By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The wild ride Ben Bartch has been on these past few months is about to reach the finish line.

But the Saint John's University offensive tackle knows that just means the start of the next chapter in his already-remarkable journey.

The 6-foot-6, 309-pounder is expected to be drafted in this week's NFL Draft – possibly as high as the second or third round according to some projections. That would make him only the second MIAC player to achieve such a feat since the draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1994.

This year's draft – which will be held in a virtual environment because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – is scheduled to begin with the first round at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23. Rounds two and three will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, April 24, with rounds 4-7 starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 25.

The event will be broadcast by ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.

Bartch's selection would mark the culmination of a process in which his story has gained nationwide attention, but he's already looking forward to the hard work that lies beyond.

"There's excitement, definitely. And humbleness," said Bartch, who is back in St. Joseph with his roommates, completing classes at SJU online as a result of the current pandemic.

"I'm just trying to take it all in and experience it for what it is. I understand how fortunate and blessed I am to be here. This is something not many people get the chance to do, so I'm excited. But I'm ready to get going, too. I want to make the most of this opportunity I've been granted."

Bartch's story is now familiar to many beyond the SJU and MIAC fan base. The graduate of Blanchet Catholic School in Salem, Ore., arrived in Collegeville as a 230-pound tight end in the fall of 2016, then switched to tackle following his sophomore season.

Through a combination of hard work in the weight room and repeated consumption of a now-famous (or infamous) protein shake recipe (ingredients include seven scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, quick grits, peanut butter, bananas and Gatorade), he put on over 50 pounds and went on to start for two seasons – earning All-MIAC and All-America honors.

Bartch earned MIAC Lineman of the Year honors in 2019, while leading the Johnnies to a berth in the NCAA Division III semifinals. An invitation to the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl – the premiere all-star showcase for players from every level of college football – followed. 

His performance in the practices leading up to the game – played in Mobile, Ala., in January (an injury kept him out of the game itself) – turned the heads of many NFL scouts in attendance.

Now Bartch stands on the precipice of a rare achievement for a Division III player, though he has tried not to dwell on the attention and acclaim that have come his way, or the speculation over where he might be picked and by whom.

"I get sent a lot of that stuff by family and friends," he said. "But I don't look at Twitter and all that. My focus is on trying to get better every day and making sure I'm spending quality time training.

"I understand this would be a big achievement. But at the same time, I know it's only an initial foot in the door. It's just getting a job. The real task is keeping that job."

Stories from similar paths

One player who has done just that under similar circumstances is Ali Marpet, a former standout at Division III Hobart (N.Y.) College who has gone on to start 72 games for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers the past five seasons and has been selected as a team captain.

The 6-foot-4, 307-pounder also drew notice at the Senior Bowl in 2015 and was selected in the second round (the 61st pick overall) of that year's draft.

"I'm happy for him and the success he's had," Marpet said of Bartch. "We've reached out to each other and I've talked to him about what to expect. I want to see guys have success at the next level. And if there's any way I can support someone else coming from a Division III background, I want to help."

Marpet said an increased intensity level will be the biggest change Bartch is likely to encounter.

"For me, the biggest adjustment was the challenge you face on every rep and in every practice in the NFL," he said. "It's so much bigger than anything you experience at the Division III level.

"You have to be turned on and at your best on every single play. That's something different than most Division III players are used to. There are times in practice when you're as talented as Ben is that maybe you could take a play off and still be OK. You can't do that when you get into training camp. 

"But he has the talent and tools he needs to be successful at this level."

The last SJU player to sign with an NFL team was wide receiver Blake Elliott '03, who signed as a rookie free agent with the Minnesota Vikings after the draft had been completed in 2004. Wide receiver Evan Clark '17 participated in a minicamp with the Kansas City Chiefs and was briefly a member of the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2018.

Just nine Johnnies have ever been drafted, the last being defensive lineman Kurt Wachtler '74, who was selected by the Vikings in the 15th round in 1974. The highest previous SJU draft selection was tackle John McDowell '64, who was picked by Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round (125th overall) in 1964 and went on to a six-season professional career in the NFL and CFL.

But the last Johnnie to appear in an NFL regular-season game was running back Rick Bell '83, a Rocori (Minn.) High School graduate who played with the Vikings during the 1983 season and was one of the final players cut in training camp the following year.

Bell also said making the adjustment to the NFL can be a head-swiveling experience.

"Suddenly I was looking up and seeing guys I'd watched on TV," he said. "The Tommy Kramers, the Matt Blairs, the Scott Studwells. And now I'm on the same field as they are.

"The focus it takes to succeed really changes at that level. Especially when you have just four preseason games and however many practices to prepare. It's a make-or-break opportunity and you have to make the most of it."

Bell is confident Bartch can handle the change.

"I'm rooting for him," he said. "It's great to see a guy from the Division III level, and especially a guy from Saint John's, getting this opportunity. When you think of how many guys just at the Division I level don't make it this far, it's a really incredible achievement. I couldn't be more happy for him."

Pandemic means changes

Marpet said the adjustment is likely to be bigger for Bartch than it was even for him because of the restrictions and uncertainties now in place as a result of COVID-19.

"All the rookies this year will be at a disadvantage because of this," he said. "I was able to be in the building two weeks after I was drafted. But these guys will have to be doing virtual workouts and taking part in virtual meetings."

The pandemic has already altered Bartch's pre-draft process. He and teammate Jackson Erdmann '19 were scheduled to participate at the University of Minnesota's Pro Day in late March, but that event was cancelled. His meetings with NFL teams over the past month have taken place online instead of in person.

"You get on Zoom and it's a little awkward at the beginning," he said. "Sometimes the audio isn't working right away so you're seeing people, but they aren't able to hear you. But it gets worked out. Overall, I think it's all gone pretty well."

Bartch had expected to have plenty of friends and family on hand for the draft with a party to follow. But travel restrictions as a result of COVID-19 made that impossible.

"It's going to be pretty low-key with my roommates and I hanging out and enjoying the experience," he said of his draft plans. "And that's OK."

CSB/SJU pride

In the meantime, Bartch continues working out and completing the couple of psychology classes he has remaining – a routine not unlike that which his fellow SJU seniors are adjusting to with on-campus classes and events cancelled for the remainder of the spring semester.

"I'm incredibly grateful for all the support I've gotten from my teammates, my coaches and all the Saint John's fans," he said. "But my mindset is that I'm not any better than any of my fellow Bennies and Johnnies. I'm just doing something a little different.

"It's something not very many people have the chance to do. But there are so many incredible people at Saint John's and Saint Ben's doing incredible things. They all have amazing achievements of their own. And they should be celebrated too."