Evan Beerntsen is a 6’4”, 310 lbs Offensive Lineman from Northwestern University. Coming out of Appleton High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, Evan Beerntsen was a First Team All-Conference member and played for the Wisconsin All-Star Team. He committed to South Dakota State and was there from 2019-2024 before transferring to Northwestern to play his seventh and final college football season as a Graduate Student. At SDSU, he was a 2023 All MVFC Honorable Mention, a 2024 All MVFC First Team, a 2024 AP All American Second Team, and was a season-long starter for the 2023 FCS National Champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits. At Northwestern, he was a 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and allowed zero sacks and QB hits the entire season.
Beerntsen is about the average size of an NFL offensive lineman, standing at 6’4”, weighing 310 lbs. He has a good, quick first step while run blocking, which allows him to reach the second level very quickly. He has good hand placement in both run blocking and pass protection, which allowed him to amass only 5 penalties throughout his entire 2025 season. He has a strong ability to flip his hips and steer the defender in any direction while maintaining good leverage and control through the whistle. He is a solid pull blocker. He is not the quickest, but he will hustle down the line to block his man coming off the edge, and is also patient enough not to whiff or overstep on a pull. He presents good footwork in both the run and pass game. While running blocking, he takes a strong, quick first step, which allows him to reach defenders more quickly, and in pass protection, he very rarely over- or understeps, which keeps him strong and stout in the pass game. Beerntsen’s greatest strength is his patience, especially in the passing game. He can quickly identify stunts and will almost never chase a defender or allow a defender to get inside of him. He recognizes the bull rush exceptionally well and has a very good and strong anchor.
Beerntsen is better at pass protection than at run blocking, but that does not mean he is bad in the run game. It just speaks to how good a pass blocker he really is. The only thing holding him back from being a higher draft pick is his age. He will be about 25 years old at the start of this coming NFL season, which would make him one of the oldest players in the Draft class this year. While age could be seen as a downside, it also means he has extensive experience playing high-level football, which could excite some NFL front offices.
Scheme Fit and Team Fit
Beerntsen would fit best in an explosive, pass-heavy offense like what Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears run.
NFL Player Comp: Joe Thuney
Beerntsen and Thuney have a similar frame, with Thuney being measured at 6’5”, 304 lbs. They both excel in the pass game, with Thuney posting the highest pass-block grade per PFF at 88.6%. They are also both above average in the run game, but are not necessarily elite in that aspect.
Projection: League Average Starter
Beerntsen will be a league-average starter in the NFL for years to come. He is already very experienced and excels in the pass game while still being good in the run game.
Grade and Round Projection: 4.8, 4th Round Pick projection
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