Player Information:
- Garth Gerhart, OC Arizona State
- 6’1”/305 lbs
- Hometown – Norco, California
Pro Day:
- 40 yard: 5.38
- 20 yard: 3.09
- 10 yard: 1.90
- Bench: 25
- Vertical: 30.5
- Broad: 96
- Shuttle: 4.27
- 3-cone: 7.63
Introduction: While not an undrafted rookie, Garth Gerhart falls into the same category as a player who not many people know about on the Packers squad who has a good chance of making the team. Garth, brother of current Vikings running back Toby Gerhart, went undrafted out of Arizona State in 2012 and was signed to the Browns practice squad, where he spend the entire season. Gerhart was signed onto the Packers practice squad 4 days before their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs.
Outside Analysis:
Pro Football Weekly: Good arm length and weight-room strength. Has a strong lower body and good base. Flashes a substantial punch. Works to position and get in the way. Smart and aware. Tough and competitive. Good character. Dependable, blue-collar worker. Experienced, three-year starter. Has NFL bloodlines.
Draft Insider: Zone-blocking lineman with marginal athletic skills. Incredibly quick in all aspects, uses effective body positioning and seals defenders from the action. Intelligent and effectively quarterbacks the offensive line. Works to get a pad on defenders and knocks them from their angle of attack.
Video:
Analysis:
- #52, playing center
- The shotgun snap error was mostly on him
- It’s very interesting how many times ASU runs the bubble screen, I’m not sure if it’s assignment or coincidence, but Garth doesn’t block anyone on any of occasions shown. Then again, if it’s a bubble screen going to the sideline, what chance does any center have in making a block anyways?
- Gets good movement up to the second level, but often ends up looking for someone to block. Again is this coincidence?
- Does a good job switching assignments and helping out his guards
- At 3:22, Gerhart actually slides out and blocks the pass rushing defensive end, quite impressive (Ironically, the defensive end turns out to be none other than Nick Perry!)
- Better technician than athlete, keeps his feet under him and usually stalemates his defender. He’s not going to throw many pancake blocks or just wall off a defender, but will get the job done.
Packers rationale: Gerhart reminds me a lot of Scott Wells, neither is a physical specimen on the offensive line nor are either dominant blockers by any means, but both make up for their physical limitations with good technique and good teamwork with their teammates. Perhaps more importantly, Gerhart fits the Aaron Rodgers “butt height” test almost to a T and his physical dimensions are much more similar to Wells, EDS and Jeff Saturday than any other offensive linemen on currently on the roster. Add to that Gerhart’s experience playing both guard and center in college plus a full year on a NFL roster (even the Browns have a NFL caliber weight room and conditioning staff) and Gerhart might actually be my dark horse player to make it on the team; he wouldn’t be a conversion project at center unlike any of the other linemen and could function as the swing interior linemen without having to learn a new position.
——————Thomas Hobbes is a staff writer for Jersey Al’s AllGreenBayPackers.com.
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Osweiler is from my town here in Montana.
I loved watching Toby Gerhart at Stanford. Fumbles too much but great character. Bloodlines work well sometimes. Matthews, Sharper, Sharpe are were all great palyers so maybe this guy sticks.
Packers need a backup center and now have a few in camp to compete against one another. The Packers are saying they will keep one of these guys.
Someone has to almost by default. The Packers had no depth with the interior line and only addressed the issue with JC Tretter, who unfortunately is out for the season presumably.
Van Roten shows some nasty, we need more nasty on the O-line. We need Frank Winters kinda nasty. If you hit a home run off me, the next time you are at the plate I’m puttin’ one off your dome, Nasty.
I will say the Packers must have a lot of faith in Van Roten. Near the end of the season, Van Roten was essentially the backup for both guard and tackle. With only 7 offensive linemen active and the starters being Newhouse, Lang, EDS, Sitton and Barclay there are only two spots open. With those two spots, one was taken by Saturday, who probably can only play center, leaving Van Roten to back up every other position. You can argue that the Packers were getting desperate and running out of options, but the Packers felt strongly enough about Van Roten to sign him as the backup instead of a free agent o-linemen (or going back in time again and signing Clifton)
I identified Gerhart as a possible draft prospect last year. I think he’s got some potential. The backup OG/C job is probably Van Rotens to lose but I can see Gerhart being on the PS again. If EDS is injured then they could bring Gerhart to the active roster to compete w/ Van Roten. I think at this point I would prefer Van Roten at Center, but it might be a competition. Van Roten should make the roster ahead of Gerhart due to versatility and more experience w/ the offense. Seems like a good PS insurance policy w/ room for development.
I would argue that Van Roten and Gerhart both can play center and guard, which makes them equally versatile (unless you happen to know that one is better than the other at either position). I would say it’s really a coin flip at the moment, both are PS eligible and both have 1 year of NFL experience, albeit Van Roten cracked the active roster, he only was the 6th O-linemen and essentially played a minimal amount of snaps.
Van Roten has better size at 6’3+ to play OG. Gerhart has size limitations at OG like EDS did. I would view Van Roten as more versatile and Gerhart as a Center only unless an emergency. Dont think Gerhart played much OG at ASU.
Gerhart started 3 games at left guard, 5 games at right guard and 27 games at center. Keep in mind that a lot of the times he didn’t start but did play he played at either guard position. Van Roten on the other hand played exclusively at left tackle for Penn, starting 30 games. Take that for what it’s worth. I’d say Gerhart is definitely a center first and a guard second while Van Roten is a guard first and a center second, so it might depend on the who the other backup is, for instance, if Don Barclay ends up being the backup, he can play guard and tackle, so then Gerhart would likely have the advantage.
“Take that for what it’s worth.”
I take it for very little, it was in college. Most NFL OG in college start as OT. I wouldn’t mind moving Barclay inside to OG, IMO that easily his best position in the NFL. Don’t think he has the feet for OT. Van Roten has the advantage over Gerhart. Van Roten on the 53 roster, Gerhart on the PS. If EDS gets hurt, Van Roten finishes the game, then elevate Gerhart and have the compete for the Center job. Which is what I said at the beginning.