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Tight Ends
This year's class of Tight Ends is remarkably lackluster, even after the early entrees of Miami's Greg Olsen and Arizona State's Zach Miller, both of whom immediately became the top two players at the position upon declaring. But as NFL offenses continue to expand by the day and increase the inclusion of the Tight End as both a downfield threat and a safety valve for the Quarterback, there is little question that a handful of tight ends will still be chosen fairly high. Needless to say, there was money to made at the Combine for these tight ends.
The next great Miami Tight End?
-In recent years there has been a "dynasty" of sorts formed by the amount of pro players that the University of Miami has produced, but it extends more specifically to their tight ends. Their last 4 starting tight ends--Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow, and Kevin Everett--have all been drafted on the 1st day of the draft; Everett being the only one not chosen in the 1st round. With that stigma comes pressure for the next guy in the blood line, Miami's Greg Olsen, to live up to those standards. Olsen's production was a bit of a disappointment down the stretch, but that was due in large part to an insufficient passing game overall at UM the last few years. At an imposing 6'5" and 254 pounds, Olsen clocked in with an impressive 4.51 40 time, which was easily the best at his position. He also stood out in the receiving drills, showing great hands and unbelievable body control for a man of his size. He'll still need to improve as a blocker, but all other questions about him were answered. Coming into the Combine the Tight End position was a jigsaw puzzle, but it isn't any longer; Greg Olsen has clearly established himself as the #1 TE and may climb into the top 20 picks.
-On the other end of the spectrum was Arizona State's Zach Miller, whose fastest time was a very disappointing 4.89. Nicknamed "The Truth" by his ASU teammates for his impeccable ability to make amazing plays when it mattered, the 6'4", 256 pound Miller also struggled mightily in the receiving drills, much to everyone's surprise. This may unfortunately be a case of a certain player's "Combine Jitters" over-shadowing the great 3 year career he had on the playing field, and hurting his stock. My personal opinion of Zach Miller is that you can throw out these Combine numbers and turn on the tape, because you'll find a dynamic athlete with consistent playmaking ability and the size and mean-streak to succeed as a blocker. Hopefully some league front offices will be smart enough to see this as well, or else Zach Miller will be a 3rd round pick who belongs much higher.
-A player I have been keeping tabs on as a sleeper at the Tight End position is Delaware's Ben Patrick, a transfer from Duke University. Playing the majority of your career at a school like Delaware won't get you much publicity, but Patrick was able to make a name for himself during the Senior Bowl when he was a very late addition to the game. He adapted incredibly well in such a short amount of time, and ended up being one of the only competent blockers on the South squad. Running a 4.74 at 6'3" and 252 pounds won't have anyone mistaking you for Vernon Davis, but speed and quickness are not what makes Ben Patrick a good prospect. What makes him a good prospect is that he's a wide-bodied, extremely polished blocker who can practically serve as a 3rd offensive tackle in both pass protection and run blocking. He was not often used as a receiving option during his career but has flashed enough athleticism that he can contribute there down the road. He compares favorably to former 1st round pick and current New England Patriot Daniel Graham. Expect to see Ben Patrick off the board in the 3rd or 4th round.
-It is enough of a miracle for small school and division 2 prospects just to make it to the Combine, and it is always rewarding to see them take advantage of the opportunity. Well, how about a Division-3 prospect from Whitworth College getting a Combine invite? Whitworth's Michael Allan, a D3 prospect with only one year of football experience did the un-thinkable and hopefully opened the door for many players like him in the future by getting his Combine invitation. He didn't disappoint, showing up at an impressive 6'6" and 255 pounds, running a very solid 4.70 40, and launching a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump. If there is one advantage to a player like Michael Allan being in Division-3, it is that D3 coaches know when they have a legitimate prospect and therefore spend a lot of time and energy on giving him the best coaching possible. Despite the level of competition, despite the lack of experience, despite any other chip you could stack against him... Michael Allan is a developmental prospect who might just hear his name get called in the 4th or 5th round of the draft.
-Another small school prospect trying to take advantage of a limited tight end class was Missouri Western State's Gijon Robinson. As you may have guessed, Missouri Western State isn't exactly known as being a football power house, but Robinson got his combine invite and fared rather well. With a 4.71 in the 40, a 9'8" broad jump, and a 7.23 in the three cone it showed some solid athleticism for the stocky 6', 255 pound Robinson. He also participated in some of the fullback drills, with his blocking skills and size suggesting he will get a look at H-back at the next level. Gijon Robinson may not even get drafted, but these type of versatile hard workers tend to find a way into the glitz and glam of the NFL. |
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