Scherff ranked NFL’s third best IOL in ESPN’s league-wide survey originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
In 2020, guard Brandon Scherff accomplished something no Washington Football Team player had in the past 23 seasons: the 29-year-old was named first-team All-Pro.
Now, Scherff’s excellent play has earned him league-wide respect, too.
In an anonymous survey conducted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who spoke to over 50 players, executives, coaches and scouts, Scherff was ranked as the NFL’s third-best interior offensive lineman, only behind Indianapolis’ Quenton Nelson and Dallas’ Zack Martin.
Scherff is coming off his best season as a professional. He started 13 games for Washington in 2020 — his most since 2017 — and was the clear leader of the offensive line. He excelled in the run game with a 75.7% block win rate, per ESPN, and proved to be one of the best guards in pass protection as well.
“Great puller and very good in the run game,” an NFL coordinator told ESPN. “I’d probably put him behind those two [Nelson and Martin] in pass pro.”
Scherff was franchise tagged by Washington this offseason for a second consecutive year and is not expected to sign a long-term deal with the club prior to the 4 p.m. deadline on July 15, per reports. The former Iowa star will earn $18 million this fall, the most of any guard, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
The 29-year-old has repeatedly said he wants to play his entire career in Washington. Now, it’s up to both sides to try and make that happen.
“I’ve been here 6 years and I absolutely love it here,” Scherff said in January once the season ended. “We are building something here to absolutely make a run in the future.”