Gary Barnidge
TE / Sr.
Louisville
6' 6'' / 230 lbs.

POSITIVES

Sears is massive player with a thick middle, huge legs, casting a pretty nasty shadow. He’s a better athlete than his bulk would indicate and moves pretty well, especially within confined areas. Sears came on really strong this year, showing a lot of potential. Over his career, he showed some versatility playing both tackle and guard at a high level and against very good teams.

NEGATIVES

I am still not sure if Sears is going to be a better guard or tackle, and that decision by NFL teams, will go a long way toward his draft position. He's not amazing at either spot. With any man this size, his weight and conditioning are concerns by default. Sears does struggle with faster players, particularly on the edge. For all his size, he doesn't play as strong as he looks.

FINAL WORD

Sears is an interesting guy. He doesn't stand out in any particular area, but you watch him play, and he’s steady and consistent. He improved all season long against top flight SEC defenses. I suspect his size and lack of mobility will probably keep him at guard in the NFL, but he'll need to toughen up some in the run game and keep his conditioning in check. In a weak OT class, if he can show he can play tackle, he could end up being drafted higher than his skill set might warrant.