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The Los Angeles Rams changed their status at the tight end position when they cut ties with Jared Cook, who was the starter for the last three seasons. This change will subsequently thrust five-year veteran Lance Kendricks, who is entering the second year of his four-year contract, into that prominent role. The front office could elect to bring help at the position through this year’s draft. If so, here are the top five prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft:
Hunter Henry, Arkansas
Far beyond the top player at his position in this year’s draft class, Henry is coming off his most productive campaign of his three-year collegiate career posting 51 catches for 739 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. His performance in 2015 helped him earn the John Mackey Award, which is given to the nation’s top tight end along with being selected as both a First-Team All-American and a First-team All-SEC.
Henry has developed into a solid all-around tight end, who has drawn a strong comparison to Dallas Cowboys’ Pro Bowler Jason Witten, because of his effectiveness as both a blocker and a pass catcher. He also demonstrated the ability to make tough catches in traffic while posing as a mismatch for most opposing linebackers due to his speed and route-running. These attributes have given him a high ceiling of potential to develop into a productive player at the next level.
Austin Hooper, Stanford
Despite playing just two collegiate seasons at Stanford, Hooper clearly demonstrated the ability to be a standout player at tight end with back-to-back 400-plus receiving yard campaigns while playing a run-oriented offense. In 2015, he had a career-best six receiving touchdowns and played a critical part in the blocking scheme in their 14th-ranked running game that helped him earn his only First-Team All-Pac-12 selection.
Hooper is an all-around tight end that can a vertical threat in the passing game. His speed also helps him be a strong down the field blocker. However, he needs to work on his route-running, in particular, the short and intermediate routes. Hooper must also work on his catching ability to be an efficient pass catcher in the NFL.
Thomas Duarte, UCLA
Although Duarte played wide receiver throughout his three years at UCLA, he will likely make the transition to tight end in the NFL due to drawing early comparisons to Washington Redskins Pro Bowler Jordan Reed. He has the playmaking skill set of a wideout that can be a huge mismatch in the passing game against opposing linebackers and most safeties in coverage.
Duarte has limited experience at tight end, but the consensus belief is that his skills are best utilized playing the position. Granted, he will have to put on more weight to handle the physicality that the position entails but he can be a productive player in the NFL. He proved in 2015 that he can be a reliable option in the passing game as a legitimate red zone target after posting career-highs across the board with 53 catches, 872 receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns that helped him garner a Second-Team All-PAC-12 selection.
Jerrell Adams, South Carolina
Adams spent four years at South Carolina developing into a steady starter posting his best season in 2015, with career highs with 28 catches for 421 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. The Gamecocks struggled to throw the ball ranking 84th in passing, which played a factor in his limited production despite playing in all 12 games.
He has a lanky and tall body frame at 6-foot-5 and 247 lbs along with the athleticism that could help him become a viable option in the passing attack in the NFL. That said, he doesn’t possess the best of hands and shows limited flexibility at times that has prevented him from hauling in off-target throws. He also needs to further hone his route-running skills if he wants to be a factor in that aspect of the game.
Nick Vannett, Ohio State
Throughout his four-year collegiate career at Ohio State, Vannett wasn’t an extremely productive player in the passing game, recording no more than 20 catches and 220 yards in any campaign. However, he has the prototypical body frame at 6-foot-6 and 257 lbs, along with the athleticism that could help make him a major factor in passing attack in the NFL.
Vannett demonstrated that he has strong hands that allow him to make tough grabs in traffic. He worked himself into a role at Ohio State as more of a security blanket for the quarterback finding his spots in the zone coverage and check down routes. He’s a capable blocker, but there’s room for improvement in that aspect of his game. He also must become more crisp on his route running. Vannett has the potential to become a solid pass-catching tight end at the next level because of his size and athleticism.
Source: NFL.com, SR-College-Football-reference.com
Bob Garcia IV is a sports journalist from Southern California. He is also the Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for Sportsoutwest.com, and About.com. He was a reporter for the award-winning newspaper, The Daily Sundial, at California State University, Northridge. You can follow him on Twitter, @Bgarcia90.
