The St. Louis Rams are proud to select:
OT/OG Brandon Scherff, Iowa
6'5" Height
33 3/8" Arm Length
319LBS. Weight
11" Hands
Overview
As a senior left tackle, Scherff won the Outland Trophy (most outstanding interior lineman). Voted first-team All-Big Ten and named a Permanent Team Captain and Most Valuable Player at Iowa's awards banquet. He has been a member of Iowa's Leadership Group the last four years. In 2013, was named second-team All-America by the Football Writers Association (FWAA). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from league coaches and was Iowa's offensive Most Valuable Player. He started the first five games of the 2012 season, but suffered a broken fibula and a dislocated ankle in the first quarter of the Hawkeyes' game against Penn State and missed the final five games of the season. Played 10 games at left guard in 2011. Loves the outdoors and has several videos of his weight-room exploits. Played offensive and defensive lineman during final two seasons at Denison (Iowa) High School after playing quarterback as a sophomore. Was four-year varsity letterman in baseball and earned all-state honors. Also played basketball, tennis and competed in track, winning state title in shot put as a sophomore.
Pro Day Results
Vertical jump: 32 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 8 feet, 11 inches
Short shuttle: 4.57 seconds
3-cone: 7.18 seconds
Bench press: 22 reps of 225 pounds
Analysis
Strengths
Weight-room star who can lift a house. Powerful run blocker with exceptional power in hips and legs. Moves well laterally and rarely allows defensive ends to set edge against him. Consistently gets push. Rolls hips under him at contact and will bring feet with him. Recognizes twists and delayed blitzes. Gets into set position with flat back when delivering punch. Respectable change of direction in pass pro and on second level. Shows second effort and recovery ability in pass pro. Able to hit moving targets in space. Swings hips into position in cut-off blocks. Improved cut-off blocking from junior to senior year. Exhibits composed, efficient movement.
Weaknesses
Will default to sumo-style power push rather than leg churning at times. Not a grab-and-control pass protector. Opens the gate earlier than you would like against edge rushers offering two-way goes. Tightly wound lower body with average bend. Sometimes gives one-shot effort on second-level blocks, allowing his man back into the play. Has dominant finishing traits, but not a consistent finisher of blocks. Would love to see more fiery play demeanor from him.
Draft Projection
Round 1
NFL Comparison
Riley Reiff
Bottom Line
Like former Hawkeye Riley Reiff, Scherff has measurables and traits to play tackle in the league but might be better suited to play guard. More powerful than explosive, Scherff is not a scheme-specific talent and can maul or move in run game. Road-grader with pancake-man potential, but has holes in his pass protection that will be exposed on the next level -- especially at tackle.
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