Xavier Truss, Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Truss was a four-star recruit from Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, R.I. in the class of 2019

The Georgia Bulldogs plan to start Xavier Truss at right tackle again this season, but the versatile lineman’s best projection for the 2025 NFL Draft is as a guard.

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Xavier Truss, RT Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Sixth-year redshirt senior right tackle from West Warwick, R.I.

Background: Truss was a four-star recruit from Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, R.I. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 214 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 208 for Rivals. Truss was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals. ESPN ranked him 166th in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. He was selected for the 2019 All-America Bowl. Truss was one of six offensive linemen who made Football University’s 2019 All-Top Gun Team. He was one of 14 players to earn the 2018 Football University GRIT Award at the Top Gun Showcase. Truss was one of 100 players invited to the All-American high school combine in San Antonio. He was a Providence First-Team All-State selection as a high school junior. Truss won the state title with Bishop Hendricken in 2018. He also played along the defensive line as a junior, amassing 45 tackles and two sacks. Truss was a three-time state champion in indoor track and field.

Injuries & Off-Field: Battled a toe injury in 2022 but didn’t miss time, left 2023 Vanderbilt game with an ankle sprain

Awards: 2023 Second Team All-SEC

Pros: Experience playing right tackle, left tackle, right guard, and left guard, arms appear to surpass guard thresholds, motor runs hot, always looking for work, gains good width with his initial kick step, range in pass pro infrequently tested by Alabama (2023), channels good power through his upper body, fires a sudden first punch, quick and combative hands, length and power through his upper body popped vs. Missouri (2023), drives defenders up and around the pocket, picks up stunts, smooth mover in space, movement skills to operate in gap or outside zone schemes, comfortable combo blocking and working to the second level, some success establishing positioning on reach blocks, nice suddenness in short areas to establish blocking position in the run game, seals defenders inside when playing guard and keeps the running lane open, good job staying attached after making contact in the run game, out for blood on down blocks, seeks pancake opportunities

Cons: Penalized four times in each of the past two seasons, initial hand strikes are high and sometimes hit helmets, allowed Justin Eboigbe into his chest and was put on skates (2023), needs more hand counters, inconsistent countering long-arm move, long-armed into the pocket by Chris Braswell (2023), violent power rushes test his anchor, does not anchor vs. power consistently, pried open at tackle to access the B-gap, some losses to push-pull moves, foot speed isn’t always enough to recover for delayed outside rushers, assumes the throw is out and lets his pass rusher free too soon, pad level gets too high in the run game, lunges into and whiffs on some second level blocks

Overview: Truss is a veteran lineman with more than 1,800 offensive snaps split between right tackle, left tackle, right guard, and left guard. His arm length appears to surpass the league’s threshold for guards and might even meet the requirements for tackles. Truss’ motor runs hot, and he’s always looking for work. He gains nice width with his initial kick step but can still improve its depth. Alabama rarely tested the sixth-year redshirt senior’s range in 2023, but there were reps against other teams where he didn’t have the foot speed to recover for delayed outside rushers. Truss channels impressive power through his upper body and hands. His first punch is sudden and is just the first attack he launches with his quick and combative hands. His length and power really popped against Missouri in 2023. Unfortunately, Truss’ initial hand strikes come in high and sometimes even clip his opponent’s helmet. He allows defenders into his chest too often and struggles to counter power. Chris Braswell and Justin Eboigbe both had success driving Truss back into the pocket with power rushes (2023). Braswell’s long-arm was especially effective. Truss needs to build more hand counters into his game to eliminate moves like long-arms. The Rhode Island native doesn’t anchor against power consistently, and powerful defenders pry him open to access the B-gap. He also has a history of struggling with push-pull moves. Truss has the mobility to drive defenders up and around the pocket. His years of experience show up in how he identifies and addresses stunts. In the run game, Truss showcases his smooth movement skills in space, allowing him to operate in gap or outside zone schemes. He can also combo block or establish positioning on reach blocks because of his suddenness in short areas. Truss’ pad level sometimes gets too high in the run game, but he generally does a great job sustaining his positioning and keeping running lanes open. He’s guilty of lunging into and whiffing on some second level blocks, but that happens because he’s hunting pancakes and big finishes.

Overall, Truss has the size to play right tackle, but his long-term home is at guard. His mobility and technical foundation as a run blocker are exciting, especially if he’s drafted to a team willing to maximize his movement skills, but his hand usage, counters, and anchor in pass protection are still developing. Truss is a college veteran, but he enters 2024 with only two years of starting experience since he waited his turn on a deep Georgia offensive line. Allowing him to settle at one position in the NFL will speed up his development.

Role & Scheme Fit: Left guard in a gap or outside zone scheme

Round Projection: Mid Fourth to Early Fifth Round

Size: 6'7", 320 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 05-13-24