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Evan Boehm C 6020 309 Mizzou

Cards finally addressed their roster-deficiency at center late in the fourth round when they passed on guys like Blythe and Westerman and chose Boehm. Described as 'a Coke machine with arms.' He's considered a tough, smart, gritty lunch pail guy with good size for a center, but physically challenged and short-armed. He was team captain, his father was a coach and he competed as a wrestler.

According to Nfl.com:

"One of the top offensive line recruits in the country coming out of high school, Boehm stepped right onto the field for the Tigers in 2012 and hasn?t left the lineup since. He started 52 straight games ...playing freshman year at left guard and then three straight years in the pivot. Boehm is a thick interior lineman who has a strong anchor and can move his feet well for the position, portending a long NFL career.

STRENGTHS Iron man. Holds school record for consecutive starts. Suffered high­-ankle sprain in the first game of the year, but was right back on the field the next game. Rare power from a center. Phone booth champ. Able to consistently generate push at initial point of attack and take control of the neutral zone. Runs his feet under him at contact and drives the sled while staying glued to his man. Tough and smart. Quickly processes double A-­gap looks and responds successfully. Has power to redirect when beaten on the edge. Owns the A-­gap versus blitzes and stunts. Keeps head from ducking in on pass sets and will punch and re­set hands, when needed, to maintain positioning. Comes from a football family and father was a highly successful high school coach. Rarely bull­-rushed. Looks for work when he?s uncovered against pass rush.

WEAKNESSES Squatty frame with short legs. Doesn't have the height or arm length that many teams require from draftable centers inside the first four rounds. Much better straight line mover than laterally. Gets straight-legged on second level and when engaging laterally creating inconsistent contact balance. Reliant on upper body strength over lower body movement which could make securing reach blocks a challenge on the NFL level. Has physical limitations outside his compact frame. While he has some post-­snap athleticism in short spaces, his restricted stride length slows him when asked to get out in space.

BOTTOM LINE Four­-year starter with outstanding power at the point of attack with an ability to create running lanes through sheer brute force. Boehm?s squatty frame may cause some evaluators to hesitate, but offensive line coaches will fall in love with his instincts, power, leadership and durability. Boehm has a chance to be an early starter for a team looking for power and leadership in the middle of their line.

SOURCES TELL NFL.com: "He's tough as nails. He'll play with pain and he's the kind of guy who can command a locker room. I always look for talent first, but leadership might be just as important from your center and he has that." ­ -- NFC West executive

According to Bob Rang of CBS Sports:

"...showed grit and competitiveness by electing to participate in the Senior Bowl...Not the clear-cut NFL starter that his production might indicate...size and power projects best to a drive-blocking scheme different from the shotgun heavy attack in which he starred for the Tigers.

STRENGTHS: ...Little lighter and weaker at the point of attack than preferred...sports the powerful, thick frame well-suited to winning battles at the line of scrimmage. Looks like a Coke machine with arms, legs and helmet. The vast majority of the snaps he makes in this scheme are shotgun, but there is little finesse to Boehm's game as he routinely drives opponents off the ball with impressive upper-body strength and leg drive...Locates opponents quickly when blocking at the second level, taking efficient routes to the action and latching on. Sustains blocks well, keeping his feet moving on contact and demonstrating the tenacity scouts love.

Boehm slides well laterally in pass protection and anchors well, bending his knees and showing the core strength and flexibility to handle bull rushers. A former high school wrestling champion, Boehm's comfort in close quarters and understanding of leverage are clear on tape. Voted a team captain in 2015. Leaves with a school record 52 consecutive starts and showed off his competitiveness by electing to participate in the Senior Bowl, as well.

WEAKNESSES: Marginal overall athleticism...has heavy feet and looks like he's running in sand when attempting to climb to the second level. Too often he stands flat-footed in pass protection, relying on powerful shoves to knock defenders off balance rather than mirroring opponents.

Will also occasionally drop his head on contact / leaves him a bit vulnerable to swim moves. Shorter-than-ideal arms (31 5/8"). Comes from a shotgun heavy offense and may need time to acclimate to the typical QB-center snaps.

IN Rang's view: Boehm possesses the build and power to continue Missouri's impressive pipeline of linemen to the NFL, but he's not a prospect without flaws. Given his squatty powerful frame, Boehm is sure to intrigue clubs looking for a drive blocker, but he doesn't possess ideal length or experience in this style of offense. His experience snapping out of shotgun will be appreciated by some teams, but he lacks the athleticism most NFL clubs using this style prefer, making Boehm a bit of a square peg."

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Copyright © 1996 Gollin & Associates. Last modified: 04/06/2013