Overview
Position: Offensive guard
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 309 pounds
School: Wisconsin Badgers
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.24 seconds
Bench press: 20 reps
Beau Benzschawel 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Some players are destined to play at certain colleges. Beau Benzschawel is one of those players, following his father (Scott) and uncle (Eric) in becoming a Wisconsin Badger. A first-team all-state tight end and defensive end in high school, Benzschawel redshirted in 2014 with Wisconsin as he switched positions. Once he added weight and moved to the offensive line, he started the final eight games of the 2015 season for the Badgers including six at right tackle and two at right guard.
Things went well enough at guard that he stayed there the rest of his collegiate career, earning second-team All-Big Ten in 2016. He kept the momentum going into 2017, becoming first-team All-Big Ten and third-team Associated Press All-American honors. As one would expect, his play peaked in 2018 as he took home first-team Associated Press All-American honors for the Badgers.
Strengths
- his high school experience at tight end and defensive end shows on tape as he displays his athleticism all game long;
- uses his athleticism in the run game, pulling and running trap-blocking schemes;
- on top of this, his ability to sell screen plays is impressive, baiting defenders to the quarterback before releasing and lead blocking in the flat (and downfield) once the ball is released;
- makes up for lack of elite strength by using superb body positioning to shield off pass rushers;
- rarely is on the ground during and after the play;
- when he isn’t engaged in pass protection, his head is always on a swivel looking for someone to block;
Weaknesses
- doesn’t possess elite strength;
- will never be a true mauler in the running game;
- rarely loses once he is engaged in pass protection but can sometimes be beaten by inside spin moves before getting his hands on defenders;
- sometimes plays too high but uses his feet well to avoid getting flat-out beat;
- positioning when initially engaging defenders needs improvement.
NFL Comparison: Alex Boone
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins
Projection: Third to fifth round
Bottom Line
Benzschawel could sneak into the draft’s second day but likely goes earlier on the final day. While he certainly doesn’t have any major downfalls, his strengths (outside of his athleticism) aren’t strong enough to get him jumping off of any team’s draft board.
His body type should allow him to catch on early with a team looking for a swing-lineman. With Benzschawel’s limited tackle experience in college along with his body type, some teams may see him as a more natural tackle in the NFL. He will likely struggle early on with bull rushes and interior defensive linemen who have quick-twitch pass rushing moves.
With all of this said, expect a zone-blocking team to draft him and try developing him for a year or two. He has enough raw talent to get by for awhile. But with some bulking up and added strength, Benzchawel could turn into a very serviceable guard or right tackle in the NFL.
