Carver Willis’ athletic traits and tape point to a guard/center fit, even as his Combine numbers and size raise concerns for the edge.
Carver Willis’ path into the 2026 NFL Draft has the feel of a player building a second career inside the trenches. After five seasons at Kansas State, he transferred to Washington as a graduate, and his last college chapter sharpened the kind of versatility teams keep hunting for.
Willis is listed as an offensive tackle. but the scouting conversation quickly pivots to where he may be most effective in the NFL: guard or center.. At 6’5” and 303 pounds. he shows enough athletic movement to function in space and enough football habits to stay productive in zone concepts.. In a league where rosters prize linemen who can play multiple spots and fit scheme demands quickly. that blend is the main reason his name is already generating draft buzz.
Why the Kansas State-to-Washington shift mattered
His strengths show up in the mechanics scouts watch frame by frame.. Willis uses leverage effectively, places his hands well on contact, and sustains blocks without immediately losing his angle.. There’s also a sound football IQ element to his work—he looks like a player who understands where the play is going before the snap finishes.
The tape says “athlete. ” the measurements say “tighter fit”
Yet the NFL Combine numbers. according to scouts’ evaluations. are below average in several areas that weigh more heavily when a player is projected to the edge of an NFL front.. Shorter arm length and smaller hand size are recurring concerns because they can impact how consistently a tackle can control longer defensive players at arm’s length.. In pass protection. that difference can show up quickly: if a lineman can’t win the initial contact. he can end up fighting for space instead of owning it.
That’s why the weaknesses cluster around pass rush realities.. The report notes a tendency to backpedal quickly in pass-rush sets, which can open inside lanes.. There’s also concern about how Willis handles bull rush techniques and power rushers—matchups that often define whether a tackle is a long-term starter or a swing option.
What NFL teams will try: leverage. spacing. and a position change
The projection around rounds 4 through 6 reflects that balance.. Teams are intrigued by position versatility and athletic traits, but they aren’t ignoring the technical adjustments required.. A move inside isn’t just a label change; it’s a new set of challenges—different angles. different footwork demands. and a stricter need to play with lower pad level consistently.
Even the penalty discussion plays into the “work in progress” picture.. If a player is more penalty-prone when used more heavily. it can suggest fatigue. habit issues. or simply the growing pains of playing fast through mistakes.. Coaches love linemen who compete, but they need reliability when the tempo rises late in games.
Carver Willis’ draft story is also a window into how teams build the offensive line in 2026.. Many clubs don’t want one-dimensional tackles; they want linemen who can slide across spots as injuries hit and as weekly matchups demand different protection calls.. That’s why his meet-and-interact level—reported as 30 teams interested—matters.. It signals that teams see a role worth pursuing, even if the exact starter projection is still being refined.
If Willis is drafted, the most likely outcomes revolve around coaching and fit.. Interior positions could allow him to maximize leverage and zone utility while working to clean up pass-pro footwork and pad level.. The upside is that he already appears closer to functioning as a polished blocker in schemes that rely on movement and timing. not pure static power.
For NFL fans, the headline isn’t “tackle vs.. guard”—it’s what happens when an offensive lineman’s athletic profile meets the constraints of the professional game.. Willis may not fit the classic tackle mold suggested by Combine measurements. but his traits and improving run play suggest he could become the kind of interior piece teams trust in rotation—and eventually. perhaps. on a longer-term plan.