WorldWide Rams Draft Profile: Alex Cappa, OT, Humboldt St.

Doug Nelson

WorldWide Rams

Who is the 6-foot-7 305 pound Alex Cappa?
Alex Cappa is a mountain of a man who played his college ball at Humboldt State, which is not exactly known as a "football factory." In fact the last player drafted by the league from that institution of higher learning was Freeman Baysinger, who was taken by the New England Patriots in the 12th round of the 1992 NFL Draft. That's right, it's been so long that the last time it occured was in when the draft had 12 rounds. In case you all are curious, Humboldt State is the northernmost school in the University of California system. The football team is known as the "Lumberjacks," and at 6'7 and 305, Alex Cappa could easily be mistaken as Paul Bunyan. Suffice it to say, Cappa was a man among boys for majority of his collegiate career.

Alex Cappa Highlights

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Strengths:
Cappa has the size and the length of a prototypical NFL lineman, but he actually has some athletic ability to go with his stature, according to most scouts. Cappa is quite agile for such a big man, with loose and fluid hips and the ability move laterally and show polished footwork. He's very capable of moving people out of the way as a run blocker, and shows proper technique for the most part. He is generally considered a better run blocker than pass blocker, and there are those who think he will end up as a guard in the NFL. And of course, at 6'7 he could likely add even more weight, especially if he is asked to be an interior line ''mauler" as opposed to the more athletic requirements of playing tackle in the NFL.

Weakness:

The big question with any Division II player is going to be about the caliber of the opponents he’s faced, and Cappa is no exception. How will he deal with quicker, faster, and stronger defensive players? No one knows for certain, even though Cappa is considered technically sound, at the level he’s played in college, he could always fall back on brute size and strength when required. That may not work if he plays on Sundays. As I mentioned above, his pass-protection is somewhat questionable, and the NFL has very much become a passing league. The bottom line is that until he faces NFL players, we won't know how truly his talent will become not the field.

How does he fit the Rams?
As long as he isn't asked to step in and start immediately, Cappa is probably worth taking a shot on in the lower rounds. The guy is probably a "project," but the size, strength and athleticism are all there. For a team like the Los Angeles Rams that needs depth on the O-line--and an eventual replacement for an aging, but still very good left tackle--Cappa could be a very good fit. The Rams have a plethora of lower round picks, and Cappa may still be available

​Draft Prediction
4th - 6th Round

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NFL Comparison
​Orlando Brown, Denver Broncos

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