An experienced and versatile offensive lineman, can Nebraska offensive tackle Brenden Jaimes hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft?
Brenden Jaimes NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Offensive Tackle
- School: Nebraska
- Current Year: Senior
- Height: 6’5 1/2″
- Weight: 300 pounds
- Wingspan: 81 1/8″
- Arms: 32 3/4″
- Hands: 10″
Tony Paulines’s Brenden Jaimes Scouting Report
Positives: Versatile offensive lineman who was used at guard and tackle. Quickly gets into blocks, stays square, and works his hands throughout the action. Patient, keeps his head on a swivel, and possesses outstanding vision. Properly places his hands into opponents and rides them from their angles of attack. Makes great use of angles and body positioning to seal defenders from the action. Starts with good knee bend, plays with a nasty attitude, and attacks assignments. Also works well with linemates and shows excellent recognition.
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Negatives: Bends at the waist and overextends, which hurts his balance. Lacks great footwork off the edge. Not a natural knee bender and does not sink his butt at the line of scrimmage.
Analysis: Jaimes was a terrific blocker for Nebraska and had three outstanding days of practice at the Senior Bowl. Though he’s not the greatest athlete, he gets the most from his ability, has a feel for blocking, and also comes with the versatility to line up at several positions. He’s a Day 3 pick who could be a steal and eventually develop into a starter at the next level.
Brenden Jaimes Player Profile
Brenden Jaimes began his football journey at the same Texas high school that produced former number one overall pick, Baker Mayfield. At Lake Travis High School, he made a name for himself as the anchor of the offensive line. Even as a sophomore he was attracting attention, earning an All-District honorable mention.
His junior and senior seasons were incredibly successful. Lake Travis went 30-2 over two years, ending his junior season as state runners up before clinching a Class 6A Division I title as a senior.
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A Second Team All-State honoree as a junior, Jaimes was named the District Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior. He helped the Lake Travis offense to an average of over 500 yards per game. In addition to flexing his strength on the football field, he was twice a regional finalist in the discussion.
A three-star recruit and the 44th offensive tackle in the class, there was only ever one destination for him. Despite offers from multiple programs, he only ever took a visit to one school. He committed to Nebraska in April 2016, enrolling as a Cornhusker a little over a year later.
Brenden Jaimes’ college football career at Nebraska
Four years and 40 starts later, Brenden Jaimes heads to the NFL Draft as one of the most experienced Nebraska offensive tackles of all-time. However, he very nearly didn’t play at all as a freshman.
The Nebraska coaches considered a redshirt year, but he went on to become only the fifth true-freshman offensive tackle starter in Nebraska history. Furthermore, with nine starts at right tackle, he now holds the record for true-freshman starts by a Cornhuskers’ offensive lineman.
After being named as an Honorable Big Ten All-Freshman at right tackle, he switched to left tackle for his sophomore season. Displaying valuable versatility, he helped protect the blindside as Nebraska had its first 1,000-yard receiver in program history. Jaimes earned a spot on the Honorable All-Big Ten Team after the program also recorded its first 1,000-yard rusher since 2014.
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Following his success at left tackle as a sophomore, Jaimes remained there for the rest of his Nebraska career. As a junior in 2019, he was named the team’s Offensive MVP in a year that the program put together their most total yards in a conference game. Once again, he’d earn an Honorable All-Big Ten mention, a feat he would accomplish again as a senior.
Despite the disruption of the 2020 college football season, Jaimes added another eight starts to his résumé. His 40th and final start put him just one game shy of the program record.
Prior to the final game of the season, Nebraska offensive tackle Brenden Jaimes opted out to focus on the 2021 NFL Draft but first received an invite to the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Brenden Jaimes’ best fits in the 2021 NFL Draft
A relatively under-the-radar prospect prior to the Senior Bowl, Nebraska offensive tackle Brenden Jaimes increased his 2021 NFL Draft stock in Mobile. He impressed Pro Football Network’s team on the ground in Mobile, showcasing well-timed hands and functional play strength. Meanwhile, he lined up at guard throughout the week to showcase his versatility.
His experience and versatility will prove attractive to a team looking to address the offensive line later on. His ability to take snaps at guard in Mobile points to his potential use in the NFL where he could be influential in the ground game. Some teams that would be a good fit include the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, and the Miami Dolphins.
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Oliver Hodgkinson is a staff writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.