Nationally recognized guru dubs Lions late-round draft pick as future starter
The Detroit Lions had one of the most intriguing 2023 draft classes in the NFL. While many of Detroit’s top picks have garnered all of the buzz, the Lions might have hit a late-round home run. In the fifth round of the draft, the Lions selected OT Colby Sorsdal out of Williams & Mary. He […]
The Detroit Lions had one of the most intriguing 2023 draft classes in the NFL. While many of Detroit’s top picks have garnered all of the buzz, the Lions might have hit a late-round home run.
In the fifth round of the draft, the Lions selected OT Colby Sorsdal out of Williams & Mary. He was a five-year starter in college, but one offensive line guru believes Sorsdal could play his way into a significant role sooner than some would think.
Duke Manyweather is one of the most respected offensive line evaluators the football world has to offer. Manyweather is the head coach at Final 5 and hosts the most acclaimed offensive lineman camp in the nation, which is aptly named the “Big Boys Club.”
He has trained a many of the game’s top offensive linemen, including three top picks from the 2022 draft class such as Trevor Penning (Saints), Charles Cross (Seahawks) and Evan Neal (Giants), all of which were first-round selections.
But when it comes to an under the radar prospect such as Sorsdal, Manyweather helped put his name on the radar of scouts and general managers across the league.
“They know when I’m calling or texting and I’ve got a name for them, they’re like, ‘Damn, I missed that one,’” Manyweather told Pride of Detroit. “All of a sudden I started sending clips (of Sorsdal) to GMs and they’re like, ‘Oh man, we missed him. I’m going to watch him. I’m going to write him up.’”
Sorsdal’s strength is a trait that will translate to the next level. It also helped pave the way for William & Mary to finish 2022 with the third-best rushing attack in the nation and an 11-2 record.
Though he will need time to catch up to the speed of the game, Sorsdal provides the Lions with a high-ceiling tackle who adds depth up front.
“This is not to say that he’s penciled in as a starter, but I know the mentality that Colby has,” Manyweather continued. “And I know what Penei (Sewell) provides at right tackle, I know what Jonah Jackson and Taylor Decker like to do. I think he’s going to fit in that room really well and he’s going to compete. That’s for sure. So I think if it came down to it, him competing, you may have found a starter in a fifth-round draft pick from a small school that’s going to play a physical brand of football.”
