Vikings select OL Willie Beavers in 4th round

The Minnesota Vikings have selected offensive lineman Willie Beavers out of Western Michigan in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Beavers played offensive tackle in college, but was announced as a guard by the Vikings and will almost certainly spend his pro career as an interior lineman.

Willie Beavers Bio

Position: OL
School: Western Michigan
College Experience: Senior
Height: 6-5
Weight: 309 lbs.
Age: 22

Strengths

• Fluid mover with quick feet and excellent agility. Moves well in space.
• Good knee and hip bend, with a thick lower half and strong anchor ability.
• Gets out of his stance quickly and smoothly, going right for his target.
• Can play tackle or guard at the NFL level, though there's some debate on which position he would be better suited to.

Weaknesses

• Needs to improve his upper-body and core strength. His 20 bench press reps were in the bottom of the pack among offensive linemen.
• Inconsistent hand placement and a tendency to lunge at defenders, throwing him off balance.
• Slow to recognize blitzes and stunts.
• Ranked 104th out of 108 draft-eligible offensive tackles in the FBS last season, allowing 39 pressures in 430 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Combine Results