2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Anthony Belton, OL, NC State

The New York Giants are unlikely to take a position a excessive draft choose alongside the offensive line. Nonetheless, they may nonetheless use some younger linemen to assist fortify their entrance and provides them choices sooner or later.

NC State’s Anthony Belton is an enormous, highly effective lineman but in addition considerably unrefined at this level in his growth. He has most of the traits that groups search for in tackles in addition to guards, they usually might view him as a large lump of clay.

Whereas Belton has nearly solely performed on the left aspect for the final three seasons, might he be the suitable sort out — or guard — of the longer term in New York?

Prospect: Anthony Belton (74)Video games Watched: vs. Wake Forest (2023), vs. Western Carolina (2024), vs. Tennessee (2024), vs. North Carolina (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.soccer

Strengths

Greatest traits

Measurement
Play power
Aggressive toughness
Run blocking

Anthony Belton is a large offensive sort out who performs with nice energy and spectacular aggressive toughness. Belton has an enormous body at 6-foot-6, 336 kilos and has stable size as properly with 34-inch arms.

He has nice thickness in his higher and decrease halves, and has the play power to match.

Belton is well in a position to anchor towards energy rushers and is a surprisingly clean mover inside his vary. He has heavy palms and has proven improved approach during the last two seasons. He’s in a position to disrupt rushes with a tough punch, and he has spectacular grip power to maintain his blocks and management defenders.

He’s a predictably highly effective run blocker who’s in a position to generate motion alongside the road of scrimmage, dig defenders out of gaps, and maintain his blocks for so long as obligatory. He’s in a position to execute exterior zone blocks or be a pulling blocker, however he’s at his greatest blocking in man-gap or inside zone schemes.

Belton additionally performs with a powerful imply streak and nice aggressive toughness. Belton is consistently searching for work and is a menace blocking on the second stage. He additionally persistently appears to complete his blocks with the defender on the bottom, going as far as to leap on them to maintain them from pursuing the ball provider.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

Belton’s biggest weak spot is his relative lack of athleticism. He’s a clean mover inside his vary, however he lacks nice foot quickness in addition to restoration athleticism.

He can battle towards significantly abrupt strikes or fast edge rushers. He doesn’t have the foot quickness to redirect out of the blue, nor can he make up floor if he’s overwhelmed initially. He may be susceptible to lunging at defenders or shedding his steadiness if he has to alter instructions to match stunning inside strikes or well-disguised stress.

And whereas Belton has improved his leverage and pad stage over his time at NC State, he can nonetheless be susceptible to letting his knees straighten over the course of longer reps. That may result in waist-bending or outright lunging at defenders.

Lastly, he must proceed to refine and grow to be extra constant in his hand placement. That’s one other space by which he’s made marked enchancment as an everyday starter, however he can nonetheless be a bit susceptible to letting his palms drift extensive or being late along with his punch.

Recreation Tape

(Belton is the NC State left sort out sporting quantity 74)

Projection

Anthony Belton is a developmental offensive lineman on the NFL stage, with beginning upside with some work.

He has the dimensions and size to play sort out within the NFL and groups that characteristic downhill working video games will discover so much to work with. Belton is a greater run blocker than move protector at this level in his growth, although he’s proven spectacular enchancment up to now.

Some groups might view Belton as a possible candidate to maneuver inside to protect. His energy and aggressive toughness would play properly inside, although his top could possibly be a problem. That mentioned, not having to maneuver as far might assist him be extra constant along with his leverage and hand utilization.

It can seemingly come down to every group’s blocking scheme and whether or not they consider his footwork will proceed to enhance with apply and training. Groups might additionally ask Belton to lose a little bit of weight to assist enhance his total athleticism.

Does he match the Giants?Doubtlessly, as a developmental prospect

Last Phrase: A late Day 2 or early Day 3 worth