Cooper Mays C Tennessee | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Cooper Mays C Tennessee
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/26/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 5.10 seconds (82%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: Center | |
| Last Updated: 10/26/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 5.10 seconds (82%*) | |
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| Overall Rating: | 80.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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83% |
| Run Blocking: |
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71% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#279
Position rank:
#58
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| College Games: 51 College Snaps: 2822 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alec Lindstrom - Boston College |
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96% |
| Juice Scruggs - Penn State |
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86% |
| Dylan McMahon - NC State |
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84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Cooper Mays enters the 2025 NFL Draft as a fifth-year senior from Tennessee, where he anchored the offensive line as a four-year starter at center. The Knoxville native logged 2,453 offensive snaps across 46 career games, including 38 starts. A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient, Mays earned Second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and collected multiple SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week accolades throughout his career.Following in the footsteps of his father Kevin, an All-SEC guard in the 1990s, and brother Cade, a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers, Mays established himself as one of the SEC's premier interior linemen. The former four-star recruit from Knoxville Catholic High School overcame a hernia surgery early in his senior season to return and strengthen Tennessee's offensive front, helping the unit earn Joe Moore Award semifinalist recognition in consecutive seasons.
His collegiate career showcased remarkable durability and consistency, allowing just four sacks across his tenure while maintaining a streak of 20 consecutive appearances without surrendering a sack. His senior campaign demonstrated his elite pass protection skills, as he regularly posted clean sheets in pressure situations against top-tier SEC competition.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Plus mental processing with natural instincts for defensive fronts, shows snap-to-snap consistency identifying Mike points and adjusting protections on the fly
- Clean pass pro technician who wins with grip strength and reset ability, maintains solid pocket integrity against interior pressure
- Advanced feel for twist games and pressure packages, quick to recognize and pass off stunts while maintaining leverage against loops
- Natural knee bender who plays with consistent pad level and wins the leverage battle, allowing him to stalemate bigger defenders at the point
- Fluid mover in space with coordinated footwork, displays efficiency working to the second level and fitting on linebackers
- Battle-tested SEC starter who's faced elite competition, showing steady improvement in one-on-one situations against top interior defenders
- NFL bloodlines show up in his preparation and approach, demonstrating veteran-like practice habits and film study
- Quick processor who masters complex protection schemes, consistently makes correct pre-snap adjustments in up-tempo offense
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks ideal NFL center mass and anchor ability, giving ground initially against power rushers before re-establishing position
- Limited pop on contact in the run game, struggles to generate vertical movement against zero-techniques without assistance
- Medical red flags with core injury history could impact durability when facing weekly NFL interior matchups
- Base strength needs development, gets displaced by powerful bull rushers who get into his chest early in the rep
- Loses some battles at point of attack when matched against length, allowing defenders to control and shed in tight quarters
Scouting Report: Summary
A technician at the pivot who compensates for size limitations with advanced hand usage and precise footwork in pass protection. Demonstrates clinical ability to reach block and seal defenders in zone concepts, though lacks the raw power to consistently displace defenders in gap schemes. Disciplined eyes and quick processor who excels in identifying and communicating defensive fronts.Shows immediate potential in zone-based systems where his mobility and technical proficiency mesh with scheme requirements. Will need a developmental year to add functional strength and improve anchor ability against NFL power. Coverage limitations and anchor concerns may restrict scheme fit at the next level.
Most effective in systems emphasizing zone runs and quick-game concepts that maximize his mobility and processing speed while minimizing exposure to power. Scheme-specific prospect who offers early backup value with starter upside in the right system.
How other scouting services rate Cooper Mays (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
435.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
76.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.