Interview: Memphis 2018 LT Ryan Winkel is Building upon His Dominating Ways

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

Speed and size always stands out on the gridiron at the high school level. The talent pool is spread thin across the country with few players able to match the speed of a skill guy running in the 4.4 40-yard dash range or a lineman coming in at 6-foot, 6-inches, and 280 pounds. The physical characteristics can lead to dominance, but does that mean said player truly is a next level talent? In the case of Class of 2018 left tackle Ryan Winkel – yes, it does.

The scouting report for Winkel reads well above his peer group across the board. From size to speed, technique, understanding of the game, and just enough nastiness to demoralize the opposition game after game for four quarters, Winkel seemingly has all the potential needed to be a starting left tackle at the collegiate level in the near future.

Winkel improved upon his skillset during his junior season with Christian Brothers High School making the move to Memphis after suiting up with Bearden High School in Knoxville at the varsity level during his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Tennessee talent plays with great pad level for someone his height and age range. He also finishes blocks and does a great job of using his hands. The left tackle is something akin to a switch hitter in baseball taking the field as a left-hander. With his dominate hand on the left-side, power and speed rushers coming off the edge have very little chance against Winkle.

The lower division play for Christian Brothers, Division-II 2A, has not slowed college scouts from seeking out the left tackle and his upside. Nine offers have been submitted for Winkel’s approval coming from Central Florida, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Tennessee-Martin, and Central Arkansas. For now, Central Florida maybe the headline winner in scholarship offers extended but the list could quickly grow with squads like Ole Miss, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi State, among others, all showing interest.

To find out about more about one of Tennessee’s fastest rising prospects, I sat down with Winkel for a one-on-one covering his high school career to date, recruiting process, and his off-season workouts.

Interview

Ryan, where did you play football during your sophomore season?

“My freshman and sophomore season I played at Bearden High School in Knoxville. My film from those seasons were deleted. I just have my junior year film now.”

How did your freshman and sophomore seasons go on the field?

“My freshman year, we started off with a new coach. We went 1-9. I played in six games that year. My sophomore year we had a winning season. We made it to the playoffs. I was first team honorable mention 6A.”

What was your first taste of varsity ball like?

“My first varsity game was against Heritage, that was total shock. I was amazed how much faster the game was than freshman or junior varsity ball.”

How did your first season with Christian Brothers go for you?

“It was great. I started every game. I made first team All-Region and All-Conference. I was really developing into my body. I was taking in all the new coaching and plays and converting it to my play on the field.”

The Purple Wave lines up in an I-formation, what other formations does the offense run?

“We do a lot of shotgun too. We are a counter power-run team. We don’t usually throw the ball a whole lot.”

What style of blocks are you asked to execute within the offense?

“Mainly zone blocking.”

Watching your reel, are you left-handed?

“Yes, sir.”

How much does that help you lining up at left tackle against speed rushers coming off the edge?

“Being left handed helps my reaction time, much better than right-handers. I can react faster. If the defender comes inside or outside of me, I’ve got him.”

What areas of your game are your strengths?

“I would say my athleticism. I can get out and run in the open field. My hand placement and kick stepping on run and pass blocking are strengths.”

What are you working on this off-season?

“I’m trying to get my foot speed up and increase my quickness off the ball. I’m working on all my blocking steps for the upcoming season.”

Do you work with an offensive line coach outside of school to help perfect your craft?

“No. We work three times a week with our own line coach at Christian Brothers.”

Have you maxed out in the weight room this spring?

“Just on bench. My bench is 295.”

Which schools are showing recruiting interest in you but have not offered you yet?

“Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Arkansas State, Arkansas, and Tennessee.”

How many offers do you have right now?

“I have nine offers.”

After the interview, Winkel received offers from Tennessee-Chattanooga and UMass.

Which schools have you taken unofficial visits to so far?

“Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi State.”

What have you learned from the visits taken about college football or college life in general?

“I have learned that study time is very important in college. You have to have enough time set aside to get all your work done.”

I agree. Do you have any visits planned coming up?

“No.”

Do you know which college camps you may attend this summer?

“I am going to Ole Miss, MSU, South Carolina, and Duke camps.”

What is your cumulative GPA?

“3.5.”

Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet?

“I scored a 25 on the ACT.”

Nice. Do you know which degree you want to pursue in college?

“Business.”

Back to your team. The Purple Wave has lost to Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville) 35-14 in the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. Is the Big Red squad now the biggest rival for your team?

“They are not our biggest rival but they are a rival. Memphis University is our biggest rival. Montgomery Bell, they are a great team. We end up matching up against them come playoff time.”

How does the team look during spring practices so far, if you guys have started?

“We start spring practices next week. We start late.”

How have consecutive playoff losses against Montgomery Bell helped motivate the team this spring?

“This spring, we have only lost a couple of seniors off both sides of the ball. We have a lot of players back. We are focused on fine-tuning and getting great at our core plays. When the season comes and when we are in the playoffs, we will have a great array of plays to use to come up with wins.”

Ryan, thanks for your time today and good luck with your upcoming spring practices.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: Winkel family; Ryan Winkel at Tennessee with head coach Butch Jones (right)

Photo credit: Winkel family; Ryan Winkel at Vanderbilt

Photo credit: Winkel family; Ryan Winkel at Tennessee with offensive line coach Walt Wells