It is much better to have an idea of where you stand on an incoming
talent before he is drafted, if only the public tends to cater to
popular opinion and "fit" after he is selected. Evaluating
the incoming rookie class before the draft gives us a more stable
ground with which to base our opinions and helps us avoid some of
those "popular" pitfalls.
The goal with this piece (and the position-by-position ones to
follow) is to provide a slightly quicker but still very thorough
overview of some of the top prospects that were not covered in
my draft profiles. The hope is that this
exercise will give readers all the information that could ask
for as they began preparing for upcoming rookie drafts.
Trey McBride Draft Profile
Vitals
College: Colorado State
Height/Weight: 6'4"/246
Hands: 10 1/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)
High-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Greg Olsen Low-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Harrison Bryant
Position-Specific
Attributes and Grades
Attribute
Att Grade
Scale
Ball
Tracking
9.0
10.0
Contested
Catch/Body Control
8.5
10.0
Hands
10.0
10.0
Release
8.0
10.0
Route-Running
8.5
10.0
Run
After Catch
8.0
10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness
6.5
8.0
Blocking
4.5
6.0
Separation
2.0
3.0
Speed
3.0
3.0
Film
Grade
68.0
80.0
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect
Grade* (out of 50): 40.5
* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For tight ends, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 60 catches and 800 rushing yards at some point early
in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.
Positives
With a mere six drops and one fumble during his college career (versus
164 catches), McBride is as sure-handed as they come. He runs to
his timed speed (4.56) and figures to threaten the seam from the
moment he first steps onto a pro field. McBride's competitive spirit
shows up in the effort he puts into blocking as much as it does
after the catch; he is not elite in either area but certainly more
advanced in both relative to the majority of tight ends who have
entered the draft recently. Last year's John Mackey award winner
became the first tight end since 2013 to surpass 1,100 receiving
yards in a season last season despite below-average quarterback
play and emerging as the central focus of every defense early in
the season. McBride also proved to be extremely versatile for the
Rams, contributing on special teams every year while also lining
up all over the field - including at fullback.
Negatives
There are not many gaping holes in McBride's game, but rather areas
that he can shore up over the next year or two. The amount of separation
he gets for someone with his athleticism is a bit disappointing,
although it is most likely a function of concentrating too much
on running the route as it is drawn up and the expectation his defender
will get help over the top. Although he wins more than his fair
share of contested catches, he could afford to be more aggressive
in those situations. McBride's five missed tackles forced (per Pro
Football Focus) is a small number for a player who caught 90 balls.
He also committed an unusually high number of penalties (eight)
in 2021. McBride blocks well for a college tight end but probably
needs to add some more muscle to finish off his man on a more regular
basis. (Added muscle might improve his ability after the catch as
well.)
Bottom Line
Outside of his surprisingly low touchdown production (he scored
only one time in 2021 and averaged a score only once every 16.4
catches in his college career) and some functional strength concerns
that most college tight ends have, McBride is about as complete
of a prospect as NFL coaches could hope for. There is some Travis
Kelce to his game and there is a small chance he could have
that kind of ceiling in time, although a more realistic goal is
probably in the Olsen or Zach
Ertz stratosphere. So long as he stays healthy enough to run
as well as he does now and develops more nuance as a route-runner,
McBride should eventually emerge as a top-10 tight end in the league.
Jelani Woods Draft Profile
Vitals
College: Virginia
Height/Weight: 6'7"/275
Hands: 9 1/4"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)
High-end NFL Player Comp(s):
A stronger Logan Thomas Low-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Marcedes Lewis
Position-Specific
Attributes and Grades
Attribute
Att Grade
Scale
Ball
Tracking
8.0
10.0
Contested
Catch/Body Control
8.0
10.0
Hands
8.0
10.0
Release
6.5
10.0
Route-Running
6.0
10.0
Run
After Catch
7.0
10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness
6.5
8.0
Blocking
3.5
6.0
Separation
2.0
3.0
Speed
2.5
3.0
Film
Grade
58.0
80.0
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect
Grade* (out of 50): 39.0
* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For tight ends, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 60 catches and 800 rushing yards at some point early
in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation
Positives
Woods is yet another example of college programs showcasing tight
ends (or not knowing what to do with the spectacularly talented
ones when they are on campus). Oklahoma State did the right thing
by converting him to tight end (from quarterback) in 2017 but asked
him to block about a third of the 659 passing snaps he was on the
field over his four seasons in Stillwater. It is somewhat understandable
considering how big he is, but the Cowboys' coaching staff obviously
ignored his athleticism. He transferred to Virginia and doubled
his career production across the board en route to becoming an All-ACC
selection. Woods is ridiculously long (approximately 34-inch arms
and a wingspan of more than 82 inches) and routinely snags balls
with his hands that are outside of his frame. (He recorded 11 contested
catches last season, good for sixth at his position in college football.)
While his yards after the catch average (5.2) was nothing to write
home about in 2021, he forced 11 missed tackles on 44 catches and
repeatedly made linebackers and safeties crumble when they tried
to tackle him downfield.
Negatives
For all of Woods' athleticism, he is limited athletically when it
comes to doing what he will be drafted to do: threaten the seam.
He can do it once, but it takes him a bit to hit top speed (long-strider).
Additionally, he is going to remain on his track once he hits top
speed because he is so massive. His inexperience at the position
is likely the main reason for his raw route-running (although he
does show flashes, he does tend to telegraph routes) and inconsistent
hand placement, which undoubtedly contributed to his 10.2 percent
drop rate in 2021. While he certainly has the body to hold up as
a blocker, Oklahoma State did not give him enough snaps to prove
he can hold up game after game in that area. Virginia rarely used
him as a blocker.
Bottom Line
The fact that Woods' testing numbers are better than Kyle
Pitts' from last year is befuddling, to say the least. While
Woods moves well for a player of his size, I would bet on him winning
any drill against Pitts now if the two were to retest. Either way,
his testing numbers mean he has to be taken seriously as a draft
prospect. What Woods did in 2021 was impressive given how little
he was used at Oklahoma State. He profiles immediately as a red
zone fiend who can either box out defenders with his massive frame
or fly above the rim to snag in a high throw that most defenders
could only dream to touch. It seems reasonable to believe he will
be a bit of a project this year and maybe next, but one that is
easily capable of becoming a Pro Bowl performer down the line. There
is simply too much athleticism here for