Next best TE draft prospect?

[VrabelMayeWin]

I thought the tight end for Alabama looked really good...don't remember his name though or even if he is eligible this year.

Irv Smith - he declared.

 

[maineman209]

I think Hollister may be very good next year if healthy. May not need to draft a TE early.

Hard to know. His blocking was horrific as a rookie last year, and we didn't get a chance to see much of him this season. Even when healthy this season, his per-game snap counts on offense weren't significantly higher than last season, and his blocking didn't seem significantly improved from what I saw. His route-running and hands, maybe a bit.

OTOH, Izzo already seemed like a better blocker than Hollister in the pre-season, and not much different as a potential receiver.

I'm sure that both will stick around for the 2019 off-season, since they're cheap, but I'm not counting on either one of them to contribute significantly in the 2019 season, if they even make the roster.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Trade for George Kittle lol - that kid is a monster beast and is going to be for the next decade if healthy

Why would SF trade their best player? I would love kittle but doesn’t make sense from the niners perspective.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Why would SF trade their best player? I would love kittle but doesn’t make sense from the niners perspective.

check your sarcasm meter- might be broken - of course Kittle is going nowhere for years

 

[scott99]

I think Hollister will never be a factor. We need to draft a TE somewhere in the top 3 rounds. Gronk is gonna retire for sure. IF he shockingly doesn’t, he needs to redo his contract, he’s basically a shell of the Gronk we knew as a pass catcher. We need a PASS CATCHING TE. Fant would be my choice because he’s explosive as a pass catcher.

 

[long distance]

Trade for George Kittle lol - that kid is a monster beast and is going to be for the next decade if healthy

Unfortunately Bill traded the pick i have reserved for Kittle for O'Shagnasty . and no, im still not over it..

He can make amends w Iowa brother Hockenson this year . which means he probably won't (although he loves Iowa players and might bring more than one this year) . but this year it would be hard to miss on TE..

Depending on how they see the future with potential solid backups/#3TEs (Hollister, Anderson, Izzo) they might even double dip (or multi dip w some udfas)

 

[KyPatFan24]

As a Kentucky fan and Pats fan I'd like to see us go after CJ Conrad in the later rounds. Doesn't have off the charts stats because we didn't have a competent QB or offensive coordinator to get him the ball. Very good run blocker and doesn't drop passes. Has great size and athleticism for the position as well.

 

[maineman209]

I think Hollister will never be a factor. We need to draft a TE somewhere in the top 3 rounds. Gronk is gonna retire for sure. IF he shockingly doesn’t, he needs to redo his contract, he’s basically a shell of the Gronk we knew as a pass catcher. We need a PASS CATCHING TE. Fant would be my choice because he’s explosive as a pass catcher.

For the first six games of 2018 - before he hurt his back - Gronk wasn't a "shell" at all. He was on pace to reach nearly all of his incentives - which is to say, his per-game production was nearly identical to what it was in 2017.

Decent pass-catching college TEs who can't block to save their lives are fairly easy to come by, but they're virtually useless to the ground game and play-action. What the Pats roster needs more - if Gronk retires - is a very good inline blocking TE who can catch reasonably well.

 

[Snooky97]

Inline blocking? Not that easy at all, especially for a lot of the kids coming out of college these days who've never had to deal with it.

First, there's technique - understanding leverage, the footwork, countermoves to the moves DEs/LBs will use, etc. It's basically a version of what an offensive tackle needs to know for run-blocking and pass blocking.

Then, there's the protection calls - understanding where to be, who to block (and how), and how to adjust when things begin to breakdown or when the DL is running a stunt.

Asking a big, glorified college WR to learn all of that from scratch well enough to be trustworthy in pass-pro and the running game before the end of his rookie contract is a bit of an unrealistic expectation. Until then, instead of being a legitimate asset in the ground game - and, therefore, play-action game - he's just another WR trying to learn how to read coverages the same way that Brady does, and trying to learn all the routes and options - a tall order to begin with, considering how many WRs - rookies and vets - have failed at it.

BB himself has said on more than one occasion that TE is probably the most difficult position to learn in the Pats' offense for exactly these reasons.

That’s why I said I prefer them to have solid fundamentals in the blocking game. I don’t expect any TE to come out and Block like Allen and Gronk. There’s just no point in thinking that way.

If they have done it in college and have a solid foundation to build on I’m more comfortable with that, than just a TE who runs Routes which is why I have albert okwuegbunam a lot further down than most people do, because all he does is run Routes.

