2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh’s Adam Bisnowaty isn’t a commonly known name -- though he was mentioned fairly often around here during the regular season. As of this writing he is generally thought of as a “second tier” offensive tackle, which in this draft class is neither a compliment nor a particularly accurate term.

Players like Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk, Alabama’s Cam Robinson, and Utah’s Garrett Bolles are grabbing headlines and mock draft selections, but real value could be found later in the draft. If the New York Giants aren’t comfortable drafting an offensive lineman in the first round, Bisnowaty could be in play on the second night.

Measurables

Pros

• Good feet. Generally stays balanced and in front of his man
• Reliable pass protector. Will push rushers past the pocket if he can’t stop them cold
• Good hand usage. Active hands, and uses them well to get leverage
• Athletic blocker, well suited to zone blocking schemes
• Solid run blocker, often opened holes for James Conner
• Gritty, competitive player, always plays through the whistle and finishes blocks
• Not easily rattled. Deals with blitzes or well-timed rushes well and doesn’t panic

Cons

• Shorter than ideal arms at 32 ⅝ inches
• Will likely need to get stronger to deal with bull rushers
• Might not be suited to man-gap blocking schemes at the next level
• Occasionally seems to jog backwards into his pass set. Might struggle in space against NFL rushers.
• Quick to get in space, but occasionally struggles to locate defenders to block

Does He Fit With The Giants?

Whether or not Bisnowaty fits with the Giants would largely be determined by what kind of offensive tackle they want. He is a tough, hard-nosed player, but he isn’t a “mauler.”

Bisnowaty is a sound pass protector, and plays through the whistle, which the Giants are sure to like, but as a run blocker he is better at creating seams than blowing open holes. He generally plays with good pad level and is good at using his hands to get leverage on defenders, but he doesn’t seem to over-power his defenders either. The Giants used quite a bit of inside zone runs with “Pin and Pull” concepts in their running game. If they continue to use those schemes and concepts, Bisnowaty should fit.

Prospect Video

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - Not in top 100

CBS Sports - 159th overall

Draft Countdown - 118th overall

Draft Tek - 140th overall

Final Thoughts

The lack of a clear top prospect at offensive tackle makes the position a tricky one to grade. There are a lot of prospects with intriguing traits, but none that put them all together the way Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, Jack Conklin, or Taylor Decker did in the 2016 draft.

In college Bisnowaty is a solid pass protector and a good run blocker -- in the right scheme. He doesn’t usually dominate his opponents, but he still manages to get the better of them. He will usher rushers past the pocket or get leverage to turn a defender aside and open a seam for the running back. But while his game is nuanced, his gritty and determined play on the field is plain to see.