Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Significant snap reaction issues - consistently late off the ball despite aligning over center, negating his natural explosiveness
• Struggles mightily with pad level maintenance - stands up far too quickly and gets controlled by better offensive linemen
• Hand placement is a major concern - lands outside too frequently and lacks the length to recover once blockers establish position
• Shows concerning balance issues, particularly when forced to redirect or handle down blocks
• Tackling technique is problematic - leaves his feet too often and struggles to finish plays he creates in the backfield

Scouting Report: Summary

The tape doesn't lie - West brings the juice when he's turned loose in a single-gap front. Watch that UCF game opener where he demolished the guard with a quick swim move for a strip sack, or the way he consistently knifed through against MAC competition. He's got that natural leverage that makes guards uncomfortable, especially when he times up his get-off right. But then you flip on that Georgia tape, and you see the limitations - high pad level, struggling to disengage, getting washed out against double teams.

In the NFL, he's going to win with that compact power and initial burst. His best reps came when Kent State let him attack upfield from the 3-technique, getting skinny through gaps and disrupting blocking schemes. That Central Connecticut State game really showcased it - two TFLs where he just exploded through the A-gap before the center could react. The problem is consistency - for every flash play, there's two reps where he stands up too high and gets controlled.

The team that drafts West in the late rounds is getting a rotational defensive tackle with clear rushing down potential. Put him in that 3-technique spot, let him pin his ears back and attack a single gap - that's where the film shows he can make an impact. The missed tackles and balance issues aren't going away, but in a focused role as a penetrating backup tackle, there's enough natural ability here to warrant the investment.