St. John's OT Bartch becomes first MIAC player selected in NFL Draft since 2003

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected St. John's offensive tackle Ben Bartch in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday, April 25. Bartch was the No. 116 pick overall.

Bartch is the first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player selected in the NFL Draft since 2003.

Gustavus wide receiver Ryan Hoag was the last MIAC played to be drafted. He was "Mr. Irrelevant" in 2003, the moniker given to the final player selected in the NFL Draft each season.

Former North Dakota State wide receiver Kole Heckendorf is the offensive coordinator at St. John's. Prior to the draft, Heckendorf compared Bartch to former Bison offensive lineman Joe Haeg, who is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bartch played his first two seasons at tight end with the Johnnies before moving to offensive tackle. The 6-foot-6, 308-pound Bartch was listed on the roster at 230 pounds during his freshman season with St. John's.

Bartch had this to say in early February during the lead up to the NFL Draft:

“Ultimately, my goal isn’t just to make the roster,” said Bartch, who is from Dayton, Ore. “It’s to be one of the best players at my position and the team goal of winning a championship.”

Bartch gained national attention for the smoothies he made to help with his weight gain at St. John's as he transitioned from tight end to offensive tackle.