Bernhard Raimann: Austria's football hope in the NFL duel!

Bernhard Raimann: Austria's football hope in the NFL duel!

Vienna, Österreich - on April 30, 2022, at 04:08 a.m., Bernhard Raimann was selected as the third player by the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL draft. With the 77th Pick, he represented a new milestone because he is the first Austrian player in the NFL since Toni Linhart and Björn Werner. His path to professional athlete began at the Vienna Vikings, where he started as a wide receiver.

As part of an exchange program in the USA, Raimann visited the Delton-Kellogg High School and finally received a scholarship at Central Michigan University. From 2018 to 2021 he played there for the Chippenwas, initially as a Tight End and later as an offensive tackle. In his last year of college he was included in the "Second team All-American" and "First Team All-Mac".

draft experiences

Raimann describes the night of the NFL draft as stressful, characterized by media appearances and a variety of expert opinions. Despite his ultimate selection, he was disappointed not to have been drafted in the first round. Before the draft, he had completed several interviews and training sessions with various NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots. The familiarity with Björn Werner, whose friendship goes back to her time together at the Vienna Vikings, appeared to him as support in this phase.

The Colts opted for Tyler Warren as a new Tight End in the first round. Raimann said positively about Warren and his skills, while at the same time reflecting the challenges that were created by the loss of two Lineman colleagues, Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. In addition, Daniel Jones was signed as a new quarterback, which is fueling the competition within the team.

sporting development and analysis

After his change from Wide Receiver to offensive Tackle, Raimann took a highlight in the 2021 season by starting all 12 games for the Chippenwas and was awarded the Mac Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. He is known as a reliable blocker with long arms, good agility and solid techniques in the passport and running block. According to NFLDRAFTBUZZ, he has an impressive athletics, such as a 450 pound of banking record.

Although he is praised, there are some weaknesses that he recognizes and on which he wants to work, in particular his lateral agility and the improvement of his hand technique. Despite these challenges, he is classified as a high -ranking second -round brochure, with potential to slide into the first round during combine.

personal attitude

The 23-year-old plans to work in the offseason on his passport and mobility. With regard to his fourth contract, he emphasizes that he wants to concentrate on the things he can control. Although money plays a role for him, he realizes that he is not above everything and that he does not necessarily want to be the best paid athlete. In the context of the International Player Pathway (IPP), he sees opportunities for German -speaking players, such as Leander Wiegand and Valentin Senn, who also took the step into the NFL, even if they have not been drafted.

Bernhard Raimann has clearly positioned itself that rankings, like those of Pro Football Focus, should not influence him, even though he is listed as one of the ten best offensive tackles. Its vision is to work continuously to be successful in the competitive environment of the NFL.