Emil

Ekiyor

Not often do we see an undersized lineman coming out of Tuscaloosa. This should indicate how talented Ekiyor is. His little teapot build was perfect for the technique-driven Alabama Offensive Line. He has good timing on both his hands and his hip spring that allows him to take charge of the point of engagement against much larger Defensive Linemen. While he works best in the phone booth, Ekiyor is capable of running out on the edge provided he can maintain contact with his defender at all times. When he can choose his spots against larger defenders, he is usually able to hold his own, albeit to a stalemate when engaged while already extended. Even if Offensive Line hasn’t been a strength of Alabama’s in a few years, it is nonetheless impressive that Ekiyor managed to start for a whole three years at right guard for Nick Saban. In pass protection, he allowed no sacks and no QB hits in 414 pass block snaps during the 2022 season.