If you didn’t know about Brady Christensen before BYU’s pro day, you certainly do now after he posted some eye-popping numbers. Yes, there were many teams in Provo for Zach Wilson, but the overwhelming majority of the league won’t be able to take him, whereas Christensen will likely not be picked until the second day of the draft. His numbers were just ridiculous, standing 6’6”, weighing over 300-pounds broad jumping over ten feet, which is around how far skill position jumps and is the longest by any offensive linemen ever — by three inches.
The insane numbers didn’t stop there, as Christensen posted a 4.89 40-yard dash, a 34-inch vertical, a 4.46 shuttle, a 7.33 three-cone, and benched 225-pounds 30 times. Comparatively to the 53 offensive linemen who tested at the 2020 NFL combine — his 40 time would be second; his vertical third; bench fifth; broad jump first; three-cone second; and 20-yard shuttle second. Just because he hails from a non-traditional football school, the numbers don’t lie, and neither does the tape.
Christensen’s Fit in Offense
His attributes make him an irrefutable fit within Arthur Smith’s offense, which is zone heavy and requires offensive lineman to be athletic in space. His exceptional quickness and balance in space make him an ideal fit at guard in Smith’s scheme. He moves well going forward and extending to the second level of defenders, thanks to his elite quickness of the ball. Playing guard at just over 300-pounds is concerning, but Christensen has more play strength than most at his weight. His hands are heavy but quick to the punch; once the former Cougar gets his hands on a defender, they struggle to disengage.
He’s more fundamentally refined than most in this class, which makes me wonder why so many analysts have third and fourth-round grades for him. His wide base is pass sets is unusual, but it works for him. He understands leverage, keeping his shoulders square, continually moving his feet, and has a decent anchor. Christensen’s understanding of leverage and blocking angles allows him to play smarter versus using brute strength. Smith and Terry Fontenot have stated they want smart football players, and I think Christensen is just that. Having him start next to Jake Matthews is a real possibility. In addition, Fontenot won’t have to spend a high draft pick on him.
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