Eli Bickel

Physical Profile

Bickel checks the size box you want from a true left/right tackle: 6-6, 270 with long arms and a frame that projects to carry 305-315 pounds without losing mobility. The build is still ascending — he's lean for the position, which is encouraging from a development standpoint because the length and joints are already there and the mass can be added in a college S&C program. As a multi-sport wrestler competing at 285, he plays with a low center of gravity, balance, and grip strength that don't always come naturally to linemen this tall. The combination of arm length and bend is the trait that gives him a real tackle projection rather than a kick-inside-to-guard fallback.

Play Style

On film he's a finisher with a mean streak — the wrestling background shows in how he latches, drives, and works to put defenders on the ground in the run game. He uses his length well to create initial separation and steer rushers, and his balance lets him stay attached through contact. In pass protection he's more projection than finished product right now: the foundation (length, base, competitiveness) is excellent, but the technique — consistent set depth and hip sink — is still being polished. He's the kind of run-blocker who can climb to the second level and a phone-booth competitor who wins with effort and grip.

Strengths

• Elite length and frame for the tackle position — 6-6 with long arms gives him the reach to mirror edge rushers in pass pro and a wide base to anchor, plus untapped room to add 30-40 pounds of functional mass.
• Wrestling pedigree (competes at ~285 lbs) shows up as hand placement, leverage, balance, and the ability to recover when initial contact isn't clean; this is the durability/toughness profile O-line coaches specifically target.
• Positional versatility — logged reps at both guard and tackle in high school, which raises his floor and gives a college staff flexibility while he develops at his projected tackle spot.

Areas to Improve

• Plays underweight for the level — needs a year-plus of college strength and nutrition to reach a competitive playing weight (300+) and to anchor against Big Ten interior/edge power.
• Pad level and footwork refinement against high-level speed — like most tall tackles, he must consistently sink his hips, shorten his kick-slide, and not over-rely on length, since SEC/Big Ten edge benders will test his recovery and redirect.

College Projection

Classic redshirt-and-develop tackle. Expect a true freshman year focused on adding mass and refining footwork, with a realistic path to a rotational/swing-tackle role by Year 2 and a starting tackle (or kick-inside-to-guard) trajectory by Years 3-4. The traits and toughness suggest a high developmental ceiling if the weight gain comes without sacrificing mobility — exactly the profile Michigan State's staff recruited him for as an early in-state cornerstone of the 2026 class.

NFL Outlook

Late-cycle developmental traits worth monitoring rather than an early-round lock at this stage. The length, frame, and athletic/wrestling base are the kind of raw clay NFL line coaches like, but a pro projection is entirely contingent on three-plus years of mass and technique development against Big Ten competition. If he hits his physical ceiling and cleans up pass-pro footwork, he has the toolset for a draftable Day 3 outcome with priority free-agent as the floor.

Best Fit

A gap/power-leaning, downhill running scheme that lets him fire off the ball and finish in the run game while a strong S&C and O-line development pipeline brings his pass-pro technique and playing weight along. A program with patience for a multi-year project and a track record of developing tall, long tackles — which is precisely the Michigan State fit under an O-line-coach-driven staff.