Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Becton has earned scores of fans for his outstanding 2020 NFL Scouting Combine performance. Not many 365-pound people can move the way Becton does, and it showed on the field for the Cardinals in 2019.
However, Becton’s size is not a great fit for the zone blocking scheme new head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to implement. Becton does indeed move well enough to pull it off, but there’s risk in asking a man of his size to be so agile and technical all the time. Then there’s the matter of his pass protection results at Louisville.
Compared to the other top offensive tackle prospects, Becton isn’t even in the same ballpark in Pro Football Focus pass blocking grades:
2019 pass-blocking grades on true pass sets pic.twitter.com/mm2Xwct4z1
— Ben Linsey (@PFF_Linsey) April 6, 2020
There is definite upside and appeal to Becton, but there is also sizeable (no pun intended) risk. With other options available, it just doesn’t make sense to take the risk on Becton in Berry’s first draft.