Position: OT/OG
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 290
Hometown: Manorville, NY
High School: Eastport-South Manor HS
Twitter: @SeanKarl62
Sean Karl is another in a long line of big, tall, athletic OLs at Virginia who played other sports (often basketball) in high school. Karl was rated 3 stars by all the recruiting services and was ranked the #56 OT in the nation by Rivals, #78 by ESPN and #101 by Scout. He was recruited by most of the schools in the northeast (which obviously isn't saying much).
He was recruited to play OT, however right now he sits 3rd on the depth chart at RG. With his frame, he is likely more suited to play OT, and perhaps he is still in line for that position down the road. Right now, the staff obviously feels like he is a better fit on the inside.
At 290 pounds, he's certainly big enough for the position. He's a bit tall for an interior lineman, but then again all the Virginia OLs are pretty tall (among the starters, Jackson Matteo is the shortest at 6'5"). Karl, however, doesn't have much experience playing out of a 3 point stance, and could find trouble against bigger DTs if he isn't able to get his feet set quickly. As a run blocker, Karl has the strength to drive block and also has the athleticism to get outside on pull or trap blocks. However, his pass blocking could be more of a concern based on that lack of experience.
Just a redshirt freshman, it is unlikely that Karl actually gets major playing time this year. If he does, it probably means we're in trouble. Not because Karl isn't capable, but because there are a number of players ahead of him, and it would mean either they all struggled or they all suffered injuries. In the future, Karl will be a candidate to take over at any of the OT or OG positions. While he appears best suited for OT, he could end up being a quality OG as well if he develops his skills there.