Wisconsin Football Standout Stole the Show at NFL Scouting Combine

Wisconsin football offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini set the NFL Scouting Combine ablaze with his remarkable athletic performance in Indy. 

Leading all offensive linemen, Bortolini shattered the combine record for centers with an astonishing time of 7.16 seconds in the three-cone drill, which Jason Kelce had previously held. This drill helps serve as a litmus test for key areas scouts evaluate, such as agility and acceleration. 

Additionally, Bortolini cruised through the 20-yard shuttle in a mere 4.28 seconds — the best of all linemen at this year’s combine. 

Of the offensive linemen who’ve participated since 2010, Bortolini stands among the elite, being one of only 28 to clock a time faster than 4.47 seconds in this crucial drill. From that group, 24 were drafted and went on to start 84% of their games, per Josh Norris of Underdog Fantasy.

Tanor Bortolini Showcased Elite-Level Athleticism at the NFL Combine

On top of the drills mentioned above that emphasized agility, explosiveness, change of direction, and acceleration, the Wisconsin football standout turned heads when he tied for the second-fastest 40-yard dash time among offensive linemen at 4.94 seconds.

Wisconsin OL Tanor Bortolini runs a 4.94 on his second attempt💨

pic.twitter.com/Y3GZCcMpm7

— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 3, 2024

Bortolini’s impressive performance didn’t go unnoticed. Bleacher Report analyst Ryan Fowler called him “an extremely impressive young man” on X and advocated for the Kewaunee native to move up in the draft rankings.

NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter even wrote about Bortolini as someone who impressed league decision-makers with their on-field performance.

“At 6-foot-4 1/4-inch, 303 pounds, Bortolini ran a 4.94-second 40 with an exceptional 1.69 10-yard split (and strong 32 1/2-inch vertical and 9-foot-4 broad jump),” Reuter wrote on March 3. “He also had the best time among offensive linemen in the 3-cone drill (7.16 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.28 seconds). In fact, Bortolini joined Jason Kelce as the only OL at the combine since 2003 to have a sub-4.3 20-yard shuttle and a sub-7.3 3-cone drill, per NFL Research.

“The two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selection looked like a professional center coming out of his stance during drills, snapping the ball and smoothly stepping in either direction. A coach on the field complimented his balance and body control in a pass protection drill. I agree with that assessment.”

In addition to his record-setting agility and speed, Bortolini showcased impressive vertical leap and broad jump performances, ranking 10th and tied for 11th, respectively, among linemen. According to Kent Lee Platte, his unprecedented relative athletic score of 9.97 places him sixth out of 1,434 guard prospects graded since 1987.

Tanor Bortolini is a OG prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.97 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 6 out of 1434 OG from 1987 to 2024.

Splits projectedhttps://t.co/PcsS2Kzfn4 pic.twitter.com/8DTXC0Sa5p

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 3, 2024

Wisconsin Football Career Helped Display Versatility and Consistency

Throughout his collegiate career with the Wisconsin football program, Bortolini demonstrated unmatched versatility and consistency regardless of where Badgers coaches asked him to line up. He appeared in 35 games for the Badgers across four seasons, starting 28 total.

Despite playing multiple positions, including guard, right tackle, center, and jumbo tight end, Bortolini maintained a high level of performance, earning accolades such as Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2022 and, more recently, Third-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2023.

As stated by Pro Football Focus, Bortolini allowed merely three sacks across 962 career pass-blocking snaps. He also graded out as an above-average — to elite player across each season he started for the Wisconsin football team, with particularly strong marks in pass-pro.

His ability to seamlessly transition between positions and deliver consistent results underscores his adaptability, athleticism, and football IQ, which could make him an invaluable asset to any NFL team.

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