Overcoming adversity has been a theme for Appleton North graduate Evan Beerntsen.
The former Lightning football player had a solid collegiate career at South Dakota State and last year at Northwestern as an offensive lineman and is in position to be a late-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
His journey to a potential NFL career wasn’t easy according to Appleton North coach Rob Salm, who had glowing words to say about his former player.
“Evan is the ultimate example of what happens when elite work ethic meets perseverance,” Salm said. “During his senior year at Appleton North, battling through [mononucleosis] at such a critical recruiting juncture caused him to be overlooked by many. But it never shook his resolve. He went from being a zero-star prospect with a single offer to becoming a dominant force in college football.”
Beerntsen earned first-team all-Valley Football Association honors his senior season at Appleton North in 2018. He redshirted his first year at South Dakota State, then saw action in four games when the Jackrabbits played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a medical redshirt in the fall of 2021 due to a shoulder injury, Beerntsen finally settled in and became a three-year starter in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He moved on to Northwestern as a graduate student and started 13 games for the Wildcats last fall, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention. He allowed zero sacks or quarterback hits throughout the season and his 80.2 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 11th in the country for guards and fourth among Big Ten guards.
Beerntsen measured 6 feet, 3½ inches and 301 pounds at the NFL combine in late February. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.25 seconds, had a 1.82-second 10-yard split and a vertical jump of 32.5 feet. He’s projected to be a Day 3 pick by numerous draft prognosticators, including The Athletic, Pro Football Focus and NFL.com.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein said some of Beerntsen’s strengths include his “good feel for angles” in the run game, his strength and “strain” at the point of attack, his ability to reset after striking bull rushers, and his agile and quick feet to recover across his gap in protection.
Zierlein adds Beernsten, along with his advanced age, lacks ideal size and length for an NFL lineman and that he needs to have a more consistent approach with his hand placement.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler also has Beerntsen as a Day 3 pick, possibly in the fifth or sixth round.
“Beerntsen needs to be more consistent with his sustain skills, but he is a mean, aggressive blocker with functional quickness and toughness,” Brugler wrote. “Although his lack of positional versatility works against him, he will be ready to compete for a backup role from day one.”
Salm said it has been exciting to watch Beerntsen’s development.
“Watching his growth – first as he exploded onto the scene over his final three years at South Dakota State, and then proving his talent at the highest level with an exceptional year at Northwestern – has been fun to watch,” Salm said. “Evan has always possessed a rare combination of natural athleticism and an elite work ethic. Beyond the stats, he has remained an exceptional teammate, extremely humble and a leader who represents our program’s core values.
“The entire North community is incredibly proud of him. We are excited to see his years of hard work culminate at the NFL draft this weekend.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton North grad Beerntsen likely Day 3 pick in NFL Draft
Reporting by Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
