Connor Galvin 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Missed four games in 2019 with a knee injury

• 3.5-year starter at left tackle for the Bears, playing exclusively on the left side
• Three-star recruit who chose Baylor over TCU, UCLA, Florida, and others

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Zone rushing system
• 2022 projected role: Starting LT

Pros: Connor Galvin offers a long, fluid, and athletic build on the edge—which will certainly move the needle for zone rushing offenses as they look to find the right blend of mass, length, and mobility to feature on their offensive fronts. Galvin has sufficient lateral mobility to flow and slide with the front; I am confident that he’ll transition best to a wide zone offense. I see plenty of similarities to 2022 rookie Kellen Diesch, who was one of the prize UDFAs to hit the pool after the 2022 NFL Draft. Galvin’s length aids him on the edge, not just from a wingspan perspective but also with how long his torso is. He can lean and extend to help emboss edges and force steeper turns. Galvin is a well-tenured player with the Bears and you can tell his playing experience has him well aligned to identify assignments and pressure opportunities. He appeared to quickly identify games up front and was prepared to pass them off to his guard while keeping a firm level on their half of the pocket. One thing I can appreciate about the Bears’ offense in general is the number of true pass sets you got to see relative to some of the other Big 12 offenses. You have a much better idea of how he’s going to transition here than some of his contemporaries.

Cons: Connor Galvin has an athletic build but appears to come up a bit short in having athleticism as a big staple of his game. He’s fluid, but I didn’t see the kind of suddenness needed to inspire that he’s going to be able to overwhelm or offset the dynamic play he’ll face on the edge in the NFL. Pressure can still get on top of Galvin from the perimeter and I did not see the foot speed in his sets to drive for depth and cut off those rushes or blitzes from smaller defenders. Pad level will be another area of concern, given that Galvin is a tall body and does not offer the lower-body strength or mass needed to sit down and offer sufficient anchor against power. This compromises his blocking posture and as a result, he’ll play high and be bubbled in the pocket trying to hold up against speed-to-power conversions.

Connor Galvin NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs