Brandon Scherff 
Iowa, RT/OG
Height: 6.5
Weight: 320
Age: 23
Check out all of The War Room content
Athleticism: C
Fairly average athlete for an offensive tackle overall. Torn meniscus early in 2014 appeared to have an obvious negative affect on his athletic ability on his 2014 tape compared to his 2013 tape. Efficient getting out of his stance and is a very mobile player. Coordinated movement could stand to improve and lacks in the way of agility and lateral movement to recover from a false step.
Pass Blocking: C+
Played left tackle at Iowa but is more ideally suited for the right side or on the interior. Has a strong pass anchor and rarely gives ground when his pads stay low. Can be stressed by speed rushes and lacks ideal range off the edge, but enough to hold up at right tackle. Still has a tendency to whiff on cut blocks. Defenders can cross his face with counter moves from which he struggles to recover. Arm length appears to be less than ideal on tape.
Run Blocking: A
Exceptional blocker for an offensive tackle and could feasibly play in any scheme with his skill set. Shows a powerful upper and lower body to move defenders off the ball and to open up running lanes. Is an incredibly mobile run blocker for his size and moves effortlessly within the first two levels. Extremely efficient engaging on double team blocks and then releasing to cover up linebackers at the second level. Doesn’t quite have the agility to get in front of third level blocks and can fall off zone blocks at times.
Technique: C+
Not as technically polished nor as typecast for a zone blocking scheme as many other Ferentz coached offensive linemen. Generally keeps his pads down but will quickly lose his core anchor when he loses the leverage battle. Snaps his hips into contact and will run his feet most often into blocks. Suffers from just average hand use despite flashing a strong punch. Needs to remain more balanced in his pass sets.
Intangibles: A
On field intangibles appear to be excellent. Has a tough demeanor on the field and has flashes of nastiness as a finisher. Smart and poised, with quick mental processing to read blitzes. Though suffered two fairly significant injuries, showed incredibly quick recovery time, as well as a remarkable threshold for pain. Played at a very high level in 2014 while missing no time following knee surgery in September.
Red Flags: Minor Durability Concerns
Bottom Line: Though perhaps not the ideal franchise left tackle that many teams covet in the first round, Brandon Scherff offers a safe and steady ability to man the right side or the interior. Many have written Scherff off as a guard only prospect, but he brings just what is asked of a right tackle where is best suited. Sherff is not the flashiest prospect, but his coachable flaws and scheme versatility make him a strong candidate late in the first round with a future as a starter.
Comparison: Bryan Bulaga
Grade: 9.0 (1st Round)
Thank you for reading. Follow me on Twitter – @LWOS_Sibo. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Main Photo:
