Pounds is a high-cut, long-limbed tackle whose best football is played with his hands — when he locks out his length and gets a grip on a defender, the rep is over. He flashed real upside in the CFP semifinal stonewalling Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor with knock-back power and grip strength, but the tape is spotted with pad-level inconsistency and footwork lapses that let speed rushers turn the corner. His run blocking trails his pass protection and likely stays that way. The most realistic NFL projection is as a swing tackle or a guard conversion for a gap-scheme team — there's a functional starter in there if the technique ever tightens up, but the floor is a veteran backup who bounces between the roster and practice squad.
- Exceptional grip strength and heavy hands that can latch on and end the rush when his timing is right
- Initial knock-back power at the point of attack widens the edge and prevents bull rushes from collapsing the pocket
- Ideal size at 6-6 with long arms — locks out his length and keeps his head back to control pass rushers
- Pairs a heavy punch with quick resets, showing the ability to recover within reps
- Awareness on stunts and twists — remains calm and passes off games effectively
- Plays with a consistently high pad level that compromises leverage and body control
- Footwork is not outstanding — lacks the agility and lateral quickness to consistently handle NFL-caliber edge speed at left tackle
- Run blocking is significantly behind his pass protection and projects to stay that way
- Inconsistent technique — spotty body control creates a lower floor than his physical tools would suggest
Similar profile: long, powerful tackle with heavy hands and good grip strength who can function in pass protection but whose footwork and inconsistency limit him to a swing tackle or right tackle role. Okorafor was a Day 3 pick who developed into a spot starter. Pounds has a comparable ceiling if the technique clicks.