Wisconsin Football: Tyler Marz’s NFL Draft Profile
By Jim Oxley
NFL Draft Profile: How former Wisconsin football tackle Tyler Marz looks heading into the draft
The NFL Draft is fast approaching at the end of April, and former Wisconsin football players are hard at work trying to earn a spot on an NFL team. Among them is offensive tackle Tyler Marz, who hopes to continue his career at the next level.
Marz was a three year starter for the Badgers, starting each of the 40 games over the last three years and playing in 51 over his four-year career at UW.
He played out his Badgers career with second team All-big Ten honors from the media and third team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches as a senior after he was a consensus honorable Mention All-Big Ten tackle as a sophomore and junior.
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As a freshman, he earned UW’s Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year award, and he was perennially an Academic All-Big Ten player.
Marz is now looking to make the jump to the professional level.
Here’s what NFL scouts see in the Wisconsin tackle:
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Measurables:
- Height: 6-foot-7
- Weight: 316 pounds
- Hands: 10 inches
- 40 yard dash: 5.54 seconds (5.28 at UW Pro Day)
- Broad jump: 99 inches
- Three-cone drill: 8.38 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.97 seconds
- Bench press: 19 reps (225 pounds)
(Drills run at NFL Combine)
Strengths: Experience, durability, size
Marz has been a fixture on the Badgers offensive line as a starter for the last three seasons, and that experience will go a long way at the next level.
He fits the bill as a prototypical tackle at 6-foot-7 and 300-plus pounds, and has proven to stay healthy for Wisconsin during his time with the Badgers.
He may not be an elite blocker in the passing or running game, but he got the job done well enough in the past three seasons to help Melvin Gordon have two very strong years for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Weaknesses: Lack of elite athleticsm, strength
No one will ever label Marz an elite athlete.
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He’s not Joe Thomas, but people shouldn’t expect him to be.
At 6-foot-7 and over 300 pounds, he’s mobile enough to get the job done. The bigger issue might be his strength.
Marz managed just 19 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press at the NFL combine. His teammate, fullback Derek Watt, managed that same number at UW’s Pro Day. Marz was just one of five tackles prospects at the NFL combine to fail to get to 20 reps.
The good news for Marz is he can continue to work to get stronger and quicker. but he’ll have to show it in training camp, not ahead of the draft.
This doesn’t mean he can’t be a successful NFL tackle, it just means he’s going to end up on the right side instead of the left. There’s nothing wrong with that, just ask Rob Havenstein, who just finished up a great rookie campaign for the St. Louis (Now L.A.) Rams.
Last impression:
In the Badgers last time out – the Holiday Bowl against USC- Marz and the Badgers offensive line helped Wisconsin total 177 yards and a score on the ground.
In his final game with Wisconsin, Marz and the Badgers pulled out a thrilling victory over the Trojans, 23-21.
Final word:
Marz has a lot of things going for him. his size, durability, and the simple fact that he’s from Wisconsin are all big nods in his favor.
He’s not an elite talent, and isn’t a top prospect.
Next: Joel Stave's NFL Draft Profile
But he will be on an NFL team this summer, and should survive cuts to still be there this fall.
Marz will give an NFL team a lot to work with, and could develop, as many Wisconsin linemen have, into a successful NFL player.