Vince Biegel | Linebacker | Wisconsin | 6'1" - 220 lbs.
OVERVIEWThis two-time all-conference pick came from a football family. His father, Rocky, played linebacker at BYU while his uncle T.D. was a fullback for the Cougars. Vince's grandfather, Ken, played Division III ball and was a Wisconsin and national high school hall of fame coach. Coming from that lineage, it was no surprise Vince was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior (172 tackles, 21 sacks) and earned a scholarship to play for the Badgers. A foot injury ended his freshman season after two games, but he came on late the following year to start twice (25 tackles, three for loss, two sacks). Biegel led the Badgers with 16.5 tackles for loss (7.5 sacks) as a starter in 2014, and earned third-team All-Big Ten notice with 66 stops, 14 for loss, and eight sacks as a junior. Despite being limited for multiple games, missing two, with a broken foot, Biegel was a second-team All-Big Ten performer in 2016 (six TFL, four sacks).
ANALYSISSTRENGTHS Voted team captain. Known for intensity and all-out love for the sport. Instinctive. Diagnoses zone blocks quickly and darts through gaps into backfield to muddy backside cutback lanes. Works to keep outside shoulder uncovered for contain responsibilities against the run. Emotional leader for the Badgers. Wrap-up tackler looking to thud. Flashes desired pursuit speed to perimeter. First-strike specialist at point of attack. Lands hands first and immediate arm extension provides leverage against much bigger blockers. Adequate hip flexibility and change of direction to mirror play-action rollouts. Good run-pass recognition. Was asked to peel off and cover in space. Squeezes receivers from zone. Posted productive rush totals over sophomore and junior seasons. Father, uncle, grandfather and younger brother all played college ball.
WEAKNESSES Undersized, and it often shows up on tape. Needs to increase play strength and add more bulk to his frame. Gets jostled around by tackles if he loses with his hands. Poor contact balance to fight through redirect blocks and can get shoved to turf. Average three-step burst upfield. Duck-foot rusher missing twitch and athleticism to bend the edge. Attempts to activate spin counter, but he's missing footwork to bring it home. "Take-on" anchor and power versus lead blockers is below average. Quick to stack, slow to shuck.
DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 5-6
SOURCES TELL US "Has to get stronger. He's got great makeup and is a great teammate and leader. Medicals with his foot are worrisome. Could be a flag for him." -- Midwest regional scout for NFC team
NFL COMPARISON Frank Zombo
BOTTOM LINE Effort-based worker bee with edge-setting hands and attitude, but a lack of power that could lead to inconsistency in play. Biegel's football character is off-the-charts and he can be counted on to put the effort into improving in areas that need work. He lacks individual rush talent but could be a good fit for teams utilizing exotic rush packages. Average NFL ceiling but has the demeanor and traits of a potential special teams demon.