11. Ben Bredenson, IOL, Michigan
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 320
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Coming out of Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin, Ben Bredeson was one of the most decorated players and prospects during the 2016 recruiting class. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Wisconsin and ESPN ranked him as the fifth-best offensive tackle nationally. Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Alabama came calling, but he chose to play for Michigan.
Bredeson was a four-year starter for the Wolverines, and players with that kind of resume do not come around often. He improved every year while in Michigan’s lineup, and this past season was his best as a pass blocker, as he allowed just eight quarterback hurries, one quarterback hit and not a single sack.
Stat to Know: The improvement in him from his first two years on campus to his last two can be measured in pressures. His first two seasons he allowed 36 total pressures, but in the last two he allowed just 15.
Strengths: Bredeson is an experienced and technically-sound offensive guard who has a tremendous floor as a prospect. His hand placement is teaching tape, and he does a great job of keeping his feet moving on his blocks and up until the whistle. If you want to see how an offensive lineman can use his feet and hands in unison, then put on his film. Bredeson is a high-motor type of player, who keeps fighting until the whistle to make sure the job gets done. In pass protection, he is always looking for loopers and stunts, and keeps his head scanning for targets. If left uncovered, he is more than happy to drive into the side of a defender that is occupying a teammate.
Weaknesses: With his level of experience he might be close to finished as a prospect, which brings into question his ultimate ceiling in the league. He is not the most explosive player, and at times he lags behind the flow on outside zone running plays. His best fit is likely in a gap/power heavy team, that allows him to fight at the point of contact rather than flow with the play using lateral athleticism.
Conclusion: Players with high floors are often the type that get drafted sooner than you expect. With NFL decision-makers looking to avoid risk, and in a current climate where the film might matter more than the testing or the interviews, selecting a blue-chip player with four years of starting experience is a safe bet. Bredeson might not be boom type prospect at the position, but sometimes you need that experienced, lunch-pail type of player who is just going to get the job done. His technique gives him a solid starting point as a rookie, and his veteran savvy will carry him through as he transitions to the league.
Comparison: Shaun Lauvao. Like Lauvao, Bredeson relies on his technique to get the job done, but might lack the pure athleticism and lateral agility to be an impact player in zone blocking offenses.