Bernard Raimann OT Scouting Report

[Jets Global]

Bernard Raimann NFL Draft Profile Position: Tackle School: Central Michigan Current Year: Senior Height: 6'5" Weight: 305 pounds
Bernard Raimann Scouting Report Raimann, a foreign exchange student from Austria, has made Central Michigan his home. Along the way, he’s established himself as one of the better offensive tackle prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. A Feldman Freak, Raimann clearly has the size and the athleticism. But how do his traits translate on the field, and can he leverage them into a starting role as an NFL player? Listed at 6’7″, 305 pounds, Raimann is a large blocker who looms over his opponents. His length isn’t proportionally elite, but he compensates with his easily visible athleticism. He is explosive off the line as a run blocker, and he’s mobile reaching the second level. He has good lateral burst and can make quick work of short distances. Additionally, Raimann has great recovery athleticism and covers a lot of ground to regain positioning. Raimann also has solid flexibility and balance. He can easily flip his hips and redirect defensive linemen. Additionally, he has the flexibility and coordination to halt rushes at the apex without losing control. Despite his lighter frame, Raimann’s core strength is above-average, and he uses this to flex without breaking. Raimann’s weight also appears to be proportioned well. The Chippewas blocker has shown to absorb power to a degree with his decently strong base. He also has solid grip strength when anchored and can suffocate rushes from lesser players. He has the awareness to recognize stunts and respond quickly to those maneuvers. He’s also shown he understands leverage at the second level and can seal off big lanes for backs. To that end, Raimann also grasps the minutiae of footwork and how to set up better angles for himself. His feet are rarely idle. Raimann moves them to maintain leverage with his base. In a similar vein, he can also reset his hands mid-rep to attain better upper-body leverage. Raimann bends his knees well and keeps a wide base in pass protection. He also has solid leg drive when anchored and blocks all the way to the whistle. Raimann can clamp down on opposing linemen while matching around the edge, and he’s quick to capitalize when opponents sacrifice their balance. He has his moments where he buries opponents, punishing them for slipping up.
Areas for Improvement Raimann is still lighter than the average tackle. That can impact his absorption capacity, as can his tendency to play a bit too upright. To that end, Raimann is highly susceptible to bull rushes when he opens up his torso. He does this too often and will need to narrow his hands more at the next level. Raimann’s anchor can be ripped down by stronger opponents. Part of this issue can be attributed to Raimann’s length. It’s not a liability necessarily, but his length is only average. That impacts his reach and leverage at times. For example, he can get caught lurching, extending before his base is properly set. Leaning and mistiming punches this way can sap at his power capacity. Raimann sometimes places his extensions too high. They could also be more violent and authoritative on a consistent basis. It doesn’t help that Raimann relies heavily on extensions. When hand-fighting, his hands aren’t necessarily violent or precise. That may hurt him against NFL technicians. Raimann’s hands and feet sometimes lack the necessary congruence. He’ll get happy feet on certain plays, and that can erode his base and make him easier to drive back. Plus, Raimann sometimes overshoots his angles as a blocker downfield.
Bernard Raimann Career at School Raimann lined up at tight end when he first joined Central Michigan’s program. Listed at 6’7″, 240 pounds, Raimann clearly had the size. And he had the athleticism as well. But nevertheless, Raimann would produce sparingly in two seasons — just 20 total catches for 164 yards. Raimann kept training while staying on top of his academics off the field. His first real opportunity, however, would come in the trenches. In 2020, CMU switched Raimann to tackle. He worked his way up to 290 pounds and started all six games for the Chippewas. That early success at OT ensured that Raimann would be the blindside blocker in 2021. And so far, he hasn’t disappointed. He’s been one of the best offensive linemen in the MAC conference. And even against higher-level opponents like Missouri, he’s impressed.
Bernard Raimann NFL Draft Player Profile Many of Raimann’s flaws are more minor inconsistencies than red flags. All told, Raimann is a supremely athletic tackle prospect who’s shown he can at least maintain leverage and use extensions to dismantle defenders. However, there is still room for refinement for Raimann. On top of that, he’ll be an older rookie. He’s set to turn 25 years old next September. Physically, Raimann checks several boxes. He’s athletic, well-proportioned, and also has good balance and flexibility. His grip strength is solid, though not infallible. And his mobility in space makes him a dangerous second-level blocker. All this being said, Raimann may have trouble exerting his will and maintaining his anchor against bigger, stronger NFL defenders. And even then, the depth of his hand usage can still improve.