clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2015 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

Let's take a closer look at what makes Brandon Scherff a potentially dominant lineman.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Probably the most well-known offensive line prospect, Brandon Scherff has made plenty of "wow" plays in his career. He comes from a program that has already churned out Bryan Bulaga and Riley Reiff, and he's better than both of them. Is he a left tackle? Is he a right tackle? Is he a guard? Let's take a look and see if we can answer some of those questions, as well as if Scherff can play for our Giants.

Pros

- Brutal strength comes from leverage and compact frame.

- Best initial punch in the draft. Potential to level someone light enough.

- Plays with aggression and will make some truly highlight reel pancakes at the second level.

- Upper body strength is elite.

- Can handle power rushers well.

- Plays with a good, wide base.

Cons

- Feet aren't bad, but his kick-slide is slow enough that I don't see him as a left tackle in the NFL.

- Short area quickness could use some work.

- Sometimes just straight up whiffs on blocks when going upfield.

- Speed rushers will give him issues.

- Had a prior knee injury this past season, so that is worth watching

Does He Fit With The Giants?

Not as well as you might think. I realize I took Scherff in the first round of my first mock draft of the off-season, but that was because I believe that his talent justifies it even if he isn't a great fit. See, the Giants use a mix of zone blocking, trap blocking, and straight up power, however they mostly use assignment blocking ZBS schemes, and Scherff is much more accustomed to being a straight up drive blocker. He blows people back. Could the Giants use that? I think Ben McAdoo is resourceful enough to make use of Scherff's talents and mix it up a bit more.

Prospect Video

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - 8

Mocking The Draft - 6

CBS Sports - 6

Draft Tek - 3

Final Thoughts

One thing to keep in mind with Scherff is that while he looked unimpressive while recovering from a meniscal injury, he steadily got better as the year went on. He also has some terrific tape in 2013. I think he's going to be a dominant guard, but could also play right tackle. He seems best just getting his hands on a player and shoving them backwards. The question then becomes, do you draft a guard in the top 10? I don't know. It will be interesting to see it play out.