Denmark’s Andreas Knappe (OT, UConn): 2017 NFL Draft Underrated Prospect

AFI | American Football | 01/21/2017

Lurking in the dark is an unknown and underrated draft prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s the biggest player, you’ve never heard of. Meet 6’8″, 325 lb Andreas Knappe.

Being from Denmark, Andreas Knappe didn’t play football until he was 18 years old. He started playing for a team (Triangle Razorbacks) in the Danish American Football Federation (DAFF), where they won the “Mermaid Bowl.”

From the time he stepped onto the football field, he fell in love with the game. Shortly after his first season, he bought a helmet and shoulder pads, got himself a scout and left for some football camps in America. It didn’t take long for him to catch the eye of some coaches from UConn in 2012.

After dominating in camps, he would sign his letter of intent with the Huskies.

Strengths:

More of a pass blocker than a run blocker. Against Cincinnati, I didn’t record one quarterback pressure from the right side.
Great down blocker on runs that go inside.
Stays square on the majority of his blocks.
Hands are often locked inside to help control his blocks.
Very patient blocker and lets the edge come to him.
An experienced player with 32 career starts.

Above are some plays that Knappe showcases his ability in pass protection. You’ll see him have a great square base, his hands inside and he never moves forward. In pass protection, he trusts his size and lets the edge rusher come to him. More times than not, he dominates. In this game, he dominates his assignment without giving up a single quarterback pressure.

Weaknesses:

Pass blocking is what he does best but he often plays high in pass protection.
Struggles to reach the second level.
Doesn’t always seel the edge on runs to his outside.
Lacks that punishing leg drive. Haven’t seen him punish anyone to the ground.
By the time he starts his rookie campaign, he’ll be 26 years old.

Above you can see that Knappe doesn’t do a terrible job in pass protection. However, you’ll notice how high he plays. Also, after the ball is snapped, he turns his shoulders and lets the edge rusher get some penetration on the quarterback.

Pro Comparison: Sebastian Vollmer

Both players were international football players before coming to the United States. Much like Vollmer, he’ll be 25 years old when he gets drafted. At Houston, Vollmer was also a good pass blocker and a decent run blocker. He also played high at times because of his height of 6’7 and 315 lbs. Eventually, Vollmer got his opportunity and was a key part to the New England Patriots success on the offensive line. Injuries have shortened his career but he was a manageable right tackle for many years.

Projection: Sixth Round

It’s hard to say where a player like Andreas Knappe could go. He’s got incredible size and has the pass blocking ability you’d like to see from a starting right tackle. Rarely has he been injured but he’s struggled in run blocking situations. More so it’s because he’s not that fast and would need to test well at the Scouting Combine to really move up anyone’s board. He’s definitely a project because of his age and still being so raw at the position. Despite those weaknesses, I think he’s an underrated draft prospect that needs to start gaining more attention.

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