Drew Himmelman, OT, Illinois State
Money talks when it comes to undrafted free agent signings, and it speaks pretty loudly with former Illinois State offensive tackle Drew Himmelman.
The Denver Broncos clearly think highly of Himmelman, giving him a $25,000 signing bonus and $125,000 guaranteed part of his base salary, per Aaron Wilson.
Drew Himmelman, Illinois State offensive tackle, signed with the Denver Broncos for a $25,000 signing bonus and $125,000 of base salary guaranteed for a total of $150,000 guaranteed
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 4, 2021
Considering you used to be able to tell how much the Denver Broncos loved an undrafted player based on whether they got a $25,000 guarantee in general, it’s clear that George Paton and his scouts felt like Himmelman was borderline draftable based on those figures.
So what’s up with this guy?
Although he was listed at 6-foot-10 in college, Himmelman is a mere 6-foot-9 after official measurements were taken 323 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms.
He certainly has the size, but does he have what it takes on the field?
An All-American in 2019, Himmelman played only four games in the FCS’s abbreviated Spring 2021 season and opted out when it came time for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Second All-America honor of the week for @DrewHimmelman, this time from the @AP #REDBIRDfootball #RedbirdProud
— Illinois State Football (@RedbirdFB) May 13, 2021
📰: https://t.co/LkNK0e5ShE pic.twitter.com/RWPxgq2WAp
A former tight end, Himmelman is strong and powerful with the ability to get out in space and make blocks.
He’s a tremendous developmental option for offensive line coach Mike Munchak and the Denver Broncos to work with and based on the contract he was given after the draft, it would be shocking if he wasn’t at least a practice squad player for the Denver Broncos in 2021.