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Seattle Seahawks Draft Prospects – Bernhard Raimann

As the Seahawks do not, as of writing, possess a first-round pick, the players they select may end up being unknown to some people. Therefore, with the season coming to a close and with the Seahawks being completely out of the playoff picture, it seems time to look towards the offseason and the hope that the new season brings by going over a few players that could be Seahawks draft prospects.

Name: Bernhard Raimann, #76

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height: 6-7 ft

Weight: 305 lbs

School: Central Michigan Chippewas

The Chippewas are known for producing good offensive lineman, having produced Eric Fisher and Joe Staley in the past, and this year looks no different. The Seahawks are in desperate need of a new offensive tackle due to right tackle Brandon Shell’s below-average season, producing a PFF grade of only 67.4.

Games Watched: LSU (2021), Missouri (2021), Miami (OH) (2021)

Pros:

  • Extremely strong and dominant against a bull rush
  • Very agile for a player of his size
  • Versatile – has the ability and technique to kick inside to play guard
  • Very very powerful in the run game
  • Very light on his feet and can mirror rushers with ease
  • Reliable blocker with long arms
  • Good at knocking rushers off their routes
  • Good at climbing to the second level

Cons:

  • Can be a bit slow off the line when tasked with blocking a speed rusher
  • Quite weak against a good speed rusher
  • Lacks some hand strength and is not always consistent when using a stiff arm
  • Can lose balance when holding off blockers at a distance
  • Quite new to the position, having played Tight End earlier in his college career

Projected role in the NFL: Likely to stay at tackle when he makes the jump to the NFL, but it would not be surprising if the team that selects him kicks him into guard as he certainly has the qualities to play there.

Best team fit(s): As mentioned earlier, the Seahawks could use him on their roster. Although teams like the Ravens and the Packers also should be looking at selecting him.

Pro comparison: His physical profile is extremely similar to Eric Fisher’s, who also graduated from Central Michigan. Fisher also stands at 6-7 and weighed only 1 pound more (306 lbs) when declaring for the draft in 2013. But as a prospect, he is more similar to Anthony Castonzo, who was selected by the Colts with the 22nd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. They both are extremely dominant against the bull rush but less so against the speed rush. Luckily for Raimann, Castonzo had a 10-year stint with Indianapolis, being a rock at left tackle.

Grading scale: 95+ Generational | 90-94, Early 1st Round | 85-90, Mid/Late 1st Round | 80-84, 2nd Round | 75-79, 3rd Round | 70-74, 4th Round | 65-69, 5/6th Round | 60-64 6/7th Round | <60, Undrafted Free Agents

Grade and Draft Value: 88/100 is my ranking of Bernhard Raimann, which places him at 5th in my offensive tackle rankings, and puts him in my top 32 for my overall rankings. But due to the way the draft could go, he could very easily slip to the Seahawks’ second-round pick, which could be between 35-40.