NFL Analysis
10/28/24
5 min read
Wyatt Milum 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For West Virginia Mountaineers OL
Height: 6060 (unofficial)
Weight: 317 (unofficial)
Year: Senior
Pro Comparison: Liam Eichenberg
Scouting Overview
West Virginia Mountaineers offensive lineman Wyatt Milum is a well-built presence along the offensive line who offers scheme versatility at the next level. Milum plays with good cadence, effective mobility, and power at the point of attack, as well as plenty of experience, which should suit him well as he transitions to the NFL.
Milum’s best NFL outlook is likely on the interior because of some of his physical limitations with agility and length. These issues can create challenges in space or on the edge, but I can foresee him developing into a sufficient level starter on the interior, where those limitations are more masked.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Effective movement in the run game as a point of attack, A-level blocker — both on angular blocks and zone tracks
- Has enough mass and enough mobility to project well into generally any run-schemes
- Positional versatility with functional tackle play on both sides of the center & favorable projection inside to guard
Negatives
- Hinges can struggle to sustain center of gravity, and he’ll play out overtop of his toes far too often
- Lacks the ideal length to play tackle at the NFL level, especially when paired with his foot speed
- Framing of blocks in space can be compromised by a lack of dynamic athleticism on the edge
Background
Wyatt Milum played his high school football at Spring Valley HS in Huntington, WV. There, he was a two-sport standout who played football and baseball. On the gridiron, Milum played offensive and defensive tackle en route to earning a 4-star ranking as a recruit (247 Sports).
Milum collected all-state honors three times and was named a Sports Illustrated All-American after his senior season. Milum had offers from a slew of successful college programs, including Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oregon, before deciding to stay home and play for the Mountaineers.
He became a starter within his first season with the West Virginia program, starting eight games at right tackle as a true freshman in 2021 before switching to the left side in 2022. Milum has been a key cog for the Mountaineers front ever since and was named Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2023 before returning for his senior season in 2024.
Tale Of The Tape
Milum is a dense blocker who passes the eye test for his sturdiness and ability to handle the rigors of 1-on-1 engagement against NFL blockers. Milum has mass throughout his lower half and core that, provided he’s got his technique and framing in place, should allow him to hold his own against most comers in efforts to reset the line of scrimmage.
He pairs that build with sufficient mobility, yielding a product that creates stickiness in close quarters and allows him to ride defenders out of a spot or, alternatively, uproot them and gain real estate in the vertical run game.
Milum has a good initial jolt on double teams and combo blocks to win the initial landmark and set up the point. However, his foot speed, initial short-area burst, and agility limit his individual ability to climb off of those doubles and combos.
You see second-level defenders with neutral angles successfully run overtop of his climb periodically, but if facing a favorable pre-snap alignment, he does have the ability to hit home. As a result, teams should ensure they’re honest about how ambitious their second-level assignments are, and they may have to lean into alternative combinations to bake in more favorable angles.
For better or worse, this is a player who plays with a steady cadence in his feet. His initial pass set is clean and even-keeled, but he lacks the dynamic foot speed that often serves as a staple of top-tier pass protectors in the NFL.
Against tight alignment pass rushers on the edge, Milum has shown the ability to set a clean frame and play inside out while landing a firm punch. His grip strength amplifies the sustainability of these pass sets. He’s particularly sticky once he’s set his inside hand and can help control a defender’s track around the outside.
Speed rushers tend to challenge him, however. Milum generally plays as a one-speed athlete, and if his initial efforts don’t win, he has trouble finding another gear. As such, his technique typically deteriorates, his base gets overextended, and Milum will lunge and overextend while trying to get his hands set.
These issues are compounded by modest length, which leaves him vulnerable to power conversions and inside counters as he’s stressed and put into recovery mode early in his reps. Issues here have also yielded a high frequency of penalties across his three seasons at left tackle.
Overall, Milum offers generally sufficient levels of everything. But I’m not sold that he has the hallmark trait to be a successful starting tackle despite his robust career at West Virginia. Transitioning inside to guard opens a whole new can of worms for his development and potentially resets his clock on becoming a productive NFL player.
That’s an alternative I’d embrace before I charge him with handling the speed and dynamic athleticism of NFL edge rushers on a weekly basis as a tackle.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Milum projects most favorably at the NFL level as a conversion to guard. His lack of foot speed and length can be better protected on the interior, where he’ll have bumpers to keep him playing in closer quarters.
I would generally perceive him to be a run-scheme diverse talent but an inside zone team could get the most out of his initial power and sufficient lateral mobility. Consider Milum a potential starting guard with emergency tackle flexibility.
Grade: 74.50/100.00, Third Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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