Noah Fant is a mismatch. Like I said he’s a WR in a TE body, but he can block he’s limited but he can. Give him a year of coaching and he will be a pro bowler.

Hockenson is the most all round TE in this draft. He can do everything. His blocking is better than most coming out of college and he can also be a threat in the passing game. Which is why I have him as my #1 TE in the draft. He’s everything you’d want in a first year TE

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Hmm..Fant is a wr in a TE body with limited blocking. A good comp would be Travis Kelce with less speed? Wheelman would hate the pick.

 

[BlueThunder]

As a Kentucky fan and Pats fan I'd like to see us go after CJ Conrad in the later rounds. Doesn't have off the charts stats because we didn't have a competent QB or offensive coordinator to get him the ball. Very good run blocker and doesn't drop passes. Has great size and athleticism for the position as well.

Is that you CJ ?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Why would SF trade their best player? I would love kittle but doesn’t make sense from the niners perspective.

Should have asked for Kittle in the Jimmy G trade

 

[KyPatFan24]

DK Metcalf is another intriguing prospect. A big WR that could be turned TE.

 

[scott99]

For the first six games of 2018 - before he hurt his back - Gronk wasn't a "shell" at all. He was on pace to reach nearly all of his incentives - which is to say, his per-game production was nearly identical to what it was in 2017.

Decent pass-catching college TEs who can't block to save their lives are fairly easy to come by, but they're virtually useless to the ground game and play-action. What the Pats roster needs more - if Gronk retires - is a very good inline blocking TE who can catch reasonably well.

While I’ll agree with you he was on a somewhat Gronkian pace, his last 4 games has been an an almost Hollister/Allen type pace. His blocking is invaluable though.

26 catches for 405 yards and 1td through the first 6 games.


Was on pace for 69 catches (hehe) for 1080 yards & 3 tds.


But Last 4 games (including 1 playoff game), 5 catches for 70 yards 0 tds.

 

[scott99]

DK Metcalf is another intriguing prospect. A big WR that could be turned TE.

I agree with this. And man am I feeling old, he’s Terry Metcalf’s grandson, the former Cardinal’s RB in the 1970’s. I used to say I’m getting old when I see the kids of stars I used to idolize play professional sports, but now it’s grandkids !!

 

[Ring 6]

Personally I’d like us to take these kind of player types for a TE - Athletic, Catching ability. Has solid enough fundamentals to become a better blocker.

Blocking can be learned and improved on, whereas the athletic side of things might not be.

Blocking IS athletic

 

[patsfaninpa]

Hockenson from Iowa declared today. I’d take him in first if Gronk retires. He’s not like Gronk. Could be like Ertz

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

I agree with this. And man am I feeling old, he’s Terry Metcalf’s grandson, the former Cardinal’s RB in the 1970’s. I used to say I’m getting old when I see the kids of stars I used to idolize play professional sports, but now it’s grandkids !!

Must make him eric Metcalf s nephew. Was one of the best kickoff returners I’ve ever seen.

 

[KyPatFan24]

I agree with this. And man am I feeling old, he’s Terry Metcalf’s grandson, the former Cardinal’s RB in the 1970’s. I used to say I’m getting old when I see the kids of stars I used to idolize play professional sports, but now it’s grandkids !!

He's been injury prone throughout his career, but that's the way our draft classes have been going lately.

 

[Ring 6]

While I’ll agree with you he was on a somewhat Gronkian pace, his last 4 games has been an an almost Hollister/Allen type pace. His blocking is invaluable though.

26 catches for 405 yards and 1td through the first 6 games.


Was on pace for 69 catches (hehe) for 1080 yards & 3 tds.


But Last 4 games (including 1 playoff game), 5 catches for 70 yards 0 tds.

Here is my take on gronk.
He messed up last off season not working on weight training and strength and instead doing the Brady program.
As the season wore in gronk has taken a beating and lost a step because of it. The patriots, as they always do, adapted and improvised reducing the TE role in the offense while defenses continued to commit to gronk. If gronk is doubled or otherwise dictates coverage he is opening things up for others.

Someone in the pregame yesterday said if the chargers dedicate James to cover gronk one on one the patriots will just keep gronk in to block taking 2 players out of the play, James and whoever gronk blocks.

If teams start to treat gronk like a normal TE you will see him get targeted.

The clear indication that something is wrong with gronk is the lack of isolating and targeting him in the red zone and at the goal line.

Perhaps he will retire but if he abandons the Brady training and trains like a TE and comes back we could see the old gronk again.