DETROIT, Mich. - Ben Bartch grew up in Oregon.
 
But the former Saint John's All-American offensive lineman – who is now going into his seventh NFL season – has always had deep roots in the Midwest.
 
Now his career path has led him back to the region. 
 
Bartch, who spent the past two-and-a-half seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, signed with the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent on March 25 and is expected to compete for a starting job in training camp later this year.
 
"It's a great opportunity for me and it's a winning culture," Bartch said of the chance to play for head coach Dan Campbell. "It felt like the best possible fit.
 
"I love the Midwest and the pace of life here," continued Bartch, whose parents, brother, grandmother and other extended family members now reside in Wisconsin. "I have a very loving and supportive family. I'll be a lot closer to a lot of them now and they'll be able to come to more of my games. I couldn't ask for a better situation."
 
It's the continuation of an impressive career for Bartch, who was just the 10th player in SJU program history to be selected in the NFL Draft and is the only former Johnnie to appear in a Super Bowl. He remains one of just a handful of former Division III players currently on NFL rosters.
 
"When I step back and look at where I am and how far I've come, I feel very blessed by all the opportunities God has afforded me and incredibly grateful to the people who've helped me along the way," he said. "I don't take any of this for granted. This league is not privileged to have you in it. You're privileged to be part of it. There's nothing that's owed to you. You have to continue working hard to earn your place. That's the mentality I've always tried to take."
 
Bartch continues to follow the Johnnies, including charting the progress of All-American wide receiver Dylan Wheeler, who earlier this month took part in a Pro Day at the University of Minnesota in front of over 70 NFL personnel.
 
"It's funny what a small world it is," Bartch said. "Dylan's agent (Damian Knight of Forever Athlete Management) was a friend of mine when I was in Jacksonville. He's a former Marine and a firearms instructor I had the chance to work with and get to know.
 
"He went on to get into the agent world and he texted me when he signed Dylan. It's been really fun to keep tabs on his progress and how he's doing."
 
For his part, Wheeler said Bartch's success is a source of inspiration to him as he pursues his own professional football aspirations, including hopefully earning a rookie mini-camp invitation with an NFL team.
 
"I'd say calling him as the North Star is the perfect description," said Wheeler, who currently lives in the same house that Bartch did during his time at SJU.
"He's a legend around here. Getting drafted and lasting as long as he has in the NFL is really impressive. It shows what can be possible, even if you come out of a smaller school like Saint John's."
 
Bartch, meanwhile, is excited to get started on the next chapter of his own career in Detroit.
 
"The NFL is a journey and you always have to be ready for the next adventure," he said. "I have a lot of things I still want to accomplish.
 
"Winning a Super Bowl is the biggest one. As a player, that's always the ultimate accomplishment. But no matter what happens, I just want to continue being at my best. When my career is done, I want to be able to say I left nothing on the table and I used all the gifts I've been given to the best of my abilities."