Bryce Boettcher Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Jonathan Suni/Daily Emerald)

School: Oregon

Class: Redshirt Senior

Position: LB

HT: 6’1

WT: 233 lbs

Background: Bryce Boettcher played football, basketball, and baseball for South Eugene High School in Oregon. As a football player, he was recruited as a quarterback and was a top 25 player in the state. As a senior in 2019, Boettcher was named first team all-league as a defensive back and honorable mention as a quarterback. He was also a top 10 baseball player in Oregon and chose to stay in Eugene to play both baseball and football.

College: Boettcher was a dominant center fielder for the baseball team, becoming one of the better outfielders in the nation. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Boettcher didn’t join the football team until his redshirt sophomore year in 2022 as a walk on. He only played special teams in a year where he was still getting acclimated to his team and role. Bryce appeared in every game in 2023, finishing with 37 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and a sack. In 2024, Boettcher was an All-Big 10 Second Team selection and Burlsworth Trophy winner. After starting every game that season, he led the team with 94 tackles and also contributed 8 TFLs. In 2025, Boettcher finished with 104 tackles and 4 TFLs, good enough to be named All-Big 10 Second Team again.

Strengths: Bryce Boettcher embodies the traditional hard-nosed mindset of a linebacker. He can be seen communicating pre-snap reads every play. Bryce is a true captain and leader of the defense. He has the mentality to get involved and impose his will on every rep. Once Boettcher recognizes the run, he triggers downhill quickly to get to the ball carrier and make a tackle. Bryce knows when to trigger as well. He understands where and when to attack the gap and how he can take the best route to the backfield. He is a difficult landmark for offensive linemen to hit in open space and can avoid down blocks when defending the run. He uses that multi-sport athleticism to allow him to go from sideline to sideline. In coverage, Bryce roams the intermediate areas like a center fielder. His movement skills allow him to shrink throwing windows and make it difficult for quarterbacks to deliver a strike in the area.

Weaknesses: The biggest concerns with Boettcher are his age and his size. He will be 24 years old when the season starts. He will have less time to develop and may be closer to his true ceiling than other players at the position. He is also shorter than ideal for a MIKE linebacker and his arms only came in at 31 ¼” at the combine. He does not deliver the violence in his hits that you want from his playstyle. He is not as strong as he needs to be and his lack of upper body strength prevents him from being an effective blitzer. He can really only pressure the quarterback when he shoots a gap. He cannot initiate contact in the phone booth and deconstruct blocks.

Conclusion: Bryce Boettcher is a leader of the defense and will command the respect of his teammates immediately. He leads by example and will be the hardest worker on the team. His age, lack of strength, and lack of size are all working against him. However, he can use his athleticism and football IQ to carve out a role in the NFL.

Best Team Fits: LVR, LAC, NO

Player Comparison: Jeffrey Bassa

Player Grade: Round 3 (70.1)