Ben Bartch NFL Draft 2020: Scouting Report for Jacksonville Jaguars' Pick

OT Ben Bartch, Saint John's

STRENGTHS

—Movement skills overall are excellent for the position, and he's still comfortable in space despite packing on pounds for the position. He carries overall weight evenly and has all of the needed mobility in his lower half to hold a balanced posture in pass protection.

—Collegiate track athlete in shot put and discus who demonstrates an understanding of how to unlock his hips throughout explosive movements and transitions those body mechanics into the run game.

—Excellent overall processing ability and is able to track second-level defenders on combos and is comfortable working through twists and stunts at the line of scrimmage.

—Demonstrates good isolated use of both feet and hands. He's able to post inside with good pressure on his front foot and a heavy inside punch that lands clean in the frame more often than not. 

—Fits and refits strikes in both the run and pass game like he's been training with Mr. Miyagi. He doesn't get anxious or overwhelmed when his first strikes are swatted. He simply works back inside the frame and refits. He's never completely out of a rep because he's a hustler from whistle to whistle.

—Posture in pass protection is good, and the lower-body mobility in critical joints provides for absorption of pressure and ability to sit deep in his stance.

WEAKNESSES

—Originally played tight end and, after two years in the program, was asked to convert to offensive line. He comes with significantly less experience than ideal, including both number of games at the position and especially when factoring the competition he was competing against.

—Needs to continue building overall functional strength, particularly in his lower back and posterior chain to help when he has to root out powerful 3-4 defensive tackles.

—Has a tendency to over-expand his base in pass protection, particularly in his vertical sets. He's comfortable getting to his spot, but the overextension in his base leaves him susceptible to inside counters from speed rushers. 

—Didn't see the dominant finishes on film as a linear drive blocker and have some concerns that he'll be able to sustain critical movement off the line of scrimmage in a gap scheme.

—Doesn't have the latch-on grip strength that is preferred in the run game and needs to be consistent about striking and remaining connected throughout the entirety of the rep.

OVERALL

Ben Bartch is exactly what most NFL coaches are looking for. He has all of the foundational traits and above-average athleticism for the position, but he offers immense upside given his relative inexperience at the position. There are inherent questions about how he'll fair against NFL competition, and while his performance at the Senior Bowl began answering those questions, top-tier NFL talent is a completely different story. A bit of time in an NFL strength and conditioning program with access to top-tier facilities to build out his frame could be just what Bartch needs to become a long-term starter in the NFL. While likely not viewed as a starting left tackle, Bartch offers some swing tackle versatility and could even kick inside in a pinch.

GRADE: 87

PRO COMPARISON: Jack Conklin