Torrence looks to slot in as a starting guard for Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills selected offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence with the 59th overall pick in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. In the lead-up to the draft, Torrence was discussed by many in the draft industry as an option for the Bills in the first round. After he wasn’t drafted in Round 1, I certainly thought Torrence would be gone early in the second round, but he fell all the way to Buffalo near the end of the round.
I believe the Bills got great value out of their second-round pick as he presumably figures to slot in as the starter at right guard. Let’s dig in and see what Torrence brings to the table.
O’Cyrus Torrence’s college career
Torrence began his college career at the University of Louisiana. He started 13 of 14 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns as a freshman. In his sophomore season, Torrence earned second-team All-Sun Belt Conference. In his junior season, Torrence continued to develop and earned first-team all-conference. His head coach at Louisiana took the lead job at Florida for the 2022 season and Torrence followed him there for his final season of college football.
Torrence started 11 games for the Gators and proved that the SEC wasn’t too big. Torrence was the first Florida Gators offensive guard to be named Consensus All-American. He ended his college career without giving up a sack. Let me say that again… Torrence never gave up a sack in his career!
O’Cyrus Torrence at the 2023 NFL Combine
Torrence measured in at 6’5” and 330 pounds, with 33 7/8” arms at the NFL combine. Here are the results of his combine tests:
- 40-yard dash = 5.31s
- 10-yard split = 1.84s
- Vertical jump = 23.5”
- Broad jump = 5’5”
- 20-yard shuttle = 4.81s
- Bench press = 23 reps
Talent on full display.
#NFLCombine March 2-5 on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/y7NwMk1dI4
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) March 5, 2023
Film Analysis of O’Cyrus Torrence
Low man wins
Torrence did an excellent job here of staying low and firing out of his stance. He got lower than the defender and it helped him gain the leverage he needed to drive the defender inside. Torrence showed excellent hand placement as he punched inside on the chest plate and had a hand on the shoulder pad of the defender to steer him to the inside, creating a gaping hole for the running back.
Anchor proves sturdy
Torrence missed on his initial punch here but was still able to adjust and regain control. Even with less-than-ideal hand placement Torrence was able to sink his hips and anchor to stall the defender’s pass rush.
Quick enough to reach block
Torrence was able to get out of his stance quickly and reach-block his man with ease. He utilized solid hand placement on the outside and then turned his body so his butt was in the hole, creating a big lane for the RB. Additionally, he adds a little shove at the end to cause a collision between two defenders — nice!
O’Cyrus Torrence vs. Jalen Carter
Torrence faced off against first round pick Jalen Carter for this play. Carter seemed to gain a step on him initially but Torrence was able to pass set and lay hands on Carter enough to push him to the outside and past quarterback Anthony Richardson. This allowed Richardson to step up into the pocket enough to make the throw.
Keeping it simple
I love this rep by Torrence! He kept it super simple and still did his job effectively. The defender worked to the outside of Torrence and wanted to work up the field. Torrence was able to get ideal hand placement with one hand on the chest plate and one hand on the inside shoulder of the defender. From there Torrence just positioned his body in the hole and rode the defender to the outside, taking him right where he wanted him to go.
Looking for work
This one is just for fun. Torrence didn’t do anything overly impressive on this play besides looking for work when he had no one engage him. When he found a suitor, he basically head-butts the defender, resulting in a pancake. I love it!
Pass-blocking stalwart
Torrence looked like a brick wall on this play. He won the hand-placement battle (seems to be a common theme) and anchored himself right off the bat to create a nice pocket for the QB. His arm length proved effective on this play as he locked out the defender and controlled him with ease.
In summary
O’Cyrus Torrence has the potential to block for Josh Allen over the next decade. He’s an elite pass blocker and is a bully in the run game. Torrence’s film consistently shows a player controlling defenders and moving them out of the way, something the Buffalo Bills haven’t had out of the guard position in a while. It will be interesting to see how Torrence meshes with Buffalo’s tendency to pull guards in the run game. Pulling around the corner isn’t exactly Torrence’s biggest strength, but we’ll find out soon enough if he can do that effectively in the NFL. Regardless, Torrence should provide Allen with some clean pockets and be a dependable guard for the Bills going forward. O’Cyrus Torrence represented incredible value for One Bills Drive in the second round of this year’s draft.