Name: Jacob Hollister
School: Wyoming
Position: Tight end
Stat to know: 25.6 percent of Hollister’s targets in 2016 came on balls thrown at least 20 yards in the air, the fourth-highest rate among all draft-eligible tight ends. Hollister caught seven of those 11 targets for 189 yards and three touchdowns.
What he does well
- Nice jab step to set up breaks on 45 degree routes.
- Quick in and out of his breaks, quick feet keeps in and out routes tight.
- Smart route-runner, uses angles to gain leverage and create separation.
- Has some deceptiveness, good at selling a screen block before turning upfield.
- Adjusts well to the ball in the air.
- Attacks the ball out of the air, has a nice sense of where defenders are around him.
- Plays through contact.
Biggest concerns
- Lacks strength and explosiveness off the line to be consistent in-line blocker, wouldn’t even ask him to execute a play-side reach block as of now.
- Struggles to anchor blocks when moving horizontally, defenders use his momentum against him.
- Can trip himself up at times.
- Not overly elusive with the ball in his hands, not going to create a ton of YAC.
- Lets defenders into his chest when run blocking, allows defender to control block.
- Tends to lead with his shoulder when blocking off the line, struggles to engage.
- Doesn’t create a ton of movement with his blocks.
Player comparisons: Julius Thomas, Miami Dolphins
Hollister – like Thomas – is an above-average athlete at the tight end capable of stretching the field deep while consistently terrorizing defenses at the short-to-intermediate levels. Neither are ever going to be proficient run blockers, but both are guys who can be lined up in multiple spots to create mismatches within the passing game.
Bottom Line: Hollister could prove to be one of this years steals of the draft. While he does have a number of concerns regarding his ability as a run-blocker, he’s got legitimate skills as a receiving option capable of hurting a defense at all three levels of the field regularly. He’s a fluid route-runner who is capable of creating late separation and is strong at the catch point. If Hollister is able to add some strength while maintaining his athleticism we could be looking at future star.
