Chicago Bears: 5 Sleepers to target in 2020 NFL Draft
1. Ben Bartch, OT, St. John’s
With the failure of Adam Shaheen, perhaps Pace wants a re-do. He may go to Division III again, this time getting help for the offensive line. Ben Bartch might be that second chance.
Bartch was a tight end in high school who gained 75 pounds to convert into a lineman. Despite gaining all that weight, his athleticism remained. Bartch’s play attracted the coaches in the Senior Bowl enough to invite him to participate. He did a good job with tougher competition. Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on how he did.
"Ben looked really good against guys from Florida, Alabama, big-time programs. What you heard were the football people talking about his footwork and hand placement."
At St. John’s, Bartch played both sides of the tackle position and could succeed at either side. He has good lateral movement and does a great job with his hand placement. In 2019, he played left tackle all season and allowed only four quarterback pressures. That’s very good production coming from the quarterback’s blindside.
Bartch’s explosiveness off the snap is impressive. He gets it from his shot put and discus throwing he does in track and field. When he explodes, he obliterates the defender. In pass blocking, he does a good job of mirroring the pass rusher to keep him away from the quarterback.
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He is still getting better at tackle. He’s played the line for just two seasons but keeps getting better. Scouts might shy away because of that and the competition, but if he plays well in the NFL he could be a steal. He won’t have to step up right away coming to Chicago. He could give the Bears added depth and develop while being a backup. Later, he could be good enough to compete for a starting job.