PLAYER PROFILE: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

Photo Credit: Jamie Rhodes (USA Today Sports)

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MEKHI BECTON

HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE

6-foot-7
364 pounds
21 years old (as of 4/18/20)

BIG PICTURE

Physical outliers like Becton are always polarizing when it comes to the draft. Weighing in between 360 and 370 pounds, Becton will need to prove to NFL teams he can stay physically fit enough to absorb the tolls of a 16-game (soon to be 17-game) regular season. But he’s starting off on the right foot with a strong 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine that left commentators in awe. Becton was a four-star recruit in high school and started at both right and left tackle for Louisville over a busy three-year career, showing little sign that he couldn’t stay on the field.

COMBINE NOTABLES

5.10 40-yard dash
23 bench reps

VIKINGS’ COMPATIBILITY RANKING

3 out of 5. Becton is a mammoth at over 360 pounds, and while he moves well for a man his size, the Vikings would have to question whether he’d be a fit in Minnesota’s zone-blocking scheme, which prioritizes light linemen that can reach the second level quickly.

HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Enormous frame complemented by surprisingly nimble feet and functional athleticism to handle either tackle spot. Becton’s combination of movement and force should allow him to fit easily into all running schemes, but he needs to play with better patience in order to control and redirect all that mass into centered blocks in both run and pass. His technique and set-up are better than expected in pass pro, while his size and length allow him to recover and redirect both inside and outside rushes. With all really big prospects, weight and quickness will be concerns, but Becton’s areas of concern are correctable or manageable if he’s disciplined enough to prioritize them. He has the potential to be a good starter on either side, but the weight creates an obvious low-floor scenario.”

Joe Marino, Draft Network: “A three-year starter at Louisville, Becton blossomed under the new coaching staff in 2019. A massive man, Becton has the play strength expected for a man of his stature which he combines with a maulers mentality that leads to gaping holes in the run game. In pass protection, Becton has smoother feet than expected and tremendous length that helps him maintain the width of the pocket. It’s surprising to see him operate under such smooth body control and balance given his measurables. He breaks all the stereotypes for blockers of his size. If Becton can maintain his weight and a polish up his technique, he has a bright future as a starting left tackle in the NFL. He’s an overall rare dude.”

WHAT PFF SAYS

79.2 pass-blocking grade (45th)
6 hurries allowed in 2019
Over 700 snaps each of the last three seasons

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:

TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF

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