Category: Interior OL

2020 NFL draft: Ben Bartch scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about St. John’s offensive line prospect Ben Bartch

Ben Bartch | OL | St. John’s (MN)

Elevator Pitch

Bartch is a small-school converted tight end who will likely need to redshirt his rookie year, but his length, athleticism and power makes him an intriguing developmental prospect. Considering how far he’s come in just two years of playing as an offensive lineman, there’s no reason to think he can’t continue to develop and grow as a player.

Vitals

Height | 6-6

Weight | 309

College Bio Page

Strengths

Since Bartch stepped onto the campus at St. John’s, he has put on roughly 75 pounds of good weight, managing to add power to a skill set that has maintained some of that tight end athleticism.

Bartch packs a powerful punch at the point of attack and blocks with heavy hands overall. His grip strength is strong once he latches onto a defender, and he does a good job of sealing off running lanes for his teammates. He plays with a high motor and has shown the willingness to drive his opponents into the dirt. For a Division III player to be considered an NFL prospect, it’s important that they dominate their competition, and Bartch certainly did that. He also moves around well in pass protection, showing off solid overall athletic ability. He accelerates well when he climbs up to the second level.

Another surprising aspect about Bartch’s game is that he’s much more technically refined than one would expect for a D-III tackle with only two years of offensive line experience. His ability to process the given situation and understand key points like pad level, hand placement and angles to take at the point of attack is admittedly better than a handful of Power 5 tackles in this class who have much more experience at the position than he does. He’s not perfect, sure, but the significant progress he has made in such a short amount of time is definitely encouraging. He projects well as either a tackle or a guard, and that versatility could make him intriguing.

Weaknesses

Bartch spent his first two collegiate seasons as a tight end and only has two seasons of experience at offensive tackle to his name. That inexperience can show up on tape at times, and while he got away with it most of the time against lesser competition, that may be much tougher in the NFL. His set point approach coming out of his stance could use a little more variation, as his current approach is a bit too closed in and can leave him prone to speed rushes around the edge. While he’s a solid athlete, his footwork is a bit unpolished.

There have certainly been flashes of fundamentals like pad level and hand placement in Bartch’s game, but they haven’t been consistent quite yet. He can improve on placing his strikes inside of the opponents’ shoulders on a regular basis, and he doesn’t always sink his hips into contact to stay low and maintain leverage. There’s potential in that regard, but he’s still a work in progress.

Projection: Day 2

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2020 NFL draft: Robert Hunt scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Louisiana-Lafayette offensive line prospect Robert Hunt

Robert Hunt | OL | Louisiana-Lafayette

Elevator Pitch

Whether you project him as a tackle or a guard, Hunt is a dancing bear of an offensive line prospect who has the raw play strength and the mobility to be a quality NFL starter. He’s a bit raw from a technical standpoint, but if he can clean up his game a bit, he has a high ceiling in the pros.

Vitals

Height | 6-5

Weight | 323

College Bio Page

Strengths

To be blunt, Hunt is a massive individual.

He possesses very good height and overall length, and he has a well-proportioned frame with plenty of raw strength packed into it. His powerful upper body allows him to redirect defenders and seal off lanes as a run blocker with ease, and he has good recovery strength in his anchor. Hunt blocks with a high motor and has shown the willingness to pound a defender into the dirt. He packs a powerful punch at the point of attack and is able to easily latch onto his opponents with formidable grip strength.

Hunt is also an impressive athlete for his size, as the nimbleness and overall agility he shows in his footwork is certainly apparent on film. He changes direction well in pass protection and has the athletic ability to climb to the second level with good acceleration and body control. As a four-year collegiate starter who has experience at both tackle positions and as a guard, he should be able to hold plenty of value early in his career through his versatility.

Weaknesses

While Hunt has the physical tools to be successful, he’s still a work in progress. His hand placement can stand to be more consistent, as while he has been dominant when he places his strikes well, he ends up misplacing them too often. He is also prone to leaving himself susceptible to letting defenders into his frame, making it tougher for him to gain leverage.

Hunt’s pad level could use some improvement, too. He tends to struggle with staying low and sinking his hips into contact. His ability to adjust his set points and make sure he doesn’t overset can be improved. As a pass protector, his footwork can fall apart at times, and while he got away with it in college due to his raw athleticism, polished edge rushers in the NFL will take advantage of it to knock him off balance. He is also coming off of a groin injury that ended his 2019 season and forced him to miss both the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

Projection: Day 2

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2020 NFL draft: Nick Harris scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Washington offensive line prospect Nick Harris

Nick Harris | OL | Washington

Elevator Pitch

A polished and determined interior offensive line prospect who brings athleticism and coordination to the table, Harris has the potential to step in and be a solid starter at the next level. Despite his deficiencies, he has plenty of tools in his game to warrant looks late on Day 2 of the draft.

Vitals

Height | 6-1

Weight | 302

College Bio Page

Strengths

If Harris were even two inches and 10 pounds of muscle heavier, there’s a solid chance we’d be looking at him as a possible first-round pick.

