Three NFL fits for Michigan center Andrew Vastardis

Former Michigan center Andrew Vastardis started his journey with the program as a walk-on — but by the time he played his last down for the Wolverines he was a scholarship player, a two-time captain, and part of an offensive line that won the 2021 Joe Moore Award which goes to the best o-line in the nation.

The 6-foot-3, 294-pound Vastardis will have his work cut out for him once again if he’s to stick around in the NFL. Vastardis will have to add weight to his frame, and he’ll really need to impress and show he can be a piece of an offensive line rotation. His work ethic and football IQ will be attractive to NFL teams, but there’s no denying it’ll be an uphill battle.

Here are potential fits for Vastardis, who could be drafted in Round 7 or catch on with a team as an undrafted free agent.

Baltimore Ravens

Michigan and Baltimore fans know very well there’s a pipeline of sorts between the two destinations because Jim Harbaugh is Michigan’s head coach and his brother John Harbaugh is the Ravens head coach. They exchange staff members, ideas, and even schemes.

Baltimore’s rushing attack has similar wrinkles to that of Michigan, due to Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman formally serving as Jim Harbaugh’s coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. A team like Baltimore, who always is looking for more o-line depth in their run-heavy scheme, would make a lot of sense. There’s enough familiarity for Baltimore to give Vastardis a shot.

San Francisco 49ers

Another run-heavy team, another team that’s willing to think outside the box with how they evaluate offensive linemen. Stueber has the potential to play in packages that he can shift over to guard, and the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan certainly know how to maximize the utilization of their o-line depth. Stueber won’t be expected to be inserted into any starting lineup, but winding up on a practice squad like that of the 49ers would be a great place for him to get acclimated to the NFL.

Houston Texans

Perhaps no team has worse depth at nearly every position than the Texans. They won’t be competing for the playoffs in 2022, they likely will have a hard time keeping their quarterback upright. For someone just wanting a chance in the pros, landing with a porous team such as the Texans may represent one of the more realistic landing spots.