Jalen Travis, OT Princeton: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Travis was a three-star recruit from DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, Minn. in the class of 2020
Princeton right tackle Jalen Travis projects as a late-round prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. The former three-star recruit still needs technical development, but he merits watching this coming college football season.
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Jalen Travis, OT Princeton: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Junior right tackle from Minneapolis, Minn.
Background: Travis was a three-star recruit from DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, Minn. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 2,636 recruit according to 247Sports (three-star) and was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals. Travis didn’t receive a national rating from On3.com or ESPN. He was a two-time team captain in high school and earned First Team All-State and Minnesota All-Star honors as a senior. That year, Travis was DeLaSalle’s Male Athlete of the Year in football and basketball. He was the District Red Lineman of the Year as a junior. Academically, Travis was a National Honor and Art Societies member, a LaSallians for Equity and Peace member, and served as the Student Body Co-President. His brother, Reid, scored 1,786 points in his college basketball career with Stanford and Kentucky and played overseas. Travis’ other brother, Jonah, played basketball at Harvard. The brothers also have a cousin, Ross, who played basketball at Penn State and played tight end in the NFL.
Injuries & Off-Field: Missed 2022 Dartmouth game
Awards: 2022 Second Team All-Ivy
Pros: Experience playing right and left tackle, only committed one penalty in each of 2021 and 2022, large body that creates a roadblock for defenders, quick out of stance and long lateral strides to cut off wide-alignment rushers, identifies and passes off stunts, some success riding defenders up the arc and around the QB, footwork and kick slide improved over the course of the season, deposits 3-4 Ivy League edge rushers downfield in the run game, size to cave in the defensive line or seal run lanes, effective down blocker on gap runs
Cons: Competition level, arm length doesn’t match his size, doesn’t play with NFL-caliber strength, needs to add lower body mass, a little high-cut, loses the leverage battle, inconsistent pad level, bends at the waist, plays top heavy, vulnerable to inside spin moves, uprooted by club moves, too easily thrown off balance, gives ground to speed to power, struggles to drop anchor, lacks reactive footspeed and agility to recover when beaten, won’t mirror NFL pass rushers, allows defenders into his chest, hands lack pop, struggles to clamp and trap defenders within his frame, inconsistent sustaining blocks, shoulders are too soft, shuffle looks more like a gallop, feet are lulled to sleep on complex rushes, struggles to mirror defenders in open space, lacks mobility to be the puller in a gap scheme, burn the Harvard (2022) tape
Overview: Travis has experience playing left tackle, but he primarily aligns on the right side for the Tigers. He has only drawn one penalty in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Travis’ large frame creates a significant roadblock for pass rushers, buying his quarterback time to get the throw off. The fourth-year junior is quick out of his stance and uses long lateral strides to cut off wide-alignment rushers. He quickly identifies and passes off stunts. Travis has some success riding defenders up the arc and around the pocket. His footwork and kick slide improved over the course of the 2022 season, allowing him to better match the pacing and vertical push of edge rushers. As a run blocker, Travis moves 3-4 Ivy League edge rushers off the line of scrimmage. He has the size to cave in the defensive line and is an ultra-effective down blocker on gap runs. Unfortunately, he struggles to mirror defenders in open space and lacks the mobility to be the puller in a gap scheme. Travis isn’t a dominant or overwhelming force despite facing lower-level competition. His arm length doesn’t match his size, and he doesn’t play with NFL-caliber strength. The Minnesota native needs to add mass to his lower body. He’s tall but a little high-hipped, which causes him to play with an inconsistent pad level and lose the leverage battle. Travis bends at the waist and plays top heavy. He is easily uprooted by club moves and is vulnerable to inside spin moves because he leans too far forward. Talented defenders have little issue throwing off Travis’ balance. The right tackle gives ground to speed to power rushes and struggles to drop his anchor. He lacks the reactive footspeed and agility to recover when beaten. The All-Ivy selection allows defenders into his chest too frequently for a player who lacks a dominant anchor. His hands lack pop, and he struggles to clamp down and trap defenders within his frame. Defenders win Travis’ shoulders too easily. His feet are lulled to sleep early in the rush and leave him lunging late in plays. Travis will struggle to mirror professional edge rushers who possess agility, bend, speed, and technical development he’s never faced before. Harvard had the best pass rush he faced in 2022, and he struggled for most of the game.
Overall, Travis offers impressive size for an Ivy League tackle but lacks the technical development and athletic profile to handle NFL-caliber pass rushers. Travis needs to show significant development in 2023 to prove he’s not a year away from being a year away.
Role & Scheme Fit: Developmental right tackle in an inside zone scheme
Round Projection: Late Sixth to Early Seventh
Size: 6'7", 310 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 05-30-23