Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi has been a stalwart of the offensive line in Ann Arbor. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to play at the next level if a team decides to select him in the NFL Draft.
A former four-star, top-100 recruit, El-Hadi played in 51 games in the winged helmet, starting 24 times and winning a national championship with Jim Harbaugh as his coach in 2023. In that time frame, the Wolverines have become an offensive line factory, and a path to the next level
became almost expected for starters on these teams.
Things aren’t expected to be different for El-Hadi, projected by many to be a Day 3 selection. At minimum, he’ll be on someone’s roster before the start of the season.
Quick Facts
- Height: 6-foot-5
- Weight: 315 lbs
- Arm length: 32 ⅜”
- Hands: 10 ⅝”
- Vertical: 29.5”
- Short-shuttle: 5.06s
- Three-cone: 8.14s
- Draft Day Age: 22 years old
- Career Stats: 51 games (24 starts), 1,679 career snaps, over 1,000 at LG, over 675 at RG
Strengths
- Extensive starting experience
- Success as a national champion
- Flexible and reliable guard that can play on either side of the line
- Strong performance in the run game as a downhill blocker
- Ability to pull to the second level and block in space
- Technically sound with his hands and footwork
- Great build for his frame
- Played in a pro-style offense with diverse zone-run schemes and RPOs
Weaknesses
- Limited athleticism and versatility to plug-and-play on the outside or center
- Was pushed around in some of the bigger games in his time at Michigan
- Not fluid in change of direction
- Poor speed
- Concerns about his ceiling after five years in Ann Arbor
- Wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine
Summary
El-Hadi was a good player for the Wolverines and the anchor of the offensive line for the last two seasons. At the same time, the unit has not been as strong over the last two seasons as it once was when Michigan was annually in the College Football Playoff and winning back-to-back Joe Moore Awards.
Part of that is certainly on coaching, but I think it is safe to say that El-Hadi never really reached the potential that I think a lot of fans hoped for when he first got started. He was talked about as the next Zak Zinter or Trevor Keegan, but El-Hadi only ever achieved a third-team all-Big Ten recognition and never ascended above that.
The good news for El-Hadi is the brand recognition that comes from playing and being a captain at Michigan and having a now-NFL head coach in Harbaugh who promotes his value. Offensive linemen in Ann Arbor are expected to do a lot, including the guard position. Pulling from the interior was extremely common, and both J.J. McCarthy and now Bryce Underwood had RPO’s that they were reading, leaving different assignments for offensive lines depending on whether they hand it off or throw the ball. For success, the offensive line has to understand unique hand and vocal signals, understand how defenses are lined up, and still be able to move their assignment out of the way. El-Hadi did so adequately in his time at Michigan, and an NFL team is going to value that, despite not receiving an invite to the NFL Combine.
El-Hadi’s also been battle-tested against NFL talent in practice. He went up against the likes of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Derrick Moore, Jaishawn Barham, Kris Jenkins, Mazi Smith, and more, every day in practice for years, even working against them on the offensive scout team. He understands what it will take to face talent at the next level, and should, at minimum, have a spot on a practice squad once the regular season hits.
Expectations are a late pick, but he might also be a valued UDFA by someone in the league, maybe even his former head coach. With the history of success before him on both the offensive and defensive lines from the Michigan pipeline, expect him to have the NFL shield on his neck this fall.
