OT Ben Bartch, St. John’s
Potentially the most surprising standout from the Senior Bowl was offensive tackle Ben Bartch, who made the leap from Division III football to stonewalling SEC pass rushers like Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga. While Bartch’s arms are a bit short, it is astonishing to see a prospect from a D-III level with the refined technique that Bartch displays.
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A converted tight end, Ben Bartch was forced to eat a disgusting blend of protein in shake form in order to put on weight throughout his first summer as a collegiate athlete, but now finds himself in position to be a professional football player at the offensive tackle position. With a technically sound lower half of his body, Bartch excels as a pass blocker, displaying great footwork and anchor strength in his pass set.
While Bartch needs to show improvements as a run blocker, he is an athletically gifted big man who shows the ability to get wide and up to the second level with relative ease. Do not be shocked when the former skill player in Bartch puts up some of the best numbers of the offensive tackle class at the combine.
This writer has given Ben Bartch an early third round grade based off of the limited film available from the D-III standout. Should he test off the charts, his stock could rise into the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.