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It’s not often that you find a four-year starter at the college football level on the offensive line.
Offensive line is typically a position where those in the starting lineup, the most effective players, are upperclassmen, who get their first opportunities after a few years in the program.
But Michigan left guard Ben Bredeson was a difference maker from the beginning.
Though he wasn’t a starter on day one, midway through the 2016 season, Bredeson got his chance. He was embroiled all offseason as a true freshman in a battle for the left tackle position with eventual starter Grant Newsome. But, in Week Five when Newsome suffered a career-ending knee injury, Bredeson was called up, as then-left guard Ben Braden was shifted outside, while Bredeson worked his way in as a first-time starter in year one. He never relinquished his position, not only becoming entrenched as the left guard for the rest of his career, but he was a two-time team captain, to boot.
With his skill of play as well as leadership capabilities, it was enough for the Baltimore Ravens to select Bredeson with the No, 143overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in the fourth-round on Saturday.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein graded Bredeson as a prototypical backup prospect at the pro-level, and broke down his game as follows, noting he could become an ‘average starter’ in the NFL:
Overview
Four-year starter who will get dinged for some athletic limitations, but possesses the body type, leadership and toughness necessary to play in the league. Bredeson is best-suited firing out in a power-based rushing attacking where his disadvantages in space can be mitigated. There are correctable elements in his game that should forge continued improvement, but there will be some bumpy roads against interior quickness. He should become an average starter.
Strengths
- Burly with broad shoulders and an NFL guard’s frame
- Peppery pass punch to stun defender
- Sharp to snap and catch in response to twists
- Looks for work when he’s uncovered
- Maintains base width and generally on-balance in pass sets
- Rugged mentality will appeal to O-line coaches
- Plays with adequate bend in hips, knees and ankles
- Able to unlock hips and create leverage in run game
- Can match power across from him as drive blocker
- Two-time team captain and highly regarded by teammates
Weaknesses
- Athletic limitations limit his scheme flexibility
- Below-average initial quickness
- Effectiveness diminishes away from his phone booth
- Heavy feet hinder lateral movements and second level climbs
- Will struggle redirecting and adjusting to moving targets in space
- Needs more accurate hand placement to improve block sustain
- Room for improvement with anchor technique in pass sets
- Could struggle to handle NFL rush counters
All-in-all, Baltimore got a solid prospect in Bredeson. Having taken him at No. 143 overall signifies, however, that it intends to groom him as a potential starter down the line — but he shouldn’t be expected to be an immediate contributor.
Regardless, it got a solid leader, a stalwart lineman, and a player who can make an impact sooner-that-later.