Barnhart can play anywhere on the offensive line.
In the shadows of star-studded offensive line for the Michigan Wolverines in recent years, Karsen Barnhart has been known to be an extremely versatile, talented player who can play on any side of the front.
Barnhart showcased this versatility in 2021 when he appeared at both left guard and tackle. As a senior in 2022, he appeared in 10 games, this time spending most of his time at right tackle while also appearing at left. And in 2023, he started all 15 games — four at left tackle, eight at right tackle and three at right guard.
Over his five years in Ann Arbor, Barnhart appeared in 43 career games with 31 starts: nine at left tackle, two at left guard, three at right guard and 17 at right tackle.
NFL Combine Results
Height: 6-foot-4.5
Weight: 306 pounds
Arm: 33 3/8’’
Hand: 9 7/8’’
40-Yard Dash: 5.21 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.76 seconds
Vertical Jump: 29.5’’
Broad Jump: 9’3’’
3-Cone Drill: 7.83 seconds
20-Yd Shuttle: 4.7 seconds
Strengths
- Made multiple starts at both tackle and guard spots.
- Mirrors with good base width and protection posture.
- Works well with teammates to post and run double-teams.
- Athletic out of his stance and into long pulls across the formation.
- Just wants to see the field. He will play any position as long as it means he is playing.
Weaknesses
- Agility and quickness to gain ground out to edge rushers isn’t stellar.
- Struggles against NFL-caliber defenders (Against Penn State, Pro Football Focus gave him a 0.0 pass-protection grade after allowing three pressures and a sack on 10 drop-backs).
- Lacks explosive first step and can get caught a step behind defenders at times.
- Struggles with block displacements and sealing lateral blocks.
Projections
Barnhart is expected to be a late Day 3 pick or an undrafted free agent. The Wolverines were fortunate to have a plethora of talented offensive linemen in 2023, and the talent around Barnhart made up for his mistakes at times. He has yet to show he can stick to a position for an entire season, so NFL teams will likely dock him for his consistency.
Nonetheless, he is capable of playing many positions, so it would make sense for a team to take a chance on Barnhart with one of their later picks. Luckily for him, his former coach is now calling the shots for the Los Angeles Chargers , so look for that to be a possible destination if he makes it to free agency.