Mehki Becton "different" type athlete for Louisville football
Mekhi Becton is a ball carrier and quarterback’s dream.
The left tackle has started 33 games for Louisville football over the past three seasons, becoming one of the best offensive linemen in the country. He was selected as a second team All-American by Sports Illustrated Dec. 12.
The junior was awarded the 2019 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, an honor given to the best offensive lineman in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as voted by coaches, last week. Becton became the first player in program history to receive the award along with being named first team All-ACC.
His 6-foot-8, 370 pound frame isn’t the thing that defines Becton as a left tackle. Becton’s athleticism helped him total over 60 knockdowns and graded out better than 80 percent in eight games this season.
Cardinal running back Javian Hawkins, who has rushed for 1,420 yards this season, knows how valuable Becton is to a running game that averages 214.4 yards this season.
“Mekhi is different,” Hawkins said. “Up front, it’s always a bunch of skill players coming in and out, but up front it’s only like here and there you get a freak athlete. That’s just the way he is.”
With Becton’s size and athleticism, Louisville is able to utilize its zone running scheme with a left tackle agile enough to move.
“We have an offense where you can go backside or play side,” Hawkins said.
Becton’s impact isn’t limited to the run game. He has protected the blindsides of quarterbacks Jawon Pass, Micale Cunningham and Evan Conley this season.
“It’s a blessing to know that left side is most likely going to be protect,” Cunningham said. “That’s a big guy to try to get around.”
Becton, who was named ACC “Offensive Lineman of the Week” after Louisville’s victory over Boston College in October, is projected as a first round prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft pick by College Football News.
