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TE Love for early picks in draft .. not me


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I hear all this love from some for drafting TE's high in the draft .. and maybe that's years of the Gronk effect ... but I don't really see "game changers" at that position lately in the draft .. I just think we can wait till rounds 3-5 to address that position

 

http://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/positions/te

 

For example the link above shows all the TE's drafted in the last few years .. George Kittle at SF was a 5th rounder and in my opinion he's the best of the bunch going back to 2015 ..my point is ..  ... but there aren't a lot of studs coming off their rookie pick .. hence we looking at say a Maxx Williams in FA.  But I don't really think OJ Howard, aforementoined Maxx Williams, Hayden Hurst, Mike Gisecki, Dallas Goedert, Austin Saferian Jenkins .. all early picks have been game changes ... maybe Engram . .maybe Njoku ... maybe Hunter Henry .. but look at the carnage for those few nuggets.  Stick with OL early please.

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8 minutes ago, WideRightRevenge said:

I hear all this love from some for drafting TE's high in the draft .. and maybe that's years of the Gronk effect ... but I don't really see "game changers" at that position lately in the draft .. I just think we can wait till rounds 3-5 to address that position

 

http://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/positions/te

 

For example the link above shows all the TE's drafted in the last few years .. George Kittle at SF was a 5th rounder and in my opinion he's the best of the bunch going back to 2015 ..my point is ..  ... but there aren't a lot of studs coming off their rookie pick .. hence we looking at say a Maxx Williams in FA.  But I don't really think OJ Howard, aforementoined Maxx Williams, Hayden Hurst, Mike Gisecki, Dallas Goedert, Austin Saferian Jenkins .. all early picks have been game changes ... maybe Engram . .maybe Njoku ... maybe Hunter Henry .. but look at the carnage for those few nuggets.  Stick with OL early please.

At least you clarified their areguys that have proven worthy.  You have to use a lot of maybes for being so strong in your convictions.  Sometimes you hit a homerun in the draft and sometimes you dont.  Just follow your board.

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3 minutes ago, formerlyofCtown said:

At least you clarified their areguys that have proven worthy.  You have to use a lot of maybes for being so strong in your convictions.  Sometimes you hit a homerun in the draft and sometimes you dont.  Just follow your board.

 

That is the key. I have done zilch on TEs so far.... I normally get to them late in the process so no idea what I make of this class. But there are good early ones and bad early ones. OJ Howard (who I thought was a 1st rounder but didn't have as a top 10 player the way some did) has a tick under 1,000 yards and has caught 11 touchdowns in his first two years. That is pretty decent production. Probably not quite justified his price yet but he wouldn't surprise me if he had a breakout year in 2019 and a monster season in Arians offense.

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I've never been huge on TE's early. The one I fell in love with and wanted in the first was Vernon Davis, but his combine numbers were otherworldly. I liked OJ howard a couple years ago, and I still think he will develop into a solid TE (last year he obviously took a step forward). I think you can get good value on day 2 for this position.

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6 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

That is the key. I have done zilch on TEs so far.... I normally get to them late in the process so no idea what I make of this class. But there are good early ones and bad early ones. OJ Howard (who I thought was a 1st rounder but didn't have as a top 10 player the way some did) has a tick under 1,000 yards and has caught 11 touchdowns in his first two years. That is pretty decent production. Probably not quite justified his price yet but he wouldn't surprise me if he had a breakout year in 2019 and a monster season in Arians offense.

Look who Gronk has throwing him the ball and look what he has throwing him the ball.

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9 minutes ago, Jeetz1231 said:

I've never been huge on TE's early. The one I fell in love with and wanted in the first was Vernon Davis, but his combine numbers were otherworldly. I liked OJ howard a couple years ago, and I still think he will develop into a solid TE (last year he obviously took a step forward). I think you can get good value on day 2 for this position.

 

Howard is already a solid TE. The question is does he become a true game changer TE.

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I think tight ends are really difficult to project. The way tight ends are used in college is a little different these days as a lot of them really can't block. Why is it that Zach Ertz is so amazing but guys like Gavin Escobar or Troy Niklas flame out? 

 

It really is about fit in a system and how the tight end is going to be used. And talent of course. So I think a tight end in the top ten is a very risky proposition, because it really is a boom or bust pick, like Eric Ebron. However, there is a ton of value that can be found late first round, early second. 

