Can Blake Brandel Translate Elite College Production into NFL Success?
As we count down the days until the Vikings' opener against the Packers on September 13th, InsideTheVikings will be previewing every single player on the roster. The amount of days remaining corresponds with the jersey number of the player being examined on that day. Today is July 14th, and there are 61 days until kickoff for the 2020 regular season. But since I'm still one day behind right now, let's look at No. 62, a late-round rookie who dominated the Pac-12 last year.
Countdown to Vikings-Packers on September 13th: 61 Days
Player Preview: Blake Brandel (No. 62, Offensive Tackle)
- College: Oregon State
- Drafted: 2020 sixth round (203rd overall)
- NFL experience: N/A
- Age: 23 (Birthday was in January)
- Size: 6'7", 307
To kick off the sixth round of this year's draft, the Vikings doubled down on the offensive tackle position by selecting Oregon State's Blake Brandel. They had already landed Ezra Cleveland in the second round, but went back to the well at an important position with their tenth of 15 picks. Brandel is a tall, reliable tackle who was an iron man for the Beavers over the past four years.
Because he was the 203rd overall pick and not the 58th, Brandel has gotten a lot less fanfare than Cleveland. The reason for the five-round difference in where they were taken is that he doesn't have anything close to the upside of the Boise State product, mostly due to a lack of top-tier athleticism. But Brandel had a more productive season than Cleveland in 2019, and arguably has fewer concerns on his tape from a technique standpoint.
The entire comparison between Cleveland and Brandel gets at something I touched on when discussing James Lynch and D.J. Wonnum, the Vikings' two fourth-round picks:
The balance between how NFL teams view potential and production is a fascinating one. The most important thing when it comes to prospects is projecting how their game will translate to the NFL level. But it does sometimes feel like teams get overly caught up in prioritizing measurables and testing numbers over actual college performance. Lynch was an elite college player, and the Vikings are hoping that the skills that allowed him to thrive in the Big 12 will help him become a star in the NFL.
While Lynch and Wonnum are two very different defensive linemen who were drafted 13 picks apart, Cleveland and Brandel are very far apart as left tackle prospects. I understand why; Cleveland has an incredibly high ceiling due to his athletic profile and all-around skillset. But it's entirely possible that the Vikings view Brandel as a steal at No. 203 overall because of what he brings to the table in terms of production, consistency, and pass protection technique.
There are, of course, many examples of hyper-athletic players like Danielle Hunter turning into stars after unproductive college careers. But there are also examples of teams overvaluing traits instead of production. It happens frequently with quarterbacks (Mitchell Trubisky being taken over Deshaun Watson, Brock Osweiler going ahead of Russell Wilson, etc.), and it can happen at any position on the field.
Brandel grew up in the Portland area, and was a three-star recruit out of Central Catholic High School. He redshirted during his first year at Oregon State, and then made 48 consecutive starts from 2016 to 2019. Nine of those came at right tackle during his redshirt freshman season, but the other 39 were at left tackle. As a senior, Pro Football Focus graded Brandel as the best pass-protecting tackle in the country. He gave up just four pressures and a single sack on the season, and PFF gave him a 93.1 pass blocking grade (90 grade overall).
Following his outstanding senior season, Brandel was named second team All-Pac 12. Despite that success, he wasn't invited to the 2020 combine. At Oregon State's pro day on March 11th, he posted strong numbers in the bench press (29 reps) as well as the vertical and broad jumps. He's not a ridiculous athlete like Cleveland, Brian O'Neill, or even 2019 sixth-rounder Oli Udoh, but Brandel's overall testing numbers are quite solid for the tackle position.
The main things Brandel has going for him are his advanced technique and experience. He's able to anchor effectively against bull rushers, uses his hands well to combat other moves, and has the strength to finish blocks. While he's not a perfect fit for a zone-blocking running scheme, he does have the short-burst explosiveness to get off of the line of scrimmage and have success in that type of offense.
Heading into 2020 training camp, Brandel is probably sixth – at best – on the depth chart at tackle, behind O'Neill, Cleveland, Riley Reiff, Rashod Hill, and Udoh. I would guess that his most likely landing spot is the practice squad, where he could essentially take a redshirt year like Udoh and Dru Samia did in 2019. If he impresses and develops during that time, he could wind up with a good chance to make the team in 2021.
It's also possible that Brandel – who has fairly short arms (33.25") for an NFL – could transition to guard at this level. His lack of length and agility could be hidden better on the interior as opposed to being exposed on the outside. Either way, it certainly looks like the Vikings got good value and upside by taking Brandel in the sixth round.
Previous OT player previews:
- No. 76: Aviante Collins
- No. 75: Brian O'Neill
- No. 74: Oli Udoh
- No. 72: Ezra Cleveland
- No. 71: Riley Reiff
- No. 69: Rashod Hill
- No. 67: Brady Aiello
You can find every single player preview to date – plus other offseason content – in this handy spreadsheet.
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