play strength

Overview: Bostick is unofficially listed at 6'6", 310 lbs. The South Carolina native has experience playing both tackle positions for the Jayhawks but primarily aligns at left tackle. He was rarely penalized last year and plays in a very controlled style. Bostick’s frame has room to add weight and potentially climb closer to 320 lbs. He possesses excellent arm length and displays the grip strength to latch and sustain blocks. Bostick’s background as a tight end shows in his footwork and movement. He’s light on his feet with a smooth slide in pass protection and excellent foot speed. The former two-star recruit displays quick get off at the snap and shows some explosiveness out of his stance. He has the strength and quickness to seal defenders in the run game and generate sufficient space on down blocks. Bostick has natural linear athleticism in space, but his change of direction skills have room for improvement. In pass protection, his chest and knees don’t extend over his feet. He maintains his balance and frames his blocks well. Bostick has the athleticism to mirror pass rushers, but he’s inconsistent at maximizing this skill. Unfortunately, he still has a lot of technical issues for an older prospect. Bostick regularly takes false steps when trying to get off the line as a run blocker. His inconsistent pad level leads to him being out-leveraged and lifted out of his stance. Bostick takes poor angles to second-level defenders and has his fair share of whiffs on second-level blocks. His internal GPS isn’t calibrated to handle those blocks with regularity despite how frequently they occur in Kansas’ system. Bostick carries his hands too low when not engaged with defenders and is slow to bring them up. He lacks the play strength to maul defenders, and his hands don’t pack much pop. The redshirt senior doesn’t consistently generate movement in the running game, although Kansas asks him to down block frequently, which limits his opportunities in one-on-one pull or vertical run blocking situations. Bostick needs to bend more at the knees and add some strength to his lower half. He’s high-hipped, with a pear-shaped build that might make it difficult to improve his power and base. Bostick is prone to overset and open inside pass rush lanes. He got beat on the inside track three times against Duke (2022).

Overall, Bostick is an older prospect who possesses ideal arm length, quick feet, and natural athleticism, but his pad level, play strength, and internal GPS have room for significant improvement. Bostick currently projects as a developmental Day 3 selection with upside thanks to his physical gifts.

Role & Scheme Fit: Vertical passing offense with inside zone concepts

Round Projection: Late Fifth to Early Seventh

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 11-01-22