Personal Background 

• Attended Summerville High School in Summerville, South Carolina
• Was one of five finalists for Mr. Football Award in South Carolina
• Participated in track and field (shot put and discus) during high school
• Track and field personal records (PR): shot put – 54′ 4, discus – 162′ 4 (Both in 2015)
• Listed as a 4-star recruit via 24/7 Sports
• ESPN listed him as 5th-best player in South Carolina and the 15th-best guard in the country
• Had offers to Florida, Clemson, Auburn, and others before choosing South Carolina
• Majoring in criminal justice

Injury History 

• Suffered broken leg in 3rd quarter vs. Akron during senior season (12/1/18)
• Suffered ankle injury (listed as high ankle sprain) vs. Kentucky during junior season and missed two games

Career By the Numbers and Awards 

• 46 career games played (38 starts)
• 27 starts at left guard, eight starts at right tackle, and three starts at center
• Helped the Gamecocks average 32.6 points per game and 440.2 yards per game
• 2018 All-SEC second team
• 2018 Tenacity Award for offense (voted by teammates)
• 2017 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• 2016 Co-Tenacity Award for offense (voted by teammates)
• 2015 SEC All-Freshman team (coaches)

Film Watched 

• Clemson (2017)
• Georgia (2017)
• Vanderbilt (2018)
• Tennessee (2018)

Measurables and Other Information 

• Year: senior
• Height: 6’6″
• Weight: 314 pounds
• Date of Birth (DOB): 11/8/1995

Strengths

• Consistent base – feet are shoulder width and keeps them underneath him
• Punch is consistent (especially his right hand)
• Rarely loses the battle on resetting hands and placing them inside
• Plays with low pad level and good knee bend
• Has the ability to anchor and match power against power
• Packs plenty of power behind his punch when making contact
• Shows consistent ability to transition weight from post foot to set foot (and vice versa)
• Good job at steering and clearing garbage after making contact
• Versatile offensive lineman with experience at left guard, center, and right tackle

Weaknesses

• Needs to become more consistent with his angles to the second level
• Not the best when operating in space – footwork can get sloppy in that area
• Left hand placement can get wild and has a tendency to end up on the outside shoulder or back of his aiming point
• Struggled at right tackle against speed rushers
• Needs to become more consistent finishing after contact

Overall

It’s not every day that you’re going to read about a day three player of the 2019 NFL Draft, but here we are. Zack Bailey really caught my eye when I was watching Deebo Samuel, and I couldn’t stop watching his tape. The former four-star recruit has battled through an ankle injury and a broken leg to get this far, and I don’t think much is going to stop him other than some limitations as an athlete.

When watching his tape, you’ll see over time he’s played in a variety of spots along the offensive line, including center, right tackle, and left guard. He’s played more at left guard than any other position, and rightfully so. It’s a more natural fit for him. Based on my studies of him, he doesn’t look like a natural fit at right tackle, and you can tell he struggled with pass rushers that won with speed, but also, his footwork looked slow and sluggish.

As a left guard, you can tell it’s a more natural feel for him. Put him in that spot and he’s in his phone booth. That’s the best way to describe him: a phone booth type of player. Putting him in space isn’t necessarily his forte, but letting him play in that small area or a in a “box” and letting him keep his hands on your chest plate and powering through is the best way to go. With that being said, putting him in a blocking scheme that is reliant on zone blocking wouldn’t be the best move. Having him play in more of a power running scheme would suit him best.

Like I mentioned, it’s not every day that we talk about a day three draft pick. That’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s bad when we talk about the rookie contract, but overall, it’s a good thing. It’s going to allow the best team possible to take him and utilize his skillset. There’s a lot to like from day one, and if needed, he’d certainly be a player you could put in your starting lineup. Realistically, he should sit back and learn and fix some of his technical issues. Attacking the second level with better angles and keeping his feet underneath him will be key. Pulling down the LOS and finishing those types of blocks will be another area for him to work on. However, when you watch the tape, the power behind his punches will stand out, as well as his ability to reset his hands and fight back.

In a few days, we’ll be talking about him more as a prospect. Why? He’s accepted an invite for the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, and it will be the first time that many evaluators and scouts will get their eye on the South Carolina product. Could he boost his draft stock with a good showing? Absolutely, but from what I’ve seen from an athletic standpoint, he’ll be limited, and his tape furthers that point, though I expect him to perform well in the bench press. Time will tell what he can become at the next level, but I like what I’ve seen from him, and if teams are looking for interior offensive line help, they shouldn’t hesitate when they get the chance to take him on day three of the draft.

Film Work