Patriot Draft Profiles -Tight End Is a Position of Need

[PatsFan2]

The Lions just spent a ton of cash on Jesse James, didn't they?

If the Pats can't get Hoch (I don't think they can), I like Kaden Smith personally.

I like Kaden Smith too but that 40 time was very pedestrian.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Sleeper TE picks:
Josh Oliver San Jose St.
Zack Gentry Michigan 6'8" and 265 with 4.7 speed
Kahale Warring San Diego State
Warring (6-6, 252) caught 51 balls for 637 yards and eight touchdowns across 19 career games. He's a football late-boomer, having excelled in every other sport throughout high school, but his ceiling is fantastically high.

Warring's billed as a plus athlete with equal parts run-blocking and pass-catching ability. Although not the flashiest, fastest or strongest, he brings a workmanlike approach to the position — a lunch pail-type. One of those guys who always knows his assignment, generally in the right spot at the right time.

NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein compared him to former Ravens star Todd Heap.



I still think we make a trade for Cameron Brate (Harvard)

DW Toys

I can get on board with Warring

 

[patfanken]

Patriot Draft Profiles -Tight End Is a Position of Need

Steve Balestrieri

Besides Gronkowski, maybe... the position consists of Jacob Hollister, Ryan Izzo, Stephen Anderson, and the newly signed Matt Lacosse.

Continue reading...

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; Thanks for the work. Nice to see some other names besides Hockenson, Fant, and Smith.

Not a big Smith fan that high in the draft. He's not going to be a true TE, but more of an HB. He's Hernandez, but without the quick fee. I'm not spending #32 or our top 2nd on ANY HB. After that, I'm a big fan.

Based on the guys you mentioned, I'd be thrilled to see Sternberger in the 3rd and Wesco in the 6th. Warring would also be an exciting prospect to bring in perhaps in the 4th. Any combination of 2 of those would be a hit.

BTW- The ONLY thing that is important when it comes to blocking is "want to". If a player is WILLING to block then you can teach him the skills and build him up physically to do the job. That's one of the reasons Warring is so intriguing.

 

[SBLIII]

I can get on board with Warring

I hope we get 2 of Warring/Sternberger/Oliver

 

[Zuma]

Not a big Smith fan that high in the draft. He's not going to be a true TE, but more of an HB. He's Hernandez, but without the quick feet. I'm not spending #32 or our top 2nd on ANY HB. After that, I'm a big fan

He seems fast enough...

- Smith 40yd 4.63s
- Hernandez 40yd 4.64s
- Hockenson 40yd 4.7s

But your right about 3-cone...

- Hockenson 3-cone 7.02s
- Smith 3-cone 7.32s

 

[Soliel]

What ever happened to Goedert? (So)

I’m struggling to see how you replace gronk. I don’t think you could. Not one guy anyway but we should get several and see how it works. However, we can all say that we have no idea what B.B. might be thinking

 

[borisman]

I'm on board with Irv Smith (or Fant). He reminds me of Jordan Reed. We still need a blocking TE so I hope we get someone like Wesco as well. Double-dip time again.

 

[borisman]

What ever happened to Goedert? (So)

I’m struggling to see how you replace gronk. I don’t think you could. Not one guy anyway but we should get several and see how it works. However, we can all say that we have no idea what B.B. might be thinking

Not sure what this means. He started out slow but played reasonably well for the Iggles. He's a keeper. They're not letting him go.

 

[RobertWeathers]

What ever happened to Goedert? (So)

I’m struggling to see how you replace gronk. I don’t think you could. Not one guy anyway but we should get several and see how it works. However, we can all say that we have no idea what B.B. might be thinking

You don't replace Gronk.

You do the best you can to make the TE position be productive and get better in other areas to offset the loss. Running game, WR or defense ala 2016.

 

[patfanken]

He seems fast enough...

- Smith 40yd 4.63s
- Hernandez 40yd 4.64s
- Hockenson 40yd 4.7s

But your right about 3-cone...

- Hockenson 3-cone 7.02s
- Smith 3-cone 7.32s

Football is a lot less about speed and much more about acceleration and anticipation. That's why the 3cone is a better indicator of success than the 40. It's quickness that usually wins, regardless of the position. For example Hernandez's success came because of his quick feet rather than any innate speed.

BTW- one of my pet peeves in football is how often guys on the DL are so slow getting off the ball. To my mind that is a VERY coachable skill. Now I am not remotely qualified to coach at the NFL level. But it is my strong belief that in this one narrow area, I could improve the DL's first step productivity. But so could any coach IF it were a point of urgency. When I coached I rarely had a kid over 200lbs, so winning the first step was critical, and we worked at it HARD. At TC I rarely see getting off the ball being worked at with that same urgency.

 

[Zuma]

Agreed....which is why I added 3-cone.

 

[zydecochris]

The more I hear about Irv Smith Jr. the more I think he's the best fit for the Patriots. I qualify this statement by pointing out I know very little about college football.

I think he's way too obvious to actually be drafted by the Pats, he checks off too many boxes.

• Has won a national championship (Check)
• Coached by one of BB's most respected pals, Alabama's Nick Saban (Check)
• Great bloodlines, his dad was a long time NFL Player (and, a TE at that). (Check)

The only reason I haven't completed ruled him out as too obvious is that he didn't transfer from Rutgers and he evidently never played Lacrosse.

 

[DW Toys]

You don't replace Gronk.

You do the best you can to make the TE position be productive and get better in other areas to offset the loss. Running game, WR or defense ala 2016.

How about Adam Shaheen of the Bears, 6'6" 270. Limited play last year because he was coming off foot injury. He is behind Trey Burton so might have a shot.

DW Toys

 

[RobertWeathers]

How about Adam Shaheen of the Bears, 6'6" 270. Limited play last year because he was coming off foot injury. He is behind Trey Burton so might have a shot.

DW Toys

I'd take him. Worth a shot. Has yet to emerge.

That dude and Gronk are doppelgangers.

Shaheen was 2nd rd/45th. Gronk was 2nd rd/42nd

 

[DW Toys]

I'd take him. Worth a shot. Has yet to emerge.

That dude and Gronk are doppelgangers.

Shaheen was 2nd rd/45th. Gronk was 2nd rd/42nd

Good catch on the Draft Rounds.
Shaheen broke his foot beginning of last season and came back just in time to take Burton's place the last game of the 2018 regular season..
We do trade with the Bears.

Measurement Comps

Gronk
Height 6' 6"
Weight 265 lbs
40 Yard Dash 4.68s*
Bench Press 23 reps
Vertical Jump 33½"*
Broad Jump 119"*
3-Cone Drill 7.18s*
20 Yard Shuttle 4.47s


Shaheen
Height 6' 6"
Weight 278 lbs
40-Yard Dash 4.79 sec.
Bench Press 24 reps
Vertical Jump 32.5 in.
Broad Jump 10.1 in.
Three-Cone Drill 7.09 sec.
20-Yard Shuttle 4.38 sec.

Shaheen had a faster 3 cone and 20 yard shuttle. plus one more bench
DW Toys

 

[Sciz]

Rookie tight ends are weird. Evan Engram (23rd overall pick) easily has the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end over the past decade, but the rest of the top 10 is three late 3rd round picks, two 4ths, a 5th, an undrafted free agent, and of course Gronk in the second round.

It seems that the truly immediate impact isn’t coming from the spot in the draft that you’d expect it to.

 

[Joker]

so, they have 12 picks....use one to take an inline TE, another for a "move". These don't have to be high round picks. Plus, Martysaurus is lurking.