Where Cyril Richardson Wins
Cyril Richardson does his best work on down blocks, where he does a good job of bringing all of his momentum into the defensive tackle, creating consistent movement and good fundamentals on combo blocks. He has a good amount of functional strength and he knows how to do it.
In pass protection, Richardson shows a natural anchor and is able to stop almost every direct bull rush. He knows how to use his length to wash defensive tackles out and has a very powerful punch with good extension.
Where Cyril Richardson Needs To Improve
Richardson's biggest issue is a mixture of a lack of both balance and athleticism. When beat off the ball (which is often) Richardson simply can not recover. In pass protection, he can not sustain blocks vs any counter moves, whether inside, outside, or speed-to-power. Anything but a bullrush, and he'll give up pressure. He is very slow in anything but a straight line, and these type of athletes have a tough time panning out.
Overall, Richardson lacks control and can't sustain blocks, whether at the line of scrimmage or second level. He is frequently on the ground, and anything but a down block he will have trouble executing.
Overall Impression:
On the hoof, Richardson looks like an impressive guard with ideal bulk, frame, and length. But game after game, Richardson's athletic limitations became more and more evident. He is non-versatile with little upside.
Grade: 5.7, Day 3