NFL Draft Profile: Cincinnati Bearcats Offensive Lineman Parker Ehinger

Offensive lineman Parker Ehinger has been a staple of the Cincinnati offensive line for years now. The four-year player was versatile for the Bearcats, playing at right tackle in his freshman season, before shifting inside to guard over his sophomore and junior campaigns. During his senior year, Ehinger moved back outside, this time to left tackle to protect Gunner Kiel and Hayden Moore this past fall.

Now, Ehinger hopes to hear his name called in the later rounds of this year's NFL Draft as a big body who has good versatility along the offensive line.

Combine Results

Game Tape

Below is a cut-up from Cincinnati's game against Temple this past season. Ehinger is projected to play guard at the pro level, but his tape from the Temple game, where he is playing left tackle, should still serve as a pretty fair look at Ehinger as a prospect. More cut-ups of Ehinger can be found at DraftBreakdown.com.

Strengths

Ehinger is an interesting late-round prospect in this year's NFL Draft. He has the ideal big-body and frame you would hope to see in a lineman prospect at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds. He is an experienced player with four years under his belt as a starter, and has been versatile enough to play at right tackle, guard and then left tackle over those four years.

He has good feet, plays with a solid motor and does a good job of staying in front of pass rushers. It's worth mentioning that with Ehinger in the line-up, Cincinnati has had one of the more consistent offensive line units in the country, particularly in pass protection. His ability to matchup and take rushers using his footwork and his hands, is something NFL teams are looking at. And, once again, his versatility is all the more important. Especially with late-round picks, NFL teams will value a player who, in a pinch, can step-in at almost any of the offensive line spots. That should help his value.

Weaknesses

While Ehinger brings a lot to the table as a prospect, there is a consensus that he isn't exceptional in any particular area. He has good hands and can deliver a blow on pass rushers, but he isn't strong enough to do that with consistency at the next level. He is athletic for his size, but his athleticism may not be enough to matchup with NFL outside rushers and his technique needs some work, which likely projects Ehinger as a guard in the NFL.

Even at guard, Ehinger has questions to answer about his ability to get off the ball quickly and drive opponents downfield in run blocking. Not to mention, Cincinnati isn't necessarily a pro-offense, instead running a wide-open spread. There are adjustments that he will need to learn for him to get onto the field in a pro-offense.

Potential Fits

Ehinger has visited all of the following, according to WalterFootball.com.

Denver Broncos

The Super Bowl Champions are in the market for a quarterback and have other needs, but their offensive line continues to be a problem-area that Ehinger could help remedy. Denver already has revamped the offensive line, but depth and versatility are valuable commodities to all NFL team, much less the ones that still have question marks along the line.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are another team looking at offensive lineman following Andrew Luck's quick exit from the 2015 season due to injury. Ehinger's versatility is a key trait in this pairing as well, as Indianapolis is looking to develop better depth along the line. Given Ehinger's late-round value, the Colts may be quick to pull the trigger towards the end of the draft.

Outlook & Round Projection

Ehinger is a solid player without the exceptionalities that NFL scouts look for when projecting early draft picks, but that doesn't mean Ehinger won't find his place in the league by the end of the 2016 NFL Draft. He is a big-body, which is something that can't be taught, and does everything he was asked to do at Cincinnati very well.

Teams will likely look to Ehinger in the later rounds as a developmental prospect who possesses the versatility and size to stick on with a team for years. He may not be the flashiest prospect, but there is a lot to like about the UC-product. Look for him to have his name called late.

Projection: 6th-7th Round