Cal Football Recruiting Scouting Report: Dwayne Wallace

At the end of this season, the Golden Bear offensive line will lose two solid cornerstones in Brian Farley and Jordan Rigsbee and there's no doubt that the coaching staff is itching to fill in those gaps.

A promising prospect is JUCO transfer, Dwayne Wallace, the 6'4" 350lb guard/tackle out of Riverside Community College. Here are his rankings from the major recruiting services.

Scouting Rankings

Rivals: 3 stars

24/7 Scout: 3 stars, 7th at his position, 38th in his state

ESPN: No Ranking

Utterly dominant in his tape, Wallace is a great option for the right guard position vacated by Rigsbee. His quick feet make him effective as a pulling guard and he boasts a great ability to progress his blocks to the second level.

A quick disclaimer before the tape: it is difficult to gauge an offensive lineman's effectiveness when the rest of the offense isn't executing the play as it should. This report will focus on Wallace's mechanics and how he can be effective at the Division I level.

• He lays down a nasty block on the very first play of the tape, but more interesting than that is his footwork leading up to the contact. He sets himself up on the inside of the play, effectively securing a lane for the ball carrier instead of simply bull rushing the defender.
• At 0:45 he takes his block to the middle linebacker and lays him out, not neglecting to jam the nose tackle who was picked up by the center before elevating to the second level. Another great example of this is the play beginning at 5:38.
• At 1:05 he picks up an essential block and drives, giving his back the space to punch in the run for a touchdown. A similar play at 1:58 has a great example of him pulling and sealing the lane.
• The play beginning at 1:30 gives us a good look at his pass protection. What is immediately noticeable is his drop back, or lack thereof. He essentially stands up and meets the defensive lineman head on and stops him dead in his tracks. He does this again in three consecutive plays beginning at 4:58. This is impressive at any level and speaks volumes to his strength, balance, and footwork. However, it is also an area of concern since the drop back on pass pro gives the whole offensive line time to pick up on stunts while also allowing the defensive line less space to work with. His center is left with a huge area to protect and the defender exploits that to record a sack. That being said, he will likely have a relatively easy time adjusting to the new kick step stance the line has been working on.
• At 1:48 we see his brilliant awareness, quickly recognizing that the defensive end was coming in on a twist stunt and ability to move his feet and seal off the hole in the line.
• There are three consecutive plays beginning at 3:33 that shows excellent hand technique, fighting off the hands of the defensive line and refusing to let the defensive lineman create separation.
• Throughout the tape we can easily come to appreciate Wallace's strength and ability to establish an effective block. He has quick, chopping feet, which is arguably amongst the most valuable attributes of a good offensive lineman. He does a good job putting himself in position that most effectively uses his strength and is especially dominant when driving his feet to opening a rushing lane. What distinguishes him from the standard lineman is his strong foundation that he can set up with only a quick drop step in the pass pro. He has everything he needs to enter Cal as a contender for a starting position.