2017 NFL Draft Prospects: Offensive Tackle Ryan Ramczyk
The NFL Draft is just under four months away but the evaluation process has already begun. Each organization must have their due diligence done before they’re on the clock in April.
Offensive linemen seem to be an exotic topic for the 2017 NFL Draft. The offensive tackle class has been documented as weaker than in years past. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen. The truth tends to reside in the film room.
One of the hottest tagged prospects has been Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk. He is pegged as a first round talent and a potential day one starter. Read below as respective skill set is analyzed.
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Ryan Ramczyk
College: Wisconsin
Position: Left Tackle
Measurables: 6-6 314 lbs
Projected Round: First (Top 20)
Ryan Ramczyk is an interesting tackle prospect. 2016 was his first experience of higher competition after transferring from the much smaller university UW-Stevens Point. His ability to quickly adjust to a stronger level of football has put him on the radar of many NFL scouts.
Ramczyk has ideal size for his position along with solid athleticism. He was a pure brute in the ground game, helping Wisconsin to achieve one of the best rushing attacks in the Big Ten. Time after time he shows up on tape. Ramczyk is aggressive in getting to the point of attack and walling off his defender to open up a hole for the running back. His strength is evident and he has a knack for getting the push needed off the line of scrimmage.
Pass protection is where many of his questions have come in. It is not really a weakness for Ramczyk, rather just a part of his game that still needs development. He shows ability to counter speed rushers and prevent them from closing in on the quarterback. However, he is sometimes slow to the point of attack, which can decrease the pocket for his quarterback. Ramczyk has also struggled dealing with inside finesse moves and tends to get beat occasionally. Can he deal with better athletes and higher speeds in the NFL? Only time will tell.
With that said, Ramczyk is still pretty solid in pass protection. He shows consistency and doesn’t allow too much pressure. The concern is, he doesn’t show as much dominance in pass blocking as other first round prospects have shown.
Ramczyk will also be undergoing hip surgery. His recovery time has been reported to be four months. It is unknown whether Ramczyk will be healthy enough to participate in the NFL combine, should he declare for the draft. This injury may scare a handful of organizations from drafting him in April. His stock could potentially drop to the early second round.
As far as the NFL goes, Ramczyk would be an upgrade for many teams. He could play both right and left tackle and has a solid set of skills that can still be built upon. His game can improve, but he is a sure bet to be a bully in the run game. He will be a starter in the NFL, and could be a day one impactful if his pass protection can improve.
Austin Erwin writes for cover32 and covers the NFL and the Minnesota Vikings. He can be followed on Twitter @austin_erwin.
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