The University of Wisconsin football team will hear multiple names called during the NFL Draft in April, and offensive linemen David Moorman and Jason Erdmann may be among them.
The two linemen have been serviceable across their careers with the Badgers, with both Moorman and Erdmann redshirting in 2015 before playing nearly every game across the last four seasons.
While Moorman and Erdmann are less flashy linemen compared to players like Tyler Biadasz, who is likely to go in the first couple of rounds in the draft, both players deserve a chance on an NFL team and will likely get that chance during training camp and the preseason.
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Moorman, a Northville, Michigan native, was ranked as a 3-star recruit out of high school, joining the Badgers as the No. 40 offensive tackle nationally, according to 247 Sports.
On the other hand, Erdmann departed high school in Richfield, Wisconsin as an unranked recruit, but managed to find playing time near the end of his college career with the Badgers.
Moorman is a 6-foot-5-inch, 307-pound offensive tackle, but he can also line up at guard, which he did on various occasions in 2019, and at center. Erdmann is a 6-foot-6-inch, 326-pound guard who can also line up at center if needed.
With the draft barely a month away, let’s take a look at the draft stocks of both Moorman and Erdmann.
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David Moorman:
Moorman joined Wisconsin in 2015 as part of a stacked recruiting class that included David Edwards, Zack Baun and Chris Orr. He took a redshirt season in 2015 as he was not likely to see much playing time as a true freshman.
In his redshirt freshman 2016 season, Moorman played all 14 games. He then played in all 14 games in 2017 and all 13 games in 2018.
In 2019, Moorman finally got a chance to start, racking up eight starts at right tackle (one start) and left guard (seven starts) while playing in all 14 games once again.
While Moorman isn’t the flashiest player, his ability to remain healthy should be seen as a major plus for NFL teams in need of depth on the line, with Moorman playing all 55 games across his college career.
Moorman also showed his athleticism and versatility during his time with Wisconsin, playing multiple positions across the line (and even tight end) while blocking for running back Jonathan Taylor and quarterback Jack Coan, both of whom had impressive seasons in 2019.
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Jason Erdmann:
When Erdmann joined Wisconsin as an unranked recruit in 2015, nobody would have expected him to have such a successful four years with the Badgers, especially compared to many of the players ranked above him in Wisconsin’s 2015 recruitment class.
Erdmann, like Moorman, redshirted his freshman season due to lack of playing time behind Wisconsin’s strong offensive line.
He then managed to find his way into the reserves during his redshirt freshman season, appearing in 13 of the 14 games at various positions on the line. Erdmann continued this trend in 2017 and 2018, playing in all 27 games along the line and earning a start as a blocking tight end in 2018.
In 2019, Erdmann’s role grew from being just a reserve offensive lineman into a starting position as he played in various capacities across the season. Erdmann then earned the starting job at right guard to create one of the strongest offensive line trios in the nation with Moorman, Biadasz and Erdmann creating running room for Taylor and time to pass for Coan.
Similar to Moorman, Erdmann will likely get some looks during training camp and the NFL preseason this summer due to his versatility. Erdmann also brings size to the table as he stands at a slightly-above-average 326 pounds, enough to give him an opportunity next season in the NFL.
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While neither Erdmann nor Moorman are the flashiest of offensive linemen featured in this year’s draft, both players will get some looks in the late rounds of the draft, as teams look to shore up offensive line depth issues. Teams looking to draft an offensive lineman they can develop over the next few seasons may also consider drafting Erdmann or Moorman.
Look for Erdmann and Moorman to be viewed as having late-round potential if they are able to perform well at Wisconsin’s NFL Pro Day (March 11). But, do not be surprised if neither player is taken due to the amount of depth featured across the offensive line in the NFL Draft, including players like Biadasz who are likely to go in the early rounds come April.
Most outlets seem to have both Erdmann and Moorman going undrafted in April, but there is no reason to think neither player will get their chance at the NFL level next season as undrafted free agents.
Draft Projection for Erdmann and Moorman: Undrafted Free Agent
