Jordan Rhodes Scouting Report | Arkansas State OG | 2023 NFL Draft

Player Bio
Jordan Rhodes is a 6-foot-4, 340-pound Offensive Guard prospect from Arkansas State University.
Rhodes began his football career as a three-star recruit from Creekside High School in Fairburn, GA. During Rhodes’ time with the Creekside football program, he earned three varsity letters, led the Seminoles to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2014 & 2015, and was a Class 6A All-State selection.
Rhodes garnered interest from multiple power five FBS programs as an Offensive Tackle prospect in the Class of 2017. As the 114th-ranked Offensive Tackle prospect in the nation, Rhodes received scholarship offers from South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri, Cincinnati, Southern Mississippi, Georgia State, and Louisiana-Monroe. Rhodes pledged his commitment to the University of South Carolina on January 15th, 2017, and signed his letter of intent with the Gamecocks two weeks later on National Signing Day.
Rhodes used his first season at South Carolina as a redshirt season to maintain an extra year of eligibility.
As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Rhodes appeared in four games as a reserve offensive lineman and second-string Right Guard behind Second Team All-SEC offensive guard Sadarious Hutchinson.
Rhodes took a massive leap in his development before the 2019 season, establishing himself as South Carolina’s starting Left Guard during fall camp. Rhodes started ten games on the Gamecocks’ offensive line during a 4-8 campaign, which included an upset victory over the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in double overtime.
Rhodes opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about the Coronavirus pandemic but returned to the team a month before week one. Rhodes saw action in six games on the offensive line but never reclaimed his starting left guard spot during the season.
Before the 2021 season, Rhodes transferred from South Carolina to Ole Miss in search of immediate playing time. Despite transferring three weeks before the first game of the season, Rhodes appeared in all twelve games and earned valuable snaps at both guard spots during a 10-3 campaign.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Rhodes entered the transfer portal again – this time as a graduate transfer. Rhodes signed his letter of intent to continue his football career at Arkansas State to play under former Tennessee and Cincinnati Head Coach Butch Jones.
In his lone season at Arkansas State, Rhodes started eleven games at Right Guard and received All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention recognition for the first time in his career.
Overall, Rhodes appeared in 43 games – including 21 starts – during his five-year college career. He was also a three-time All-SEC Academic Selection at South Carolina.
Scouting Report
Jordan Rhodes is a strong positional run blocker with imposing play strength at the point of attack, proficient body control & ankle/knee bend, high-level toughness & mean streak.
At 6-foot-4, 340 pounds, Rhodes is a big-body interior offensive lineman with 36-inch arms, an 87-inch wingspan, and fluid lower-body flexibility and explosiveness off the ball. Rhodes uses his length, heavy hands, and powerful lower half to establish dominance at the point of attack. Rhodes unlocks his hips with ease and flashes an innate ability to roll through his hips to finish off blocks. Rhodes displays a strong understanding of hand/hat placement and is difficult to shed once he gets his hands within a defender’s frame.
Rhodes is a smooth mover with sharp instincts and intelligence. Rhodes appears comfortable moving in open space: He has a firm, athletic base with functional straight-line speed and lateral mobility to pull along the line of scrimmage and climb to the second level. Rhodes has decent foot and body quickness to cut off defenders before they cross his face and disrupt running lanes. Rhodes is not the twitchiest interior offensive lineman but has an adequate change of direction ability to mirror defenders and adjust his feet & hands in one-on-one situations.
Rhodes run blocking ability is the greatest asset in his skillset, but he is a capable pass blocker with a strong pass set, leverage, and play strength to anchor against the bull rush. Rhodes’ length and short-area foot quickness allow him to keep pass rushers in front of him if he can get his hands inside their pads. Rhodes tends to struggle against speed rushers and quicker interior linemen, as he lacks consistent long-range lateral quickness and initial quickness to handle more agile pass rushers on every snap.
Although Rhodes will likely be a day-three selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, his value as a multi-positional run blocker with intriguing technique, toughness, and athletic ability cannot be overstated. He is a true road grader that excels in power run and gap blocking schemes, which should make him a coveted prospect for any NFL team looking for a dominant run blocker at the backend of the draft. Expect to see Rhodes make an instant impact as a rookie in a swing guard role.
Draft Projection
Mid 4th-Late 5th