2020 NFL Draft prospect profile: Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin

Often times one of the hardest parts of evaluating draft prospects is identifying and overcoming biases while not over-correcting in the other direction.

Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz was widely regarded as the best center in the country after the 2018 season and many outside the NFL felt he was the best offensive line prospect eligible for the 2019 draft. So, even though he was only a red-shirt sophomore it was a surprise when Biadasz returned to school. He entered the 2019 season as one of the most heralded offensive line prospects in the nation and saddled with sky-high expectations. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Biadasz slid down draft boards when he failed to take a significant step forward his red-shirt junior year.

But could that disappointment be to the New York Giants benefit? As of this writing they have a glaring need at the center position. Could Biadasz’s fall give them good value on the second day of the draft?

Prospect: Tyler Biadasz (C, Wisconsin)
Games Watched: vs. South Florida (2019), vs. Michigan State (2019), vs. Illinois (2019), vs. Iowa (2019)
Red Flags: Shoulder (2020)

Games Played: 41 (41 starts)
2019 Games Played: 14 (14 starts)

Measurables

(Note: Biadasz did not participate on the field at the Combine as he was recovering from shoulder surgery)

Quick Summary

Best: Football IQ, hand usage, play strength, competitive toughness
Worst: Short area quickness
Projection: A starting center with scheme diversity.

Game Tape

Full Report

Tyler Biadasz is a thickly-built center with a solid blend of play strength, mobility, football IQ, and experience in a variety of blocking schemes.

Biadasz is an active communicator in the middle of Wisconsin’s line, frequently communicating with linemates even after the snap. Biadasz is an experienced center, starting every game at the position since his red-shirt freshman season. He delivers crisp, accurate snaps with the quarterback both under center and in the shotgun, as well as showing good initial hand quickness to get his hands in position to block as quickly as possible.

Biadasz generally plays with good leverage, showing a wide base, good knee bend, hip and pad level. He has good play strength to anchor against power and create movement in the run game when he is able to maintain his leverage against rushers. Biadasz has disciplined hands, throwing heavy and accurate punches to gain inside leverage on defenders. Biadasz is a tenacious blocker who consistently battles through the snap, showing great hustle, competitive toughness, and a nasty streak.

He is an efficient mover as a pulling center and hustles hard to get — and stay — ahead of plays at the second level.

Biadasz’s biggest issue is average-at-best quickness for the center position. He can struggle to keep up with athletic interior pass rushers when he isn’t able to get in position early. Likewise, he can struggle to anchor against powerful defensive tackles when they are heads-up as a 0-technique nose tackle. In those cases he can give ground and allow penetration into the backfield before deflecting the rush or trying to anchor with a second effort.

Overall Grade: 6.4 - Has the traits to become a dependable starter early in his career.
[Grading Scale]

Projection

Tyler Biadasz projects as a starting center with a high floor and the ability to execute both man and zone schemes. Biadasz should be able to step in and compete for a starting job immediately in the NFL after starting for 41 straight games in Wisconsin’s Pro Style offense. He doesn’t offer an ideal athletic upside, but his football IQ, competitive toughness, technique, and adequate athleticism should shorten his learning curve.

He shows good play strength when he wins the initial leverage battle, creating movement in the run game and holding up well in pass protection. Biadasz has very good hand usage in both run blocking and pass protection, getting inside leverage on blockers and using impressive grip strength to torque and control defenders. Even when he can’t move a defender off the line of scrimmage, he shows a good understanding of positioning and angles to turn them and wall them off from the play.

Biadasz shows good movement skills as a pulling center, easily unlocking his hips and getting into space and working to stay ahead of the play.

Biadasz might do well to play a bit lighter than the 321 pounds at which he was listed his last year at Wisconsin. He shows some issues with short-area quickness which limit his ability to deal with 0-techniques or very athletic interior rushers. His limited quickness also occasionally forced him to lunge at rushers if he wasn’t able to position himself early enough in the rep. It should be noted that Biadasz weighed in at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine at 314 pounds, but it is unclear whether that is his actual playing weight, the result of weight loss to help improve his mobility, or the result of post-season surgery — Biadasz denies an actual injury but had his AC joint scoped.

While he might never be considered a “top” center, Biadasz has the ability to be a steady center on an offensive line that is more than the sum of its parts.