Prospect profile: Steve Avila, Offensive Lineman, TCU Horned Frogs
RIC SERRITELLAMAR 29, 2023 1:20 PM EDT
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TCU | C | #79 | rSr | 6034 | 332 | 5.21 | Arlington, TX | 10.16.99 (23.11)
Evaluation:
Viewed primarily as an interior prospect, Avila owns extraordinary height and length. In addition to great size, his natural upper body strength is extremely impressive. Opponents tend to struggle gaining leverage and often get stonewalled when attempting to bull-rush. Another area that stands out would be his quick feet, especially in short areas, as Avila is swift enough to mirror most defensive lineman. The frame, power and footwork are stellar traits that will make Avila a well sought after prospect. On the flipside, there is vast room for improvement in his overall game.
His fundamentals could use some cleaning up. There are too many times where Avila fails to find work and looks lost. He struggles to identify stunts and twists, often times late to react. Avila is so top heavy that he tends to struggle against players who have bend due to his high pad level; he simply can’t get low enough to stay in front of them. Overall, Avila is still raw and has a lot of work to do. He needs to retool his upper half, while keeping his play strength, which is his best trait.
The Texas native has played at all three interior positions and opinions vary on where he fits best in the pros. If he is going to stay at center, Avila will need to lose weight, which could result in a loss of power. There is some concern that he may not possess the processing ability to man the middle but he could be a really solid guard prospect. He’ll be scheme limited, with his limited movement skills but Avila is quick enough in a phone booth. There is upside with Avila but he has a lot of work to do to reach his potential, making him an early-to-mid round candidate.
Quotable: “He definitely helped me out a lot, definitely with confidence. Its something I struggled with in the beginning.
He told me to trust in my ability. Its not even that. It’s just how he teaches us to carry ourselves as men on and off the field. A lot of the stuff we do is hard, and he just tell us, you got to do what you got to do to get the job done. In terms of development on the field, he’s one of the greatest coaches I’ve had. He takes care of us. He does all the right things I feel like a coach can do.” – Steve Avila on the influence of new OL Coach AJ Ricker
