Ryan Van Bergen, Senior, Defensive End, Michigan
Overview:
Coming out of high school Ryan Van Bergen was 6-5 and 260 pounds. It was thought that the prep basketball player would add some weight and eventually move from defensive end to defensive tackle. However, that never came to fruition in part because of the new defensive scheme that arrived in Ann Arbor, which preferred quicker lineman. As a result Van Bergen is now listed at 6-6 and 283 pounds and is still playing on the end.
Van Bergen earned one start as a redshirt freshman in 2008 and ended the year with 13 tackles. In 2009 Van Bergen did move to the interior of the line and played very well, totaling 40 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. In 2010 Van Bergen was back at the end spot and was usually the only Michigan player that got any consistent pressure on the opposing quarterback.
Final Projection:
Van Bergen is an interesting prospect because of his versatility. Where he ends up in the NFL remains to be seen, but he can be a very quick defensive tackle if he gains some weight or a strong defensive end who has enough speed to get around some offensive tackles. Van Bergen’s athleticism and size is also prevalent in his pass coverage ability. He has surprisingly good hands for a defensive lineman and can drop back into coverage better than most ends and just about any tackle.
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