The Tulane Green Wave NFL draft hopeful initially wasn't interested in football, playing another sport until high school.
The Tulane Green Wave had a lot of members of the offensive line to replace last season – from center all the way over to right tackle. Not just that, but right guard Josh Remetich and right tackle Rashad Green had been with the team in those spots since the year they won the Cotton Bowl. That was a daunting task that former coach Jon Sumrall filled quite well, slotting in transfer Jack Hollifield at center, and initially, a trio rotating between Jordan Hall, Reese Baker, and Darion Reed. Hall was at guard while Baker was at tackle, but if Reed was in, he was at tackle and Baker slid to guard. Ultimately, the Hall-Baker tandem was most successful, and that line played a major role in the team’s push to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance.
Now, multiple members of that offensive line will head to the NFL draft: left tackle Derrick Graham, Hollifield, and Hall, all of whom competed at the Green Wave’s Pro Day last Tuesday. Hall recently did an interview with NFL Draft Diamonds ahead of the draft, where intriguingly, he admitted that football wasn’t initially the plan for him. He started with basketball but missed his freshman tryouts. Rather than sit around and mope, his parents told him to try football. He immediately made the team freshman year. But a basketball background can do a lot for players’ agility and overall athleticism.
Hall transferred over to Tulane from the Liberty Flames, where he played offensive tackle, but slotted into right guard for the Wave. That makes sense as to why he said that he models his game after former NFL offensive tackle Tyron Smith.
Hall felt that his footwork and pass protection are his best traits that should show up on film, and being able to stay in front of opposing defensive linemen. He hopes that teams will pick up on someone who is a hard worker, a grinder no matter what, and a coachable player who’s always open and willing to learn. That coachability factor will certainly be important, particularly for potential fringe players looking to make the final 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. That ability to be coached could end up being a difference-maker between players with otherwise identical skill sets.
He showed the ability to perform in high leverage situations and against quality opponents, including Ole Miss, Northwestern, Duke, Memphis, North Texas, etc. in his lone season with the Wave. Now, he’ll hope to hear his name called, either via the draft, or on the phone by a team as a priority UDFA.