Wisconsin’s lineman lineage a point of pride for Havenstein
July 31, 2018 | Football, Mike Lucas
Alums proud of how current O-line is living up to Badgers’ tradition in the trenches
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Rob Havenstein was raised some 800 miles from Camp Randall Stadium in a suburban Maryland community north of Washington, D.C., and west of Baltimore.
But he had already taken the pulse of the football program before setting foot on campus. He knew of the tradition/reputation/legacy. And he wanted to help sustain it, if he could.
"Wisconsin has a great lineage of offensive linemen and that drew me in the first place, coming from high school," said Havenstein, a native of Mount Airy, Maryland.
"You see some of the greats who have come through here ...
"Joe Thomas had one of the best careers you could have as an offensive tackle ...
"There's definitely pride when you put on that W ..."
For the first time since Havenstein was a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, he returned to Madison this summer to take part in the Legends of Wisconsin golf outing at University Ridge.
"It's great to see a lot of friendly faces," he said, "and catch up on what guys are doing."
The guys are doing fine, he learned. Particularly along the O-line.
While Havenstein was starting at right tackle during his senior year, Beau Benzschawel and Michael Deiter were redshirting as true freshmen. David Edwards was then a prep quarterback in Illinois.
As they have evolved, Benzschawel, Deiter and Edwards earned All-America honors in 2017.
After going through the evaluation process (the NFL Draft Advisory Board), the trio's return in 2018 has elevated the expectations for the position group to almost unprecedented heights.
Athlon Sports and Lindy's has the Badgers No. 1 in their offensive line unit rankings, ahead of Alabama. Nearly every preseason magazine/web site/blogger has given them top billing.
"I'm looking forward to watching them this year," Havenstein said. "They're going to be a dominant O-line, I have no doubts about that. They're great players and great kids."
The 26-year-old Havenstein is about to come of age as a pro athlete. This is his contract year with the Los Angeles Rams. At the end of the season, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
"I loved my time here, it prepared me well and I'm just thankful," he said of his UW education on the line of scrimmage. "I thought I was very ready for a professional style offense."
Whereas Havenstein redshirted as a freshman, allowing him to develop at his own pace, he was thrust into the Rams starting lineup as a rookie, ready or not, in the 2015 opener.
"It was pretty surreal," he admitted, "just being in there."
That was especially true since the Rams, playing out their final season in St. Louis, were matched against the Seattle Seahawks, fresh off back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
Needless to say, Havenstein had his hands full with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett.
"Obviously two great caliber guys," he said. "I'd like to think I held my own, but I don't want to go back and watch the tape just because I think that I'd cringe a little bit watching it now.
"With your first start in the NFL, you've got the butterflies. But it's still football and I told myself, 'There's a reason I'm here; I'm a good player."'
At Wisconsin, Havenstein blocked for Montee Ball, James White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement. With the Rams, he's now opening holes for Todd Gurley, the highest paid runner in the NFL.
"I've been pretty fortunate to have good running backs behind me," said Havenstein with a wry smile. "They make us look a little better when we really don't deserve it."
Quarterback Jared Goff, who guided the Rams to a 11-5 record last year, understands the value of a stout offensive line. Havenstein, meanwhile, can't say enough good things about Goff.
"His arm talent is unbelievable and what he has going on in-between his ears is also unbelievable," Havenstein said. "He's the leader of our team and it wasn't given to him.
"He earned it through his work ethic."
Havenstein can relate to that formula since it spurred him on to a strong 2017 season.
"We were a very connected locker room," he said. "Our coaching staff did a good job of putting us in good situations. Our head coach (Sean McVay) is a super smart guy with awesome schemes."
Outside of missing three weeks with an injury his rookie year, Havenstein has started 43 of 43 games for the Rams. His goal now is become more consistent from snap to snap, week to week.
Rob Havenstein answers your questions about @BadgerFootball and Led Zeppelin#AskARam with @robhavenstein78 📲 | https://t.co/eYvKedUAHa pic.twitter.com/828HUqIxdt
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 5, 2016
Durability has not been a question for the 6-foot-8, 328-pound Havenstein.
It's a trait that he shares with many other former UW offensive linemen in the NFL.
Center Travis Frederick has started 80 of 80 games with Dallas; guard Kevin Zeitler 87 of 88 with Cincinnati and Cleveland; and tackle Rick Wagner 58 of his last 59 with Baltimore and Detroit.
And, then, of course, there's Thomas, who started all 167 with the Browns before he was sidelined by an elbow injury that, along with bad knees, led to his retirement in March.
"When I talked to our scouts in Cleveland, and other coaches in NFL and we talk about Wisconsin guys," said Thomas, "they always talk about it being like a cookie cutter mold here.
"NFL coaches know what they're going to get, and they feel comfortable drafting those guys because they also know what it takes to be a Wisconsin offensive lineman."
There are just certain things that you're going to get from a Badger-bred lineman.
"He's tough," Thomas said. "He's physical; he loves the weight room; he's smart, he's dedicated to the game and he's durable. Those are all the things that you'd want in an offensive lineman.
"It seems that Wisconsin just keeps producing them. I know I have a lot of pride in being one of those guys. And I know there's a long history before I got there.
"Hopefully this legacy will continue and they'll keep pumping out great players because the guys who are there right now are benefiting from that reputation of the guys who came before them.
A few years ago, Thomas was a sounding board for left tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who ultimately made the decision to skip his final year of college eligibility and enter the draft.
Ramczyk was a first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints and started all 16 games as a rookie – yet another example of the durability link to Badgers products.
This offseason, Thomas visited with Edwards, who has returned for his redshirt junior year.
"My advice is always the same," Thomas said. "I just try to give them a realistic idea of what's going to happen and what the potential pitfalls are.
"Sometimes a college athlete has an agent who has his own best interests at heart and he may be telling them some information that may not be exactly true.
"I just lay it out for them and give them as much information as I can to let them make the best decision that they can."
Thomas doesn't sugar-coat. But he does speak from the heart.
In the end, he leaves them with one takeaway.
"Look, you have your whole life to work," he tells them. "Some of the best memories I made during my football career was in college with my friends.
"I don't think you'll ever have the friendships and relationships that you have currently on the Badger football team, no matter what team you play for in the NFL.
"Whether this is your last year, or second to last, make the most of it. Enjoy every day. Embrace the opportunity. Embrace the friendships because pretty soon you'll be going your separate ways.
"You'll keep in contact, but it will never be the same as it is right now."
Havenstein has stayed in touch with some of his former teammates/linemates, including Frederick, Wagner and Ryan Groy, who has found ways to survive in the choppy NFL waters.
"We all had the same work ethic and went through the same things together," Havenstein said. "You spend so much time together and we're all kind of cut from the same cloth."
That which is woven into the fabric of Wisconsin's offensive line culture.
