Sam Hecht
Carolina PanthersOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
KANSAS ST · Unknown
| Season | G | PrsA | SkA | HitA | Pen | PBE | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 98.8 | 165 |
| 2025 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 98.9 | 112 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
KANSAS ST · 2026 draft class
Sam Hecht is one of the best walk-on-to-draft-prospect stories in the 2026 class developing from an unranked recruit into a two-year starting center and All-Big 12 honoree at Kansas State. His technique is elite with elbows tucked and connected to hips using tight inside hand placement resulting in just two penalties over his final two seasons and zero penalties as a senior. His pass protection production is extraordinary allowing zero sacks and only one quarterback hit in his final two seasons combined. Hecht was widely regarded as the best center at the 2026 Senior Bowl where he dominated one-on-one reps and was the only offensive lineman to hold Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter in check all week. His football intelligence is outstanding as an Academic All-Conference honoree who thrives on combo blocks and quickly snuffs out twists and stunts. PFF highlighted his vice grip hands that allow him to neutralize rushes from all types of pass rushers. He earned a PFF overall grade of 80.0 as a senior. However at 297 pounds he is undersized for an interior lineman and his shorter arms cause him to lose hand battles at times. His power is middling as he cannot consistently uproot defenders on command or finish blocks with authority. He struggles with counter moves creating soft edges late in reps. Bleacher Report graded him at 7.1 ranking him 96th overall and IOL5 comparing him to Tyler Biadasz.
Strengths
- Elite technique with elbows tucked and tight inside hand placement
- Extraordinary pass protection allowing zero sacks in final two seasons
- Outstanding football intelligence as Academic All-Conference honoree
- Vice grip hands neutralizing all types of pass rushers per PFF
- Dominant Senior Bowl performance as best center in attendance
- Strong anchor and wide base preventing rushers from reaching quarterback
- Good lateral movement climbing to second level with quick footwork
- Quick pre and post-snap processing sorting through stunts and blitzes
- Dramatic year-over-year improvement showing high coachability
Concerns
- Undersized at 297 pounds needing to add at least 10 pounds of mass
- Short arms causing lost hand battles and limiting recovery ability
- Below-average fluidity and redirect ability struggling with counter moves
- Middling power unable to consistently uproot defenders or finish blocks
- Only two years as a starter with 25 career starts limiting experience
- Struggles against heavier and longer interior pass rushers in size mismatches
- Average initial burst sometimes leaving for second level too early
Honors
All-Big 12 Second Team (2024). Finalist Big 12 OL of the Year (2025). Academic All-Conference. Senior Bowl invitee (2026)