Apr 042018
 
Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State Jackrabbits (March 2, 2018)

Dallas Goedert – © USA TODAY Sports

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New York Giants 2018 NFL Draft Preview: Tight Ends

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor Sy’56

1 – Dallas Goedert – South Dakota State – 6’5/256

Grade: 83

Strong Points:

-Was on a different level physically than his college opponents, dominant
-Tough, physical, and aggressive both as a blocker and receiver
-Excels at reaching balls away from his body

Weak Points

-Didn’t impact the game as a blocker the way he should have in FCS
-Doesn’t make sharp cuts as a route runner
-Pays stiff after the catch, needs more looseness in his lower half

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Three time 1st team all conference, two time All American. Goedert dominated a lower level of college football and that is the start of what you need to see from a FCS prospect. Beyond that, he has more tan enough tape proving top tier ball skills paired with a physical style. He can do things as a pass catcher that are going to “wow” people. He is a weapon in the passing game week 1 with the eventual upside of being one of the leagues top 2-way threats at TE.

NFL Comparison: Zach Ertz / PHI

2 – Hayden Hurst – South Carolina – 6’4/250

Grade: 80

Strong Points:

-Sudden burst and quickness, explosive route runner
-Makes the tough catch over the middle routinely, reliable hands
-Competes as a blocker, shows a lot of desire and hustle

Weak Points:

-Doesn’t use his body well enough to shield defenders away from the ball
-Needs more core strength as a blocker
-Forecasts his routes

Summary:

Junior entry. Will be 25 years old as a rookie. Spent 3 years in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system after being drafted as a senior in high school. Walked on at South Carolina in 2015. Hurst is more raw than the common prospect and with how well he played in 2017, that is a good thing. There is a lot of untapped upside to his game. Hurst dropped 1 pass over his career. He plays the quickness game really well. There are just some technique and mental aspects that need refinement, but with his hustle and maturity, he will get there.

NFL Comparison: Hunter Henry / LAC

3 – Mike Gesicki – Penn State – 6’5/247

Grade: 78

Strong Points:

-Top tier straight line athlete when it comes to speed and leaping
-Excellent ball location and timing of his lunges for it, dangerous in 1 on 1’s
-Toughness after the catch is there, will carry defenders

Weak Points:

-Comes across tight hipped with unplanned movement
-Weak lower body that shows up as a blocker, doesn’t get movement
-Has his fair share of concentration drops over the middle

Summary:

A top tier athlete and overall physical package. Gesicki was an All American basketball player and a record setting volleyball player in high school. The skills from those sports do translate to the gridiron, too. The ability to jump, burst, and run downfield make him a dangerous weapon week 1. He will have a ways to go before he can handle NFL defensive linemen in the trenches, but that is not necessarily a big deal if he is put in the right situation. I don’t see a dominant player here, but definitely a matchup problem in certain situations.

NFL Comparison: Jared Cook / OAK

4 – Dalton Schultz – Stanford – 6’5/244

Grade: 77

Strong Points:

-An NFL ready blocker week 1, and may be one of the best right away
-Smooth and easy pass catching motion, sees the ball in with hand strength
-Can adjust his body on the fly with ease

Weak Points:

-Limited athleticism both in straight lines and when it comes to change of direction
-Production was very inconsistent
-Route running appears too manufactured, too much wasted movement

Summary:

Fourth year junior entry. One of the more overlooked prospects in this class simply because he didn’t get a lot of looks as a receiver in that Stanford offense. He immediately comes in to the league as one of the best blocking TEs around and I think he can make plays in the passing game. He is very well balanced athlete, reliable hands, does things right. This is the kind of TE that would be perfect to pair with Engram for the long term.

NFL Comparison: Kyle Rudolph / MIN

5 – Ian Thomas – Indiana – 6’4/259

Grade: 75

Strong Points:

-Looks the part all around, passes the eyeball test as an athlete with flying colors
-Smooth mover in space, eats up yards fast
-A lot of presence after the catch, can break tackles and run away from guys

Weak Points:

-Lack of production until 2017 is something to consider
-Gets overwhelmed by assignment football as a route runner and blocker
-Doesn’t get enough movement as a blocker, doesn’t block like he wants it

Summary:

Spent two years in junior college prior to joining Indiana for 2 years. Basically a 1 year starter. Thomas is interesting. Of all the tight ends…if they were all to hit their peak potential, he would be the best in the class. He has the NFL body right now and he can move very well. His ability to accelerate effortlessly and change direction on a dime, if that can be turned in to quality route running he is going to be dangerous. He doesn’t play smart and he doesn’t always bring it as a blocker, so there are just times where you don’t know if he will every reach that ceiling. He is a gamble, but one with a big reward if it clicks.

NFL Comparison: Charles Clay / BUF

6 – Mark Andrews – Oklahoma – 6’5/256

Grade: 74

Strong Points:

-Carries a lot of weight and power but can play a nimble, soft footed game
-Hard nosed after the catch, will carry defenders for yards
-Effective blocker in space, dominates back 7 defenders with strength and quickness

Weak Points:

-Minimal impact in the trenches, almost looks like he is afraid/hesitant
-Too many drops, ball skills are inconsistent
-Doesn’t have the extra gear as a route runner, limited athlete in space

Summary:

Fourth year junior entry. Has Type 1 Diabetes. Winner of the John Mackey Award, nations top tight end. Andrews has the production and highlight reels that can get you excited, but I think be benefitted from the OU scheme as much as anyone. He was often split out wide and faced a lot of single man coverage. Andrews does deserve credit for his ability to play the body position game and gain yards after the catch, but he won’t be a guy that gets open often and his toughness as an inline blocker was poor. Solid backup that can be a factor in the short passing game.

NFL Comparison: Cameron Bate / TB

7 – Christopher Herndon – 6’4/253

Grade: 71

Strong Points:

-Solid frame with room for more bulk
-Long strider that is comfortable running routes, vertical and east/west
-Gets to a lot of passes away from his body

Weak Points:

-Plays raw, makes lot of the same mistakes as a blocker
-Can’t hold his ground against defensive linemen
-Coming off an MCL injury that required surgery

Summary:

While scouting David Njoku a year ago, every now and then I found myself watching the wrong guy because he was moving just as well and making catches that were just as impressive. It was Herndon. He is a high upside prospect that has a ways to go when it comes to every down duty. Herndon has more than his fair share of plays that make you wanna look more in to him.

NFL Comparison: Tyler Kroft / CIN

8 – Cam Serigne – Wake Forest – 6’2/240

Grade: 70

Strong Points:

-Excels at creating separation underneath and up the seam
-Tracks the ball well with full balance and control
-Tough in traffic, comes out of a crowd with the ball

Weak Points:

-Struggles to hold point of attack against bigger defenders
-Long speed isn’t there, he won’t run away from anyone
-Lacks ideal size for the position

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Hard not to root for a guy like this, Serigne is as hard nosed as it gets. He is undersized but it doesn’t show up on tape often He ma be a guy that needs to play an H-Back type role, but it is one I think he can make a difference at. He will find a ay to stick somewhere.

NFL Comparison: Nick O’Leary / BUF

9 – Troy Fumagalli – Wisconsin – 6’5/247

Grade: 69

Strong Points:

-Detailed, professional approach to the game as a receiver and blocker
-Crafty route runner, can force himself open
-Productive near the end zone, quality ball skills

Weak Points:

-Too many drops, inconsistent hands
-Lacks presence as a blocker and with the ball in his hands
-Seems stiff and manufactured when forced to adjust his movement plans

Summary:

Fifth year senior. A solid statistic compiler that improved every year. Attractive frame tat coaches will want to work with. Fumagalli comes in to the league with a matured approach. He wont have a major learning curve like some guys, but he is a limited athlete that struggled with drops and blocking, nothing really stands out.

NFL Comparison: Gavin Escobar / CLE

10 – Durham Smythe – Notre Dame – 6’5/253

Grade: 68

Strong Points:

-Light footed, shows up as an intermediate route runner
-Can get plenty of movement on defensive linemen as a blocker
-Will make the tough catch in traffic, shows body control

Weak Points

-Lacks straight line speed and explosion
-Lacks urgency as a route runner, too slow out of his breaks
-Wasn’t used much as a blocker

Summary:

Fifth year senior. Has had some durability issues from knee and shoulder injuries. Smythe wasn’t really involved in the offense until 2017, so there is a lot of projecting with him. Smythe moves and plays like pro but lacks the ideal athletic ability. Solid depth player that can contribute early.

NFL Comparison: Luke Stocker / TEN

11 – Jordan Akins – Central Florida – 6’3/249 – GRADE: 68
12 – Tyler Conklin – Central Michigan – 6’3/254 – GRADE: 68
13 – Ethan Wolf – Tennessee – 6’6/258 – GRADE: 68
14 – Damon Gibson – Minnesota-Moorhead – GRADE: 6’4/236
15 – Marcus Baugh – Ohio State – 6’5/250 – GRADE: 67
16 – Ryan Izzo – Florida State – 6’5/250 – GRADE: 66
17 – Will Dissly – Washington – 6’4/267 – GRADE: 66
18 – Andrew Vollert – Weber State – 6’5/245 – GRADE: 66
19 – Adam Breneman – Massachusetts – 6’5/255 – GRADE: 65
20 – Shane Wiman – Northern Illinois – 6’4/250 – GRADE: 65

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David Syvertsen

David Syvertsen, aka Sy'56, has worked for Ourlads Scouting LLC since 2013, starting off as a college depth chart manager and now a lead scout for one the most-sold NFL draft guides year-in, year-out. He has been scouting for over 10 years and will compile anywhere from 400-600 scouting reports per season, with that number increasing year by year. He watches and studies game films 20-25 hours per week throughout the entire year with his main focus being NFL Draft prospects.

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