2016 NFL Draft, Arkansas, Austin Hooper, featured, Hunter Henry, Jerrell Adams, Jordan Reed, Los Angeles Rams, NFL, Nick Vannett, Ohio State, South Carolina, Stanford, Thomas Duarte, UCLA, Washington Redskins
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The Los Angeles Rams changed their status at the tight end position when they cut ties with Jared Cook, who was the starter for the last three seasons. This change will subsequently thrust five-year veteran Lance Kendricks, who is entering the second year of his four-year contract, into that prominent role. The front office could elect to bring help at the position through this year’s draft. If so, here are the top five prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft:
Hunter Henry, Arkansas
Far beyond the top player at his position in this year’s draft class, Henry is coming off his most productive campaign of his three-year collegiate career posting 51 catches for 739 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. His performance in 2015 helped him earn the John Mackey Award, which is given to the nation’s top tight end along with being selected as both a First-Team All-American and a First-team All-SEC.
Henry has developed into a solid all-around tight end, who has drawn a strong comparison to Dallas Cowboys’ Pro Bowler Jason Witten, because of his effectiveness as both a blocker and a pass catcher. He also demonstrated the ability to make tough catches in traffic while posing as a mismatch for most opposing linebackers due to his speed and route-running. These attributes have given him a high ceiling of potential to develop into a productive player at the next level.
Austin Hooper, Stanford
Despite playing just two collegiate seasons at Stanford, Hooper clearly demonstrated the ability to be a standout player at tight end with back-to-back 400-plus receiving yard campaigns while playing a run-oriented offense. In 2015, he had a career-best six receiving touchdowns and played a critical part in the blocking scheme in their 14th-ranked running game that helped him earn his only First-Team All-Pac-12 selection.
Hooper is an all-around tight end that can a vertical threat in the passing game. His speed also helps him be a strong down the field blocker. However, he needs to work on his route-running, in particular, the short and intermediate routes. Hooper must also work on his catching ability to be an efficient pass catcher in the NFL.
Thomas Duarte, UCLA
Although Duarte played wide receiver throughout his three years at UCLA, he will likely make the transition to tight end in the NFL due to drawing early comparisons to Washington Redskins Pro Bowler Jordan Reed. He has the playmaking skill set of a wideout that can be a huge mismatch in the passing game against opposing linebackers and most safeties in coverage.
Duarte has limited experience at tight end, but the consensus belief is that his skills are best utilized playing the position. Granted, he will have to put on more weight to handle the physicality that the position entails but he can be a productive player in the NFL. He proved in 2015 that he can be a reliable option in the passing game as a legitimate red zone target after posting career-highs across the board with 53 catches, 872 receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns that helped him garner a Second-Team All-PAC-12 selection.
Jerrell Adams, South Carolina
Adams spent four years at South Carolina developing into a steady starter posting his best season in 2015, with career highs with 28 catches for 421 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. The Gamecocks struggled to throw the ball ranking 84th in passing, which played a factor in his limited production despite playing in all 12 games.
He has a lanky and tall body frame at 6-foot-5 and 247 lbs along with the athleticism that could help him become a viable option in the passing attack in the NFL. That said, he doesn’t possess the best of hands and shows limited flexibility at times that has prevented him from hauling in off-target throws. He also needs to further hone his route-running skills if he wants to be a factor in that aspect of the game.
Nick Vannett, Ohio State
Throughout his four-year collegiate career at Ohio State, Vannett wasn’t an extremely productive player in the passing game, recording no more than 20 catches and 220 yards in any campaign. However, he has the prototypical body frame at 6-foot-6 and 257 lbs, along with the athleticism that could help make him a major factor in passing attack in the NFL.
Vannett demonstrated that he has strong hands that allow him to make tough grabs in traffic. He worked himself into a role at Ohio State as more of a security blanket for the quarterback finding his spots in the zone coverage and check down routes. He’s a capable blocker, but there’s room for improvement in that aspect of his game. He also must become more crisp on his route running. Vannett has the potential to become a solid pass-catching tight end at the next level because of his size and athleticism.
Source: NFL.com, SR-College-Football-reference.com
Bob Garcia IV is a sports journalist from Southern California. He is also the Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for Sportsoutwest.com, and About.com. He was a reporter for the award-winning newspaper, The Daily Sundial, at California State University, Northridge. You can follow him on Twitter, @Bgarcia90.
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