Player Bio
Avila (pronounced Ah-VEE-la) was a four-star recruit from South Grand Prairie High School in Arlington, Texas, just a 30-minute drive from TCU in Fort Worth. He played in 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019 before earning honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades for his play as a sophomore in nine starts (six at center, two at right tackle, one at right guard). Avila was a second-team all-conference pick in 2021, starting 11 games at center. He moved to left guard in 2022 with the addition of SMU transfer Alan Ali and garnered second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-Big 12 honors as a 15-game starter for the playoff-bound Horned Frogs. He didn’t allow a single sack in 515 pass-blocking snaps in his final season at TCU. — by Chad Reuter
Analysis
By Lance Zierlein – NFL Analyst
Draft Projection Rounds 2-3
NFL Comparison Chris Kemoeatu
Overview
Three-year starter who offers versatility, power and athleticism. Playing at a lighter weight should not be a problem if teams want that from him. His girth makes him resistant to opposing power, and he’s light enough on his feet for pass protection duties and run blocks that extend beyond the box. He’s not a consistently nasty finisher and below average hand work has a clear impact on his ability to sustain blocks. Avila is likely to start right away as a Day 2 draft pick and should have a solid NFL career as either a guard or center.
Strengths
- Team captain.
- Full season of starting experience at both center and left guard.
- Frame is dense and capable of absorbing contact.
- Plays with good flexion and body control for a man his size.
- Able to snap hips into initial block fits.
- Seal blocks create sturdy wall for A-gap run tunnels.
- Pass sets tend to be balanced and firm throughout the rep.
- Lateral slides to mirror and defend his edges.
Weaknesses
- Occasional delays in recognizing twist setups.
- Needs to steady his hands and improve his punch accuracy in pass pro.
- Could use better rhythm and control with settle steps into first strike.
- Has a tendency to play too tall at the point of attack.
- More of a banger than a sustainer on the second level.
- Inconsistent hand usage prevents steering and cinching up blocks.
Sources Tell Us
“Good teammate and good worker. You can watch as much tape as you want and you aren’t going to see anyone purely outmuscle him.” — Area scout for NFC team