DJ Scaife Jr. 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Long-tenured starter for Hurricanes who has shared time between guard and tackle

• Birth name is Delone
• Received offers from NC State, Syracuse, Charlotte, and others

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Tempo offense featuring RPOs — ”speed in space”
• 2022 projected role: Starting RT

Pros: DJ Scaife Jr. has received time at both guard and tackle but I do think this is a player who has the profile to win inside at the NFL level. Scaife Jr. has a firm punch and shows effective ability to anchor or manufacture movement vertically in the run game when he’s charged with firing off the ball—keeping him in these conditions is a good way to maximize his ability. Scaife Jr. has been a persistent presence on the Hurricanes’ line since arriving on campus and has been exposed to an ample amount of football, including at multiple positions. This should, in theory, have him well aligned to fully understand concepts and be able to apply them versus numerous fronts when posed with new pictures at the line of scrimmage. His dense build offers plenty of mass and he has the kind of wide-body, boxy build that affords him natural leverage as a blocker. 

Cons: DJ Scaife Jr. may have tackle experience but I wouldn’t ask him to play tackle in the NFL, as it appears he is lacking in both vertical set foot quickness and in the ability to extend and steepen angles for outside rushers. When playing at tackle, too many speed rushers claimed edges on him or got into his body to collapse angles with ease despite his heavy hands. I do think he’s a tightly-wound athlete and playing in wide zone systems is counterproductive to his strengths as well. Scaife Jr. is a scheme-specific projection that has yet to show ideal scheme versatility. As a result, his market may be significantly cut down when it comes time to transition to the pro level.

DJ Scaife Jr. NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs