| Authored by Jeff Risdon - 23rd February, 2009 - 10:47 am
 Updated 2/22/09
The cheese stands alone, the cheese stands alone...and Brandon Pettigrew is one great chunk of cheese in the tight end class of 2009.
1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State. 6’5”, 287 pounds, 4.87 40
Positives: Big, strong, powerfully-built athlete. Consistently presents himself as a target to the QB. Catches the ball reliably with his hands. Very aggressive, oft-dominant physical blocker both at the line and downfield. Strong base, good footwork, sound technique in blocking. Correctly identifies and picks up the blitz. Very adept at chipping and releasing. Transitions quickly from receiver to runner and his size creates tackling issues for defensive backs. Has shown steady improvement despite not getting a lot of opportunities as a receiver. Looks the ball into his hands, good concentration in traffic. Plays with passion and ferocity.
Negatives: The Cowboys coaches didn’t know exactly what they had in Pettigrew, and his development remains somewhat stunted despite being a 4-year starter in a top conference. Has not run much in the way of complex routes. Does not have great speed for the position, relies much more on size and strength to get open. Got away with a lot of OPI and pushing off to get separation from linebackers. Can be a plodder in running his routes, doesn’t have consistent smooth acceleration or athleticism. Has had ankle injuries. Was arrested for assaulting a cop last fall, which raises some character concerns.
NFL Comparison: Eric Greene, or more recently Bubba Franks with attitude
Forecast: His blocking is as good as any TE to enter the league in years, and the hands are top notch. His proven lack of speed at the Combine lowers his ceiling from the 10-15 overall range to the 15-30 overall range.
2. Jared Cook, South Carolina. 6’4”, 242 pounds, 4.42 40.
Positives: Extremely fast for his size; has allegedly run a sub 4.4 40 and his speed stands out on film. Very quick off the line, good acceleration and agility. Consistently gets a clean release, though he primarily lined up split off the line. Has long arms and big hands, can highpoint the ball. Just an exceptional natural athlete. Secures the ball quickly with strong hands. Does a good job finding the seams of the defense and presenting himself as a target. Solid downfield blocker when he locates his target in time. Has a flair for the dramatic and is very good in the red zone.
Negatives: Offers little run blocking or in-line toughness. Is more like an oversized WR than a traditional TE. Needs to add upper body strength, can get pushed off course when lined up tight. Doesn’t always run clean routes, will use false steps and drift on outside routes. Lets too many balls get to his body, esp. on shorter throws. Not noted for toughness, either physical or mental.
NFL Comparison: A poor man’s Shannon Sharpe without the love of the weight room.
Forecast: His receiving ability and speed are mighty attractive to pass-happy offenses. 2nd rounder who looks like a unique weapon as a hybrid TE/WR, an asset for a creative offense but a problem if the drafting team tries to put his triangle skills into a circular job.
3. Shawn Nelson, Southern Mississippi. 6’5”, 240 pounds, 4.55 40.
Positives: Tall and very quick for his height. Built with lean muscle, lots of fast-twitch athleticism. Explodes off the line and consistently gets a clean release. Good footwork and shoulder positioning in route running, knows how to shake and bake and get free. Plays with good balance and leverage. Reliable hands. Not afraid to reach out and make the tough catch in traffic, can take the hit and hold onto the ball. Has solid in-line blocking technique, sinks his hips and drives his shoulders. Has played through injuries and it didn’t impact his effort or effectiveness. Showed good blitz recognition and the ability to engage a moving target. Stood out in Senior Bowl workouts for his hands, ability to separate, and downfield speed, plus he was the only TE who even slowed down blitzers in 7s drills.
Negatives: Does not consistently run sharp routes, tends to freelance. Will drift outside on longer routes. Had a few instances where he seemed surprised by the ball being thrown to him. Can get ragdolled by more powerful LBs and really struggles to move defenders in run blocking. Doesn’t have a lot of elusiveness as a runner, though he always stretches out and falls forward. Does not get down to catch low throws well.
NFL Comparison: Visanthe Shiancoe
Forecast: His strong Senior Bowl week and workout prowess will get him drafted in the 50-75 overall range. Could be a very nice starter and impact player if he wants it bad enough and adds 5-10 pounds of bulk.
4. James Casey, Rice. 6’3”, 246 pounds, 4.60 40.
Positives: Extremely versatile athlete who has played a variety of positions, not to mention a few seasons of minor league baseball. Very aggressive, feisty competitor who draws out the same in his teammates. Does everything at full speed and effort. Very good with the ball in his hands, has good elusiveness and wiggle in his hips. Presents a good target to the QB. Has shown reliable hands and the ability to hold onto the ball when making a catch in traffic and taking a hit. Attacks the defender in run blocking and uses proper technique, sinking his hips and using strong hand placement. Will be a major locker room asset, comes across as a future coach.
Negatives: Overaged from his baseball experience, which means his body is maxed out and his developmental curve is narrow. Lacks explosiveness off the line, often got his separation thanks to scheme design and not his own ability. Does not have great speed; does not play as fast as he times. Has not done much in the way of pass protection or in-line power blocking.
NFL Comparison: a slower Chris Cooley
Forecast: An eminently likable, mature worker with good natural receiving ability, Casey best projects as an H-Back or motion TE. Not all teams use that type of player, and his lack of dynamic speed or in-line power limits him. 4th round talent who might come off in the late 2nd round because of his charisma and professional experience.
5. Cornelius Ingram, Florida. 6’4”, 245 pounds, 4.65 40
Positives: Very natural receiver with great size. Excellent hands, can snatch the ball from the air and secure it quickly. Has no problem climbing the ladder or hitting the turf to make tough catches. Good overall athleticism, has good short-area quickness and agility for his size. Physically and functionally strong. Very fluid, polished route runner--runs patterns with great shoulders and footwork. Has surprising elusiveness with the ball in his hands, hard to tackle with a good nose for the end zone. Generally an adequate run blocker, does better at the second level and downfield than in-line. Hard worker who attacked rehab from his injury.
Negatives: Suffered a torn ACL that caused him to miss the 2008 season. His dynamic athletic prowess is what set him apart at the position, so he must prove he is 100% recovered and has not lost anything. While he is willing to engage as a run blocker, he needs lots of work on hand placement and keeping his balance and leverage. Iffy in blitz recognition and pickup--if the QB or T didn’t point it out, Ingram often had no clue where his protection responsibility was.
NFL Comparison: Greg Olsen’s game with Antonio Gates’ physical gifts.
Forecast: Would have challenged Pettigrew for the #1 spot had he not blown out his knee. Teams seem very concerned about his lost year of development and the severity of the injury. Much like Michael Bush (RB, Louisville, and now the Raiders who missed his final year with a hideously broken leg) two years ago, Ingram will likely come off the board in the compensatory picks of the 3rd or 4th round.
6. Chase Coffman, Missouri. 6’6”, 248 pounds, 4.86 40
Summary: Big, lean productive college split TE. Has basically every attribute you could ask for in a receiving TE (hands, footwork, routes, toughness are all above average) except speed. His 40 time disappointed, though on film he never really showed much explosion or ability to stretch the field with his own doing. Runs and plays very upright, not much knee bend. Moderately effective blocker, better down the field than close to the line. Has had some injury concerns.
Forecast: 3rd-4th round
7. Bear Pascoe, Fresno State. 6’5”, 251 pounds, 4.94 40
Summary: Exactly what you expect from a former rodeo champion who goes by “Bear”--tough, aggressive, nasty, and dedicated. Better route runner than he often gets credit for, and he presents a good target on short and intermediate routes. Fundamentally sound blocker who quickly locates and engages at the second level. Has decent hands, though he double-catches some balls. Hard to tackle as a runner, has great balance. Good special teams player who has a knack for blocking kicks. Lacks speed and does not have much giddy-up. Not much lateral agility or elusiveness, needs to use his hands and precise spacing to get separation. Gets caught lunging when trying to block downfield.
Forecast: Ideal in-line #2 TE for a team with a power running game. Bear has just enough receiving ability to keep the defense honest. 4th-5th round.
8. Travis Beckum, Wisconsin. 6’3”, 243 pounds, 4.66 40
Summary: Has great speed and quickness for the position. Has natural receiving skills and knows how to get open. Good footwork on the sidelines. Catches the ball well in traffic and can make the difficult catch on poor throws. Real good on quick curls and outs. Very light and significantly lacks upper and lower body strength for the position--has no value as an in-line TE (late Combine edit: he impressed with his 28 bench reps, perhaps dispelling some of these concerns). Poor blocker who would rather dance with the defender than engage. Runs upright at times. Will drop more throws than you expect. Will get alligator arms across the middle. Has major durability issues--missed time due to shoulder and leg injuries and is slightly built. To quote one NFL scout, “He’s a slow slot receiver and I have never seen him break a tackle.” I disagree on the slow part, but he really regressed his senior season before going down with injury, played as if he was entitled.
Forecast: If the Beckum of 2006/07 re-emerges, the NFL is getting a great slot TE weapon in the Dallas Clark/Tony Scheffler mold, though Beckum isn’t as strong as either guy. The Beckum of 2008 wouldn’t last through his first NFL minicamp. The durability issue limits his draft value to the 4th-5th round with the potential to be a steal...or a waste of time.
9. Anthony Hill, North Carolina State, 6’5”, 264 pounds, 4.91 40
Summary: Real physical, strong in-line blocking TE with good hands and a knack for making real difficult catches in traffic. Very much a plodder who really lost explosiveness after a knee injury a couple years ago. Fundamentally sound blocker who reliably locates and engages at the second level. In the mold of Brandon Manumaleuna, a big #2 with more value as a blocker but a guy who also makes a good red zone and short-yardage target.
Forecast: 5th-6th round
10. Brian Mandeville, Northeastern, 6’6”, 255 pounds, 4.88 40
Summary: Small-school big fish trying to emerge as the next Kevin Boss. Tall, well-built athlete with very strong hands. Catches anything near him and quickly secures the ball and absorbs hits. Better-than-expected runner after the catch, has powerful lower body and balance. Needs some polish in route running and quickening his footwork. Got by as a blocker strictly on athleticism, really needs improvement in technique and tenacity. Lacks speed but has a fluidity of motion that mitigates the lack of a higher gear. Has played some H-back and fullback and could have a brighter future in that type of role if he toughens up and develops as a blocker.
Forecast: 6th round
Other Tight Ends
John Phillips, Virginia --One of those dreaded “jack of all trades, master of none” players. Showed better athleticism at the Senior Bowl and the Combine than he ever showed playing for the Cavaliers. If that translates to the NFL, put him at #6 on this list, but I doubt anyone risks more than a 5th round pick on that. Reminds me a great deal of 2008 5th rounder Gary Barnridge, who could not get on the field in Carolina as a rookie behind Jeff King and Dante Rosario, which isn’t exactly a stellar endorsement.
Darius Hill, Ball State --Nate Davis’ safety valve has great height and hands but lacks bulk and strength. Reliably gets open despite not being real fast. Good UDFA sleeper with a year on the practice squad to bulk up.
Andrew Mooney, Ohio University --only mentioned here because he’s a fellow Bobcat. Undersized and slow, and he blew out his knee in the Buffalo game. Has a small chance as a Jim Kleinsasser-type, similar skillset.
Dan Gronkowski, Maryland --blocking specialist with great size who turned some heads in Indy with his athletic prowess and attitude. 7th rounder who can stick as a #3 TE/special teamer for years.
Kevin Brock, Rutgers --another very solid collegiate blocking TE who needs to add functional bulk to do the same in the NFL. Better receiver than his reputation, can make tough catches. Priority UDFA.
Richard Quinn, North Carolina --big, physical plodder who is essentially an undersized tackle. His teammates all vouch for his hands, though he only caught 12 passes in college--largely because he’s slower than some tackles and has no ability to get separation. His physique will get him drafted in the 7th round.
Ryan Purvis, Boston College --H-Back type except he’s not a tough or particularly good blocker. Did not play as well as expected in 2008 sans Matt Ryan. Perhaps a reunion in ATL as a 7th rounder/UDFA?
Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com |