 

With all of that said, TJ Hockenson is the real deal. Would I take him at 9? Not sure yet, but if we are going to make him a focal point of our offense, then I'd be all for it. I think you have to find the right fit and then make a concentrated effort to make the guy a main part of your offense, like KC and Philly have done with Kelce and Ertz. 

 

And BTW, the history of top ten offensive lineman over the past few years is way worse than the history of tight ends on the first two days of the draft. People continue to reach on mediocre offensive linemen, passing on elite talent. Don't do it. No elite offensive lineman in this draft. 

Edited by MrEpsYtown
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10 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

I think tight ends are really difficult to project. The way tight ends are used in college is a little different these days as a lot of them really can't block. Why is it that Zach Ertz is so amazing but guys like Gavin Escobar or Troy Niklas flame out? 

 

It really is about fit in a system and how the tight end is going to be used. And talent of course. So I think a tight end in the top ten is a very risky proposition, because it really is a boom or bust pick, like Eric Ebron. However, there is a ton of value that can be found late first round, early second. 

 

With all of that said, TJ Hockenson is the real deal. Would I take him at 9? Not sure yet, but if we are going to make him a focal point of our offense, then I'd be all for it. I think you have to find the right fit and then make a concentrated effort to make the guy a main part of your offense, like KC and Philly have done with Kelce and Ertz. 

 

And BTW, the history of top ten offensive lineman over the past few years is way worse than the history of tight ends on the first two days of the draft. People continue to reach on mediocre offensive linemen, passing on elite talent. Don't do it. No elite offensive lineman in this draft. 

Excellent post. Hockenson is definitely the real deal. He has such a high floor because of his skill set and relentless attitude. He is one of the best blocking tight ends to come out in recent years and has been coached very well in his blocking technique. I don’t know if I would take him at 9 but if we were able to slide down a few slots and pick up and extra pick or two I’d be all in. Hockenson is a true dual threat that can help in the run game and also been a receiving threat with size, speed, hands, awareness and athleticism. He is a great blocker and everything else about him is very good. No weaknesses to his ability and brings the type of attitude this regime looks for. 

 

With the extra picks we can we can get help on the offensive line in the second and third rounds. 

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I think TE is a very difficult position to come in and make a big impact early.  The two best TEs in the league (Kelce / Ertz) did almost nothing their first year in the league and really started to come on between year 2 and 3.  OJ Howard looked great this year but had an injury that cost him a good chunk.  Hunter Henry same thing, hurt in preseason.  Engram has battled injuries.

 

If you are insistent on early impact because you are delusional enough to think this team is going to the Super Bowl next year, then yes, TE is not your position.

 

(BTW, there's a pretty extensive list of offensive line busts.  There's no "safe" position).

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31 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

I think tight ends are really difficult to project. The way tight ends are used in college is a little different these days as a lot of them really can't block. Why is it that Zach Ertz is so amazing but guys like Gavin Escobar or Troy Niklas flame out? 

 

It really is about fit in a system and how the tight end is going to be used. And talent of course. So I think a tight end in the top ten is a very risky proposition, because it really is a boom or bust pick, like Eric Ebron. However, there is a ton of value that can be found late first round, early second. 

 

With all of that said, TJ Hockenson is the real deal. Would I take him at 9? Not sure yet, but if we are going to make him a focal point of our offense, then I'd be all for it. I think you have to find the right fit and then make a concentrated effort to make the guy a main part of your offense, like KC and Philly have done with Kelce and Ertz. 

 

And BTW, the history of top ten offensive lineman over the past few years is way worse than the history of tight ends on the first two days of the draft. People continue to reach on mediocre offensive linemen, passing on elite talent. Don't do it. No elite offensive lineman in this draft. 

Good points, see Eric Ebron as a great example who didn't do much in Detroit but excelled in Indy. If I'm the Bills I'd like to improve the TE position but not sure it be top of my list as last year's offense didn't show us going to the TE much. 

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7 minutes ago, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

From everything that I have read, the TE talent in this draft is not great or deep.  There are better free agent options that other posts have pointed out.  If best player available is the strategy for the draft (even after a trade down), TE won't be in play until the middle or later rounds.

This (lack of TE talent in the 2019 draft) is contrary to what I have read so far (dont know enough to comment). See for example:

 

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/10/09/the-2019-nfl-draft-te-class-is-proving-its-deep-with-talent/

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