Finding Broncos: Bernhard Raimann | OT | Central Michigan

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft with one of the second tier tackles.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-6
• Weight: 303 pounds
• Arms: 32-7/8 inches
• Hands: 10-1/4 inches

Combine Results

• 40 Yard Dash: 5.05 seconds
• Bench Press (225 pounds): 30 reps
• Vertical Jump: 30-1/2 inches
• Vertical Jump: 117 inches
• 3 Cone Drill: 7.46 seconds
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.49 seconds

Pros

• A highly athletic mover that fits multiple schemes as a run blocker
• Versatile pass protection sets that keep a solid mirror on the edge
• Squares up and latches on quickly with good grip strength and technique
• Hits landmarks at the second level easily and lands blows on defenders consistently
• Footwork as a pass blocker is tremendous and has several different sets to work with
• A young player at the position with plus level traits that is already blossoming into a solid player with more room to grow
• Hips are surprisingly fluid for a player with his height and he keeps a nice pad level throughout the rep
• Recovery athleticism is a major plus

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Cons

• Still has a lot of technical hand place refinement to work through
• Punch is less than ideal strength
• Tends to get bull rushed easily due to a lack of power in his anchor
• Allows players around the arc at times due to lack of refinement with his outside hand placement
• Not a finisher at the point of attack in the running game
• Smaller school prospect that could have dominated lower-level pass rushers due to the athletic traits he possesses. 

Overview

A former tight end turned left tackle, Raimann is a plus-level athlete that moves incredibly well for a player of his size. Long, fluid, and aggressive to initiate contact, Raimann has the opportunity to work into a starting role right away despite his inexperience at the position.

There are competition concerns for Raimann as a product of Central Michigan, but his ability to take to coaching easily and have success at a difficult position shows a high ceiling that is worth developing over the long term, even if there are bumps in the road along the way. Raimann can potentially play both tackle spots with ease and can play in almost any scheme as a willing blocker that attacks aggressively at the line of scrimmage in power with the movement skills to get to the second level or stretch horizontally in zone.

His mirror is consistent with most edge defenders and he squares up easily, but there are times that his inconsistent punch and strength at the point of attack show an inability to fend off stronger players that can out-leverage him and convert speed to power. There are also times that quicker twitch rushers can out-duel him due to a lack of experience in diagnosing twists, stunts, and inside counter rush moves. However, so long as he maintains contact with his grip strength, he can easily handle most of those plays.

A projected high-level starter due to his massive upside, Raimann could potentially be taken as early as the tail end of the first round. 

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos have long needed to find a right tackle of the future, and with Raimann's incredible upside as a long-term starter, this could be the perfect fit.

Raimann has the movement skills required to fit in the wide zone scheme that Nathaniel Hackett wants to deploy, and he has the ability to start immediately at right tackle if he can learn the footwork as quickly as he did on the left side. However, with Billy Turner, Tom Compton, and Calvin Anderson all set to battle it out at right tackle, Raimann wouldn't need to transition quickly and could develop as a future starter after a year in the offensive scheme with NFL coaching.

The problem is that Raimann is incredibly unlikely to be available when the Broncos select at 64th overall. So if Denver wants to get their hands on this ball of clay with incredible tools, they will likely need to package some picks together to move up into the top-50 to get him. 

Grade: Early Round 2

Where he Goes: Top-50

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