Jags OL coach George Warhop discusses Ben Bartch’s transition into NFL so far

One of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ more interesting picks of the 2020 NFL Draft was offensive lineman Ben Bartch, who was selected in the fourth-round. With many fans believing the team needed help on the offensive line, it didn’t take long for many …

One of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ more interesting picks of the 2020 NFL Draft was offensive lineman Ben Bartch, who was selected in the fourth-round. With many fans believing the team needed help on the offensive line, it didn’t take long for many to demand him as a replacement for starting guard A.J. Cann.

However, in the early stages of camp, it appears offensive line coach George Warhop believes Bartch needs some more time to get acclimated, though he likes his potential and upside.

“I like Ben, I like him. His college tape was good, but level of play didn’t give you a great indicator of what he possibly could be. I thought when he was at the senior bowl before he got hurt, I thought he competed extremely well there,” Warhop said.

“[He] showed some things that we like in our guys, some strength. He has some tenacity. He’s a bright kid. I think it’s really just him getting comfortable. He hasn’t shied away from the competition, just technically getting used to how we want to play, making the transition from tackle to guard.”

As pointed out by Warhop, Bartch’s name began to garner some attention at the Senior Bowl as he was on an all-star roster practicing against notables like Javon Kinlaw, Jabari Zuniga, and Jonathan Greenard to name a few. He held his own in the process and it Cleary was a key in the Jags drafting him No. 116th overall.

As for the strength and tenacity Warhop spoke on, that was on display this week for Bartch as the pads went on. There were times where the media was able to catch him on video holding his own against some of the Jags potential starters like Taven Bryan and Timmy Jernigan.

While it’s unclear if Bartch could overtake Cann as a starter, there is time for Bartch to make progress as the regular season is three weeks away. With no preseason games, it might be an uphill battle if he has a chance to start but clearly the talent is there for him to develop.