Last offseason, Texas lost four of its five starters along the offensive line to the NFL draft, with just one guy (DJ Campbell) returning to the Longhorns’ front five. Texas went with a next-man-up mentality, allowing their younger players to step into the starting roles to fill all four open spots. In previous years, Hutson had never held a full-time starter role with Texas, but this season, he has stepped up and become one of the best offensive guards in the nation.
This season, Trevor Goosby and DJ Campbell have gotten all the attention on the Longhorns’ offensive line, but in my opinion, Hutson deserves just as much attention. Hutson is the perfect late-round prospect, whose profile reflects a player who may not have dominant traits to take over a game, but is one of the most polished and consistent players in college football. This season, Hutson and Goosby have made for one of the blindsides in college football.
In his first season as a starter, Hutson has proven himself as one of the best pass-protecting guards in the draft. He has experience at center, but he has moved to guard because of his 6’5 frame. His quick feet from playing center show up constantly on film, and his incredible anchor allows him to hold up one-on-one against all types of pass rushers.
Many scouts have gripes with Hutson’s lack of power, concerned that he will not be able to make a significant impact in the run game. But what I see on film from Hutson is incredible strength rather than power. While he rarely dominates linemen with pancake blocks, he is incredibly capable of making a quick first step and creating gaps in the zone run scheme. He can use his great length and upper-body strength to keep linemen in front of him by making first contact into their pads.
One of my favorite traits of Hutson’s game is his ability to hand off linemen to pick up extra blitzers or to handle twist concepts. His upper body strength shows up again here, as he never really seems fazed by bigger pass rushers looking to knock him off his spot. Instead, he stands tall and hands off his man to the tackle next to him and picks up his new assignment with ease.
In the NFL, this skill is incredibly valuable, as defenses continue to stack the box and employ new techniques to get to the quarterback. Recently, one of the most significant goals for defensive coaches has been to get interior pressure, which really impacts the quarterback’s vision and gets there quicker than pressure off the edge. This creates a need for consistent and reliable guards, who may not dominate with power, but hold up with strength.
The NFL draft is all about value, and while I see better guards in this year’s class, none will provide as much value late in the draft. I firmly believe that Hutson can be a day-one starter at left guard in the NFL, and if teams can pick him up later in the draft, he could be the steal of the draft. I had a very similar grade on former Georgia guard Dylan Fairchild, who has gone on to become a high-quality starter for the Bengals after being selected in the third round.
Fairchild has looked like a steal in the draft, not because he has been dominant or taken over the game for the Bengals, but because he is consistent and makes few mistakes. Hutson has allowed just two sacks and has only been penalized five times all season. Hutson struggled against Georgia, but so did the entire Texas roster. Outside of that game, though, Hutson has looked great for Texas since kicking to guard, which is where I think he sticks in the NFL.
You may not have heard of Cole Hutson, as most analysts have hardly given him a draftable grade. But it is very possible that Hutson could end up in my Top 100 when all is said and done. If your team needs help on the interior of the offensive line, there are a lot of appealing prospects to watch, but I implore you to take a look at the Texas offense to see how Hutson plays and how he will fit on your team.
