Welcome Dylan Fairchild

[*Synric*]

Dane Brugler's write up about Dylan Fairchild in The Beast.

Quote:BACKGROUND: Dylan Fairchild grew up north of Atlanta, with his parents. He played little league football, but wrestling was his best sport growing up — he won several state titles in middle school. Fairchild is also an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. He proposed to his fiancée (Elizabeth) in February 2025.

Fairchild attended West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga., where he was a multisport standout. Known more as a wrestler early in his high school career, his football path started to take shape during his sophomore season as a 250-pound defensive tackle who worked his way into rotation. Fairchild bulked up to 285 pounds as a junior and stood out at defensive tackle, while also blossoming at left tackle, earning 2019 second-team all-region honors. He again played both ways as a senior and led West Forsyth to a nine-win season and the 2020 7A Region 6 championship. Fairchild earned an invitation to the 2021 All-American Bowl. He had a prolific wrestling career in high school, earning all-state honors all four years. After going 47-0 as a junior, Fairchild repeated as the Class 7A state champion as a senior in the 285-pound division (pinned his opponent in 25 seconds), finishing his final season 22-0 (all pins). He also played baseball in high school but quit as a sophomore because it was "too boring."

A four-star recruit, Fairchild was the sixth-ranked interior of f ensive lineman in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 11 recruit in Georgia. He was a consensus top-100 recruit nationally. After flashing his ability as a sophomore, Fairchild received his first scholarship of f er from Jacksonville State (May 2019). That summer, he took a visit to South Carolina and received an of f er on the spot from the of f ensive line. Fairchild's recruitment took of f after his junior season, including of f ers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. He decided to stay in his home state and committed to head coach Kirby Smart in May 2020. Fairchild was the seventh-ranked recruit in Smart's 2021 class (one spot ahead of Brock Bowers). After an All-America junior season, he elected to skip his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS:
● Looks the part with a stout, muscular frame and strong trunk
● "Freaks List" alum for work in weight room (440-pound bench, 570 squat, 370 power clean)
● High-level wrestling background — physical mindset translates to the field
● Gritty competitor who wants to make it a bad day for opponent
● Hard guy to move; able to settle down when rushers try to push him
● Hands are both well-paced and powerful to press defenders of f him
● Generates ground force to uproot in run game
● Battles through minor injuries — played in all 28 games past two seasons
● Confidence appeared to grow with each start  

WEAKNESSES:
● Some movements show hints of lower-body stif f ness
● Elevated pads into contact will diminish power on down/drive blocks
● Average range — needs to improve timing and angles working up to linebacker level
● Occasionally over-sets against shifty rushers who cross his face
● Still learning dif f erent tricks for easier recoveries
● In-game experience at right guard, but all 24 college starts came at left guard
● Limited throughout draft process because of left calf strain  

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Georgia, Fairchild settled in at right guard in of f ensive coordinator Mike Bobo's multiple-run scheme (zone and gap). He cut his teeth on the scout team (non-travel) over his first two seasons in Athens before earning a starting job and quickly developing into one of the better guards in the SEC.

Fairchild is built to hold his ground and jolt defenders at the point of attack, and he plays with the fierce demeanor to win his individual battles (wrestling mentality). At times, his feet, hands and eyes can get slightly disjointed as he responds to quickness, but he flashes dominance when his moving parts all stay on the same page.

Overall, Fairchild lacks experience — and it shows at times — but he is powerful, tough and naturally aggressive. I expect him to continue getting better with additional reps. He is an ascending prospect with NFL starting upside, in the Wyatt Teller mold.

GRADE: 3rd-4th round