Kyle Hergel- C/G, Undrafted Rookie Free Agent, Boston College (6'2"/315") 40 Time- 5.18 Vertical- 33" Broad Jump- 9'4" Bench- 30 Reps.
I found some good information on Hergel. His RAS- 7.66 which is real good for O-Linemen. His arms are short @ 321/4". His hands are pretty big @10.5". He's played in 57 total career games, He's allowed, Sacks- 5, QB Hurries 22. His overall career performance rating- 71.4, Run Blocking- 70.2, Pass Blocking- 79.3, Tot. Run Block Snaps- 1,462, Tot. Pass Block Snaps- 1,774. Those are pretty decent stats.
The Positives:
Hergel has very good play strength. He consistently displaces opponents in the run game with strong leg drive and very good upper-body strength. His shorter build often gives him good leverage under opponents and his big hands also helps him control the chest of his opponents. Hergel frequently drives his opponents into the ground to end plays. He's solid in zone schemes, especially in more Inside Zone Concepts. He is solid in pass protection, getting out of his stance and to set points smoothly and quickly. Hergel is also very good in Man-Gap blocking schemes.
The Negatives:
Hergel struggles at times to stay engaged in the run game especially at the second level and sometimes lunges and loses his balance. His hand placement can occasionally get sloppy, costing him some power. He's not as dominant against bigger, stronger and faster D-Linemen. Hergel can struggle at times with penalties, pre-snap and post-snap, his over-aggressiveness leads to those. His lack of foot quickness may prevent him from having success on long pull blocks.
My Final Thoughts:
This is what I think of Hergel. He is a 6th year player coming out of college this year. He is already almost 24 which makes me think that he may have reached the top of his development curve and may not provide more upside beyond what he already has. I hope I'm wrong and the O-Line coaches can get more out of him. Hergel could have a chance to develop inside as a Guard or Right Tackle, he has also played the Center position. Hergel could be a good prospect for the Saints Zone-Blocking scheme, he has played in multiple Zone-Blocking schemes. If nothing else, Hergel's versatility could eventually be enough to make him at least a good quality backup. He also still needs a little work on his strength, agility and balance.
Just another little tidbit on Hergel's power. He power-cleaned 385# and benched 500#.