Harris brings impressive athleticism to the center position. He has good lateral quickness, as he can move around well in pass protection and execute down blocks with efficiency. He climbs to the second level well when called upon to do so, and he is able to maintain good coordination and body control when moving to block linebackers or defensive backs. His overall fluidity allows him to rotate his hips and adjust his frame to square up to defenders.

Centers are known for being some of the smartest players on the football field, and that rings true with Harris. He does a good job of adjusting his set points and figuring out which sets to use on a given play. He communicates well with his teammates to slide protection or make other adjustments at the line of scrimmage. When asked to block on a zone play, he is able to clear out his zone effectively and understand what his assignment is on said play. His intelligence translates to his technique too, as he plays with great leverage in his pads and sinks into contact well to get his weight underneath him. He plays with a high motor and also possesses impressive determination and grip strength when he locks up with a defender.

Weaknesses

The big issue with Harris as a prospect has to do with a lack of an NFL build. He’s short for an offensive lineman and doesn’t have significant muscle weight in his frame. His lack of length limits his range as a blocker a bit, and he could stand to pack on a few more pounds of muscle and strengthen his core a bit. That lack of bulk shows up on tape sometimes, as his anchor strength can be improved in order to get better against powerful interior defenders at the next level. While he weighed in at over 300 pounds at the Combine, he played at well under that mark in his collegiate career.

Harris’ hand placement has shown some promise, but there are times where he ends up misplacing his strikes and failing to maintain proper leverage in that regard. He has an occasional tendency to hold onto defenders when the play doesn’t go according to plan, which will need to be cleaned up a bit at the next level.

Projection: Day 2

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2020 NFL draft: Matt Hennessy scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Temple offensive line prospect Matt Hennessy

Matt Hennessy | OL | Temple

Elevator Pitch

Hennessy is an intelligent and technically-sound blocker who excels at the fundamentals of being an interior offensive lineman. He’s not the biggest or nastiest blocker out there, but he’s a consistent player who gets the job done on a down-by-down basis, and that should translate to a starting role in the NFL.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 307

College Bio Page

Strengths

If you’re looking for a pro-ready starting-caliber interior offensive line prospect who can step in right away, Hennessy should be worth considering.

The 2018 AAC Student Athlete of the Year is an accomplished student off the field, and that intelligence translates to his on-the-field style of play. He understands the importance of hand placement, as he consistently times and places his jabs well on his opponents’ chests. His hands carry some quickness to them, allowing him to counter defenders’ pass-rushing techniques and clear their hands. He also does well at identifying and picking up double-teams, combo blocks and delayed blitzes, making him a reliable and smart blocker in pass protection.

Hennessy plays with flexible hips and does a good job of sinking into contact and maintaining leverage at the point of attack. He’s a coordinated blocker who can move around well in space with solid overall acceleration and lateral agility, and his lower-body flexibility allows him to consistently be the lower man in most of the engagements he has with a defender. A three-year collegiate starter who was awarded a single-digit practice jersey – which is given to the toughest players on the Temple roster – Hennessy is a proven difference-maker who offers starting upside.

Weaknesses

Though Hennessy weighed in at 307 pounds at the Combine, he was listed as a sub-300-pound blocker throughout his time at Temple. The mass in his frame could stand to improve a little bit, giving him more power to deal with some of the NFL’s stronger interior defensive linemen. The punch he packs at the point of attack is fairly average, and he doesn’t have the raw recovery strength to consistently counter bull rushes and other power moves.

Hennessy doesn’t have much of a nasty edge in his game, and playing with more of a mauler mentality could help make him more of an impact player at the next level. He occasionally struggles with blocking linebackers when he advances to the second level, too. While not a major issue, he only has experience playing center, so there may be a bit of a learning curve early on in his career if a team wants to move him to guard.

Projection: Day 2

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2020 NFL draft: Tyler Biadasz scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Wisconsin offensive line prospect Tyler Biadasz

Tyler Biadasz | OL | Wisconsin

Elevator Pitch

An experienced run blocker who uses his hands very well, Biadasz didn’t play as well as many were expecting in 2019, but he still has starting upside at the next level. He is an intelligent interior lineman with a strong upper body and the potential to outplay his draft value.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 314

College Bio Page

Strengths

Jonathan Taylor was a dominant force during his time at Wisconsin, and while the running back is no doubt a great talent, part of his success can be attributed to his offensive line, which was anchored by Biadasz.

Considering how many reps he takes in Wisconsin’s run-heavy scheme, Biadasz is a quality run blocker, and a lot of that comes with how he uses his hands. He has a strong upper body and does a great job of latching onto defenders and locking them up. His hand placement is impressive, consistently hitting defenders in between the shoulder pads. Once he locks in, he has the ability to move his opponents around and seal them off to create running lanes.

Biadasz plays with good hip flexibility and has shown that he can sink his hips into contact and maintain leverage through his pad level. He is also able to accelerate well when utilized in down-blocking and pull-blocking situations. He’s an intelligent blocker, as well, as he is able to communicate with his teammates to adjust protection duties and determine when to pick up blitzes or double-teams.

Weaknesses

Biadasz is coming off of a shoulder surgery that forced him to miss the Combine, and he underwent hip surgery prior to the 2019 season. Injuries were not an issue for him during the regular season in college, as he played and started in every game in his three seasons on Wisconsin’s active roster. However, proving that he can stay healthy and utilize an offseason to better his game would help him out in the long run.

On the field, Biadasz’s athleticism didn’t look as good in 2019 as it was in years prior. He doesn’t have stellar footwork or lateral agility in pass protection, which could leave him susceptible to stunting edge rushers. His body control could be touched upon when he’s on the move, as he has a tendency to get knocked off balance easily when advancing to the second level. Biadasz could also stand to add some anchor strength; his lower body doesn’t have stellar raw power, and that can limit his recovery strength against bull rushes and powerful jabs sometimes.

Projection: 3rd Round

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2020 NFL draft: Cesar Ruiz scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Michigan offensive line prospect Cesar Ruiz

Cesar Ruiz | OL | Michigan

Elevator Pitch

Ruiz is an athletic and technically-sound interior blocker who brings plenty of intriguing traits to the table. He plays with active and polished hands, and his ability to accelerate to the second level and move around in space will help him out at the next level. With a little bit of bulking up, he should be a reliable starter at center or guard for years to come.

Vitals

Height | 6-3

Weight | 307

College Bio Page

Strengths

An impactful anchor for Michigan’s offensive line, Ruiz brings a skillset that should allow him to start from Day 1 for an NFL team.

He is a technically-sound blocker who has a polished knowledge of how to use his hands. He times his jabs well and gets consistent placement inside the shoulders of his opponents. When a defender executes a pass-rushing move, Ruiz is able to re-set his hands and continue to fight until he completely shuts the defender out of the play. He has good grip strength and excels at keeping his opponents locked up. His pad level has shown some flashes, too, and the flexibility in his lower body is apparent.

Ruiz’s athleticism also projects him as a potential long-term starter in the pros. He accelerates well to the second level and has good overall speed for the interior. His coordination is apparent on tape, as he moves well in space and plays with very good body control on the move. That athleticism makes him a valuable blocker on pull blocks and in down-blocking situations. He is also an intelligent blocker who can pick up combo and double-team blocks, as well as execute and read the situation in a zone scheme.

Weaknesses

While Ruiz is a well-rounded player, there are a few areas in which he can improve, and his play strength is one of them. His initial jab at the point of attack is solid, but he doesn’t have raw power in his lower body. His recovery strength isn’t all that impressive, as he can be susceptible to losing the rep when a defender executes a speed-to-power move like a bull rush effectively on him.

Ruiz is a bit smaller for an offensive lineman, and he doesn’t have top-notch length or bulk. He could stand to add a little bit of weight, but his length could prevent his range in pass protection a little bit. His pad level could also be a little bit more consistent, as there are some instances in which he gets a bit too high when engaging with a defender.

Projection: 2nd Round

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2020 NFL draft: Lloyd Cushenberry III scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about LSU offensive line prospect Lloyd Cushenberry III

Lloyd Cushenberry III | OL | LSU

Elevator Pitch

A technically-sound blocker with strength and a bulky frame, Cushenberry is a pro-ready player who can come in and start quickly for an NFL team. He has some athletic limitations, but he’s a polished interior offensive lineman who can be a relatively safe pick on Day 2 of the draft.

Vitals

Height | 6-3

Weight | 312

College Bio Page

Strengths

Cushenberry served as the anchor of LSU’s championship-winning offensive line, and he certainly stands out on tape.

The redshirt junior does a good job of playing with good technique on a down-by-down basis. Cushenberry’s pad level is consistently sound, as he does a great job of sinking his hips and fighting to be the lower man in each encounter he has with a defender. He almost always plays with his weight underneath him, allowing him to generate more power when he jabs an opponent. That pad level complements his overall strength, as he has top-notch core and lower-body strength. He has a thick frame and has the drive in his legs to seal off running lanes for his teammates in the ground game.

As if his pad level and strength weren’t enough, Cushenberry also has a great sense of hand usage. He consistently is able to execute proper hand placement, hitting defenders in between the shoulder pads and using his strong grip strength to keep them locked up and to prevent them from disengaging. While he wore No. 79 at LSU, he was awarded as one of the No. 18 jersey holders, given to players within the program who are successful on and off the field.

Weaknesses

Though Cushenberry has plenty of technical strengths in his game, his athletic profile is fairly underwhelming. He isn’t a smooth mover in space, as his footwork is inconsistent and his lateral quickness is relatively pedestrian. That can leave him susceptible to stunting edge rushers, as well as interior defenders who offer great athleticism when rushing the passer.

Cushenberry can occasionally lunge a bit too much at times, causing him to lean over and get knocked off balance from time to time. Balance is a bit of an issue for him, as his overall coordination and weight distribution when moving around can be a bit off.

Projection: Day 2

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