STRENGTHS - Cave has the thickness and natural strength of an NFL interior lineman. He consistently holds his ground at the LOS and absorbs bull rushes, despite often stopping his feet on contact. He does a good job of getting his hands inside on defenders, allowing him to get a strong fit and sustain blocks. He is quick to read stunts and adjust in time to pick up the late man without giving up ground at the POA. He demonstrates the foot quickness needed to execute 2nd level blocks.
WEAKNESSES - Cave has a bad habit of stopping his feet on contact and reaching for blocks, causing him to fall off early. At the 2nd level he tends to bend at the waist and struggle changing directions against moving targets. In pass pro he struggles to shuffle laterally, and does not look efficient or comfortable in his movements. He is not aggressive at the POA, as he tends to catch blocks and can be jolted backward at times by more physical defenders. Because of his lack of physicality at the LOS, he struggles to get consistent movement off the ball on run blocks.
SUMMARY - Braxton Cave clearly possesses the natural strength to play at the next level, but does not display the athleticism or aggressiveness to be a starter. He struggles to move well laterally, and tends to fall off blocks in space against both the run and pass. His propensity to stop his feet on contact makes it difficult for him to sustain blocks, as he often gets caught bending at the waist and reaching. While he flashes the strength to anchor at the LOS, he does not punch aggressively and can be knocked off the ball when defenders get underneath him off the snap. Cave is likely to be a late round pick for a team looking to develop interior depth, but unless he becomes more aggressive and physical with his hands, he is unlikely to see time on the field at the NFL level.