Building your draft board position by position - week 6: Tight End

[Box_O_Rocks]

We're halfway through the draft board building process;
Week 1: DL (Base 3-4 DEs and NTs) - completed
Week 2: OC/OG - completed
Week 3: WR - completed
Week 4: CB - I'm still working on this one
Week 5: LB - completed
Week 6: TE
Week 7: OT
Week 8: S/STs
Week 9: RB/FB
Week 10-11: Put together a final board based on your position boards.
April 29 - draft day!

Linebacker got a lot of discussion going, but I would ask folks to be a little patient with each other's views. This is a chance to learn and have some fun, if you disagree with a view, take a deep breath or wait to reply when your sober. Ignorance hurts no one in this situation, we have been blessed that most of the crap stirrers are too busy spanking their smarter minds to be bothered with the draft forum. Thank you.

Tight End is an interesting position with Fauria's signing to Washington and Graham a UFA next year. NE is looking for athletic, stong TEs who are willing to block (not great, but willing), aggressive when the ball is in the air, capable of adding yards after the catch (YAC) and have soft hands.

Have fun!

 

[dryheat44]

We're halfway through the draft board building process;


Have fun!

1. Leonard Pope
2. Joel Klopfenstein
3/4. Tim Day, David Thomas
4/5. Cooper Wallace

And some late round/UDFA possibilities:

Owen Daniels Wisconsin
Troy Bieneman Washington State
Jeff King Virginia Tech
Quinn Sypniewski Colorado
Jason Pociask Wisconsin
Greg Estandia UNLV


Those are the TEs I have on my board. I really like Clark Harris (Rutgers) if we wait until next year and fill this year's hole with a FA type.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

It seems like BB takes a QB and at least 1 TE in every draft. We currently have 2 #1 picks on the team. Not many teams can say that. BB has been wanting to use the 2 WR, 2 TE and 1 RB set ever since he got here, but something always prohibits him from using it. Last season the failure of the OL was accutely problematic, especially after they got Dillion nearly decapitated.
Graham brings devastating blocking to the table, but can also make plays on intermediate routes and in the red/end zone. Watson can stretch defenses with his speed, is a willing blocker and started to play better toward the end of last season.
Tendency: BB has been known to use LBs at TE, especailly near the goal line.
Fauria was not much of a blocker, but was noted for making catches in the end zone. Note Fauria's decline in end zone production happened to coincide with the Vrabel's rise in use in end zone situations. I'm not thinking that was a coincidence.
Replacing Fauria would have us looking at a lite blocking, good hands in traffic kind of TE.
For that reason I remained intrigued by Scheffler, especially on day 2.
I think that Fassano's fumbling problems and the rumors of troubles with Weiss, make it very unlikely that BB will draft him.
Another guy that intrigues me is Byrd of USC. When you watch him on film, he looks like a 2nd round pick, but his measurables say 5th round pick.

PS: Harris of Rutgers is also a very good long snapper, talk about killing two birds with one TE. If he can put on a little weight, get stronger and a little faster, he'll be a whale of a pick next year. Also the FB for Rutgers is another solid prospect for the 2007 draft.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Before Free Agency started I was considering a first day TE as a good value for the team. But the report of a third procedure on Light's leg and the Free Agency carousel is starting to lean me towards 2nd day or picking through the UDFA options.

1st day prospects:

Joe Klopfenstein 6'5" 255 4.62 Colorado: I liked his play in the Senior Bowl and the write-ups say he is a more balanced receiver/blocker then any of the other first day prospects not named Vernon Davis.

Leonard Pope 6'7'5" 258 4.62 Georgia: The write-ups state he is following in the shoes of Ben Watson, and considering how much Ben needs to learn about blocking (and how much he improved from the start of the season) I think that may be the case. A concern besides the blocking is getting a strong release off the line. Most mocks rate him higher then Klopfenstein, but for all around readiness to play TE for the Pats, I have to bump him down.

Marcedes Lewis 6'6" 261 4.84 UCLA: Another TE who may struggle with his release off the line, but he is rated a first round value for his receiving. He is a willing if shaky blocker.

Tony Scheffler 6'5" 264 4.54 Western Michigan: His speed at the Combine jumped him to a first day grade. He needs to work on strength and blocking, but they all do.


2nd Day:

Quinn Sypniewsk 6'7" 265 4.8 Colorado: Considered to be as well balanced as his counterpart, with a slight edge in his blocking. He leads off the second day list because of his blocking.

Tim Day 6'3.5" 256 4.78 Oregon: A little shorter then desired, he is a nice possession TE who demonstrated his ability to get open and make critical first downs and TDs in the Shrine Game. He is considered to be a decent blocker, though I didn't see much of that from his play at the Shrine Game.

Jeff King 6'5" 248 4.8u Virginia Tech: Had some nice blocks in the Hula Bowl. Reported to have decent hands.

Cooper Wallace 6'5" 263 4.78u Auburn: Reported to be a decent blocker who didn't get used much in the passing game. Made one sweet play on a seam route in the Shrine Game with a nice YAC.

David Thomas 6'3" 245 4.67 Texas: Good receiver, questionable blocker, some project him to H-back.

Greg Estandia 6'8" 255 4.85u UNLV: Good receiver, hit or miss blocker, may have some motivational issues.


UDFA:


Bob Docherty 6'5" 260 Wisconsin-Oshkosh: Wisconsin transfer who caught about the same number of passes/yardage at both schools. He did a nice job of blocking in the Hula Bowl, including a shot on 320-ish lb Gerald Anderson of Georgia that sent him wobbling.

Ryan Hamby 6'5" 255 Ohio State: Most of the sites I visited didn't list him.

Tyler Ecker 6'6" 250 4.85u Michigan: Reported to be a decent blocker, under utilized by the Michigan offense.

Matt Henshaw 6'4" 248 4.78 Florida State: He drew some flags in the Shrine Game, some for being too aggressive. Made some decent blocks, reported to be a good receiver.

David Feliciano 6'4" 250 4.5u Harding: Probably another Andy Stokes. (Stokes is in NFLE and was trying hard to block, I've seen worse from Watson).

Brando Twito 6'5.5" 276 4.82u Pittsburg State (KS): Got a strong write-up by Consensus Draft.

Zach Alcorn 6'4" 255 4.6u Black Hills State: Another Andy Stokes.

 

[DaBruinz]

A day 2 pick that I think would make a great #3 TE would be Matt Bernstein. I know he's listed as a fullback, but he's lined up like an H-back sometimes. He's a great blocker and has good hands and runs good routes. He's also surprisingly athletic. I watched him hurdle a linebacker that was trying to tackle him in a game 2 years ago. I think it would kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

[patsfan55]

A day 2 pick that I think would make a great #3 TE would be Matt Bernstein. I know he's listed as a fullback, but he's lined up like an H-back sometimes. He's a great blocker and has good hands and runs good routes. He's also surprisingly athletic. I watched him hurdle a linebacker that was trying to tackle him in a game 2 years ago. I think it would kill 2 birds with one stone.

my roomate used to be friends with him

anyway, i love vernon davis, but im sure everyone else does too
i would not be entirely surprised if he fell, and we moved up into the mid first rd to grab him, although it still is highly unlikely

i have a weird feeling about klopfenstein
we could get him in the second

either way, a te will be drafted
and prob somewhere from rd 2-rd5

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Update to my day two board:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/03/24/risers.sliders/index.html

David Thomas, TE, Texas: He was exceptional, putting on a pass-catching performance after completing 21 reps on the bench. Thomas also improved his status by proving to scouts his ability as a deep snapper.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

bump......

 

[Flying Fungi]

bump......