2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report

September 25, 2019 1:00 AM EST

Evaluated by: Austin Smith
smith.austinj14@gmail.com
September 25, 2019

Prospect Overview

Wisconsin has become a factory for pumping out NFL-caliber offensive linemen, and Biadasz is the next in line. Like many that came before him, Biadasz is a big, powerful player that excels in some of the more advanced areas of playing up front. The third-year starter was initially redshirted in 2016, before becoming a Freshman All-American in his second season on campus. Last year as a sophomore, he was one of the top centers in the country and earned honorable mention on the College Football News' All-American Team. In the two years, Biadasz has been anchoring the Badgers' offensive line at the center position, Wisconsin has produced one of the nation's top rushing attacks. In that same period, running back Jonathan Taylor has benefited by being named a Doak Walker Award finalist twice, winning once, and has been named to All-American teams in each season. Now Taylor is an outstanding player, but he'll be the first to credit this offensive line, and particularly Biadasz. Finding a center can be a difficult task for NFL teams, making Biadasz a valuable commodity, and with another strong season, I expect him to be in the first-round conversation in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Positives

As I said, Biadasz has some very advanced traits for a college player. He really impresses me with his ability to use proper hand-placement and footwork. Biadasz has a keen understanding of how to maneuver himself to put his body between the defender and the ball. There are times you will see him uses his upper-body strength to turn the defender and shuffle his feet to create a running lane. Other times, he will allow the defender to get a push to one side in order to accomplish the same thing. He understands the angles of playing the position, as well as when it's important to be aggressive or patient. The end result is usually Biadasz executing his assignment. Biadasz also does an excellent job of getting his hands inside the defender, and I think it is because he gets into position quicker than his opponent, and defenders aren't yet ready to counter his hands.

He also has very good upper-body strength that is clear when he gets a player off-balance. Power always seems to be a common trait among Wisconsin's offensive linemen, and Biadasz is no exception as he displays a solid punch and more importantly the ability to latch and either turn or move players. A good example would be the 2018 tape against Nebraska where Biadasz was consistently shoving his opponent four and five yards off the line of scrimmage. However, while he is a big player, he displays above-average feet on the move, and the Badgers have no problem pulling him or asking him to get to the second level. In those scenarios, his awareness shines as he quickly locates his target and once again, takes the proper angle to his opponent.

That awareness shows up in pass protection too. It's impressive to see how quickly Biadasz diagnoses what's going on, and commits to a defender. In all the tape I watched, I do not remember him getting confused on a blitz disguise, twist or stunt. The Wisconsin staff also trust him to make the calls prior to the snap. That is something that NFL teams will value as it makes the pre-snap process much smoother when one person is putting everyone on the same page. Biadasz is a smart guy, and his future team will be able to trust his judgment on the field. I also love his tenacity. He blocks to the whistle, and down the line of scrimmage on plays to the perimeter. It's very rare that you find Biadasz without his hands on someone when the play is over.

Areas for Improvement

While Biadasz is my top center eligible to enter the 2020 class, I do have some things that I believe he can improve on. First off, he has to get stronger in his lower half. Usually, when he bullies the guys across from him, it's because of his upper body and not because he is getting under them and driving them. Even in pass protection, you rarely see him sit down and absorb his opponent's power with his own lower body strength. Because of that, I think he resorts to playing high way too often. Instead of absorbing power with his lower half, as I suggested, Biadasz chooses to counter it with his upper body and core strength. This usually results in a tall player getting bent backward until both players come to a stalemate. Playing tall won't work in the NFL, and it actually negates any strength Biadasz has against stronger opponents.

Like most Wisconsin offensive linemen, Biadasz could drop some weight as well. They like to grow their big, physical maulers in that program, but his weight hinders the athleticism I think he has on the field. As I mentioned they don't mind pulling him or getting him in open space, and I think he is adequate in that area, but he could get even better if he shed some of the extra weight. They list him at six foot, three inches, and 321 pounds. There is no reason Biadasz can't play under 310, and I think it would make him even more athletic.

Draft Stock

Centers are not the easiest position to shore up for NFL teams, and Biadasz is someone who should start immediately for the team that drafts him. Players like that don't last long in the draft process, and while I am not quite as big on Biadasz as I was Garrett Bradbury last year, I think he is a first-round talent. It may not be the sexiest position to take in the first round, but someone always seems to grab one early. In fact, centers have been drafted in the top-50 picks six of the last seven drafts. His leadership and football IQ are also going to boost his stock in a lot of evaluators eyes. I also think he has the arm length to play guard if a team is interested in him making a position switch.

Player Comparison

I remember Eric Wood being a similar prospect coming out of Louisville, but I thought Wood did a better job with his pad level and leverage. Still, he was a smart player with underrated athleticism and leadership qualities when Buffalo drafted him in the first round over ten years ago. Wood would likely still be starting in Buffalo had he not suffered a neck injury in 2017, and that is what I think Biadasz can be in the NFL, a 10-12-year starter. Many may look to former Wisconsin center Travis Frederick, but Frederick was in much better shape when he entered the draft, and his athleticism was far better because of it. Even if Biadasz does trim down, I am not sure he will ever be that kind of athlete.

Games Evaluated

vs. BYU (9-15-18)
vs. Iowa (9-22-18)
vs. Nebraska (10-6-18)
vs. Michigan (10-13-18)
vs. Miami (12-27-18)
vs. South Florida (8-30-19)

Notes from Film

First thing I notice about Biadasz is that for being as big as he is, he moves exceptionally well.

When he gets his hands on defensive linemen, they move. Especially when he gets a player lined up over the top of him. He absorbs power and drives his feet until the defender is moving backward.

If there seems to be one flaw that I consistently see from him, it's that he plays too high. When he does fire out low, he gets instant push off the line of scrimmage, which is an incentive for him to get better in this area.

He could also shed some weight. He moves well for his size but needs to be able to show more short-area quickness in the open field as a blocker. The Michigan tape was a bit of an eye-opener regarding his athleticism in the open field, but there is room to shed weight and gain that ability. He wasn't bad, but he also wasn't as consistent as usual.

Plays with terrific awareness in all phases of the game. Showing a possible A or double A-gap blitz doesn't faze him. He diagnoses quick and reacts accordingly.

Love his feet when he's engaged. He keeps them active, and if he needs to turn you, he has the body control and footwork to do it.

One thing I've noticed on multiple tapes is that he and both the guards get a ton of depth on pass sets when the quarterback is in the gun. It must be the way they are taught, and I'm having trouble understanding why. I get that when the quarterback is in the gun, there is already room to step up, but they are negating that by retreating so

Wisconsin is not afraid to pull Biadasz and once again, his footwork and awareness help make him effective in this area. He stays parallel to the line of scrimmage to keep from impeding the back in any way, before locating his target and attacking him.

He also has some savvy to his game. Wisconsin is not afraid to run up the middle to his right or left. In those situations, I have seen him give with his shoulder away from the play side in order to allow the defender to get some initial penetration away from the target gap. He keeps his balance and walls the defender off, creating a run lane.

When he loses in pass protection, it's because he lunges. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's because he gets too antsy and lunges allowing a patient defender to take advantage of the fact that he is off balance.

He really fights to stay active in his block down the line of scrimmage on runs to the perimeter, and that helps running backs. Based on the pursuit of the defense, running backs always have the option to cut back and because he stays with his blocks, cutting off his hip is always an option.

Scouting Video Courtesy of Waldo Roren