Mekhi Becton Overview
Position: Offensive Tackle
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 368 lbs
School: Louisville Cardinals
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 5.1 seconds (unofficial)
Bench Press: 23 reps
Mekhi Becton 2020 NFL Draft Profile
As the NFL offseason gets deeper and deeper many teams are realizing they need to upgrade their offensive line. While the free agency class of offensive tackles is quite thin, the 2020 draft class boasts a surplus of talent at the position. Out of all the prospects this year, very few have more potential than Louisville standout Mekhi Becton. Becton was a three-year starter for the Cardinals and was named to the First Team All-ACC for his efforts in the 2019 season.
As a five-star recruit out of high school, Becton was recruited by a total of 31 schools including Oregon, Virginia, and Michigan. While Virginia strongly recruited him, he ultimately decided to join the University of Louisville. Becton quickly was able to work his way into the starting lineup starting 11 out of 13 games his freshman year. He maintained his starting spot for the next two seasons. During those three seasons, he was one of the highest-graded offensive tackles in the ACC. At the conclusion of his junior season, Becton decided to forgo his senior year and officially declared for the NFL Draft.
Strengths
- Absolutely massive frame for a Tackle at 6’7”, 368 lbs;
- Has exceptional speed for a player of his size;
- Incredible length helps him push defenders back and create separation;
- Extremely powerful which he shows off in his run blocking;
- An incredible finisher who takes pleasure in driving defenders into the ground;
- Very fluid with his footwork in his pass sets;
- Bull rushers will have zero success against him as he has great functional strength;
- Should be able to play in many different schemes given his set of skills;
- He is very competitive and never backs down from a defender;
- While he has some inconsistencies, there is not a prospect with a higher upside than him.
Weaknesses
- While he is a freak athlete he is a little raw in some areas;
- Needs to improve hand placement in pass sets;
- Speed and finesse rushers may give him problems if he doesn’t have proper hand placement;
- Generally has good technique, but does have some minor inconsistencies.
NFL Comparison: Johnathan Ogden
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and Washington Redskins
Projection: Early first round
Bottom Line on Mekhi Becton
While this class is full of talented players at the tackle position, there are none with a higher upside than Becton. He is a freak of nature who’s rare blend of size and athleticism will intrigue just about every NFL team. While he needs to improve his hand placement and improve on some minor inconsistencies, this will not prevent him from being a top-ten pick in the upcoming draft. If a team is looking for a tackle to lead an offensive line for the next decade then look no further than Becton.
Main photo:
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