Will World put the NFL on notice?
The New York Giants certainly hope that their offensive line is stable in 2025.
Whether due to luck of the draw and how the draft board fell or by a conscious decision to concentrate on other positions, the Giants didn’t add an offensive lineman in the draft until selecting Marcus Mbow in the fifth round.
Mbow was considered a steal that late in the draft, but the jury is still out on where he will ultimately play. It’s possible that the Giants could still find themselves in need of a long-term answer at right tackle with Evan Neal moving to guard (and in the last year of his contract) while Jermaine Eluemunor is on the wrong side of 30.
If so, the Giants could look to one of the newest Oregon Ducks, Isaiah World.
World transferred to Oregon from Nevada for the 2025 season and could be one of the top tackles in next year’s draft. World is an intriguing prospect with a great combination of length, athleticism, and bloody-mindedness, and he certainly bears watching this year.
(World is the Nevada left tackle wearing No. 70.)
What he does well
World is a long and athletic lineman. He features quick, light feet which combine choppy steps with smooth steps. He always seems to be balanced in his pass sets, ready to redirect, mirror speed or anchor against power. World is a tall lineman, but is also a natural knee bender who’s consistently able to drop his hips and lower his pad level to meet power rushers.
He has adequate play strength when playing with good leverage and maintains his balance through contact. He also has good grip strength and does a good job of sustaining his blocks for as long as necessary. And in that vein, World also has excellent competitive toughness and a definite nasty streak in his play. He keeps his head on a swivel to look for work, fights to sustain his blocks for as long as possible, and tries to finish with his opponent on the ground when the opportunity arises.
World appears to be an adequate run blocker right now, with the upside to improve significantly with coaching. He has the athleticism to stress defenses when flowing laterally in zone blocking schemes, as well as get into position quickly as a puller or when working up to the second level. Likewise, his nasty streak and good leverage allow him to at least gain positioning on defenders and seal off running lanes on man-gap runs.
What he needs to improve
The biggest issue for World is his play strength. He isn’t weak, per se, but he definitely needs to maintain leverage against defenders. There were too many instances in his tape of him being driven back if his hips rise. And while his athleticism and competitive toughness let him “lose slow”, he isn’t able to really stop power power without good leverage.
He is listed at 6-foot-8, 309 pounds, and while he does have an athletic build for an offensive lineman, World does appear a bit lanky. He could gain muscle mass as he continues to mature physically.
World could also stand to be a bit more aggressive with his initial punch. He should also work on improving his accuracy when blocking at the second level.
Balancing aggression with his hands while also being more accurate could be a difficult balance to strike and a long-term project. However, doing so could make World a devastating blocker in space.
Final thoughts
Isaiah World has the potential to be a real riser after transferring from Nevada to Oregon. The Ducks have done a good job of churning out quality offensive linemen of late, and World fits what they want to do well. He should get good coaching in Eugene, and another year of physical maturity should help him.
World may never be a road grader at offensive tackle, however his movement skills and flexibility could take him far. World has the skill set teams tend to look for at left tackle, and it’s pretty easy to see him as a first round talent with a good year of development.