Seahawks NFL Draft Profile: Mekhi Becton
Over the course of the next several months, the Seahawks and 31 other teams will be evaluating the latest crop of incoming talent in preparation for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Coming into the 2020 offseason the Seahawks are faced with the possibility of losing both Germain Ifedi and George Fant to free agency. Having a mostly unproven commodity in Jamarco Jones, John Schneider should be looking hard in the draft at the tackle position. One prospect that could intrigue the team is Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton.
Strengths
A mountain of a man standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 364 pounds, Becton showed well at the NFL Scouting Combine. His 40-yard dash time of 5.1 seconds was remarkable, and his quickness was further highlighted during drills and on film. He possesses a rare combination of size and athleticism for an offensive lineman and exhibits light feet in pass protection.
As a run blocker, Becton is able to fire out of his stance and impose his will. It is a credit to his athleticism that he is able to get to the outside shoulder of his opponents and hook them inside on outside runs. When Becton was beat at the line of scrimmage for the Cardinals, he did a good job switching his hips to stay in front of defenders to create cutback lanes for his running back.
Along with dominating at the line of scrimmage, Becton also demonstrated an exceptional ability to climb to the next level and engage defenders. Many young offensive linemen tend to have issues lunging at defenders in an effort to engage them, but this is not the case with Becton. He is able to use his speed and long arms to engage and drive linebackers and safeties out of the way to create running lanes.
Furthermore, Becton has a chance to show continued growth as a player, as he will turn 21 years old just a week prior to the 2020 NFL draft. With his frame, he is projected to slot as a future starter at left tackle and may have one of the highest ceilings for any prospect in this draft class.
Weaknesses
Although physically imposing, Becton relies on his superior size more often than he should and may struggle against a higher level of competition from a technique standpoint. His height can actually be a detriment at times and he will need to ensure he does a better job dropping his hips rather than bending at the waist in his pass sets to consistently win leverage battles. Otherwise, NFL defensive ends will be able to win with pad level, which will mitigate much of his size advantage.
On film, Bectons struggles to consistently land adequate punches on this opponents, and despite his long arms, defenders have succeeded at getting their hands into his frame at the point of attack when he's in pass sets. In those cases, he loses leverage and has issues with recovering. As a result, he may end up getting driven back into the lap of the quarterback on longer drop backs against powerful edge rushers.
Like many offensive linemen coming into the league today, Becton will need time to adjust to a pro-style offense at the next level. While he shouldn’t be punished for the offense he starred in at Louisville, he will need to show that he can sustain blocks for a greater duration if he is going to be successful as a blind side protector in the NFL.
Where He Fits in Seattle
Though he's projected to be a left tackle, Becton could be a perfect fit for the right tackle position for Seattle and be groomed as the eventual replacement for Duane Brown. His physical presence in the run game fits the team's scheme to perfection and he possesses the size coach Mike Solari covets at the position.
Aside from simply punishing opponents off the snaps, Becton's ability to be an asset for stretch and toss plays as well as the ability to climb to the second level would also be well-suited for the Seahawks offense. Though he's young and still a raw talent, he should be able to acclimate to the league quickly with quality coaching.
Becton has all the physical tools and upside to become a star in the NFL, but whoever drafts him will need to be patient as he develops. Many mocks have him slated as a top 10 pick, while others have him last until the end of the first round. While it's a long shot after his performance in Indianapolis, with the tackle market appearing to be top heavy in free agency, the Seahawks would be ecstatic if Becton dropped into their lap at pick No. 27 and could even consider trading up if he lasts long enough.
