Wisconsin football has never, and probably will never change. It revolves around a strong defense and a smashmouth offense. That offense over the past several years has been a pipeline funneling offensive lineman into successful pro careers. Joe Thomas, Ricky Wagner, Travis Frederick, and Kevin Zeitler are all elite offensive lineman who were once badgers and Ryan Ramczyk looks like the next member of that group. Here's why:
Measurables: Height- 6'6''
Weight- 314 lbs
Year:
Junior (22-23)
Stat Line:
Zero sacks given up, three quarterback hits
Pros: Ryan Ramcyzk excels at pass blocking. He has good fundamentals from his shoulder to his feet. His arms are long and he is accurate and strong with his initial punch. It keeps rushers at bay, not allowing them to get to the body of Ramczyk. Ramczyk also does a good job staying balanced against the rush. He does not overcommit or wait for contact, he initiates contact at the perfect time. Once contact is made, he anchors his legs to great effect, preventing any bullrushes. In the running game, Ramczyk is quite solid. He does an excellent job of turning defenders so that Ramczyk's body is between the defender and the ball carrier. On zone and stretch runs, Ramczyk has the ability to accelerate to the second level and take back seven defenders out of the play.
Cons: While Ramczyk's run blocking is no weakness, he is not quite elite at it. He is strong and holds defenders in place, but he does not knock them very far backward like elite run blockers do. Ramczyk will also need to improve his initial kick in pass protection, as the shortness of it leaves him vulnerable to speed rushers and outside blitzers. The only other real concerns with Ramczyk are his experience and injuries. He only started one season in Madison and before that he was a D-III tackle so the step to the NFL will be a major jump. As far as injuries go, Ramczyk needed surgery this offseason to repair a hip injury, so that is something NFL teams will be looking for.
Pro Comparison: David Bakhtiari, OT, Green Bay Packers
David Bakhtiari is the Packers standout left tackle. Like Ramczyk, his specialty is pass blocking. Both players are technicians who simply do not allow pressures or sacks. While they may not be Tyron Smith in the run game, they can certainly open up holes and play with good athleticism.
3 teams that fit him: In case you have been living under a rock for the past few seasons, the Colts offensive line sucks. They cannot protect Andrew Luck to save their lives. Ryan Ramczyk could come in on day one and solidify a tackle spot. Speaking of young stars being hurt by their offensive lines, it seems like it is time to address Carolina's offensive line so they can keep Cam Newton's brain from turning to jello. They dealt with injuries this past season, but they have not played like a top-16 unit ever since they were slaughtered at the Super Bowl. The Chargers have been the poster child for seasons derailed by injury for the past couple years, but like the Panthers, they are not exactly elite while healthy. They need a strong tackle like Ramczyk to replace their old, ineffective starters.
Conclusion: For me, Ryan Ramczyk is the safe pick in an otherwise weak tackle class. He has the size and technique to succeed in the pros, and he hails from a school that consistently puts stud lineman in the league. He will probably go in the top 15 picks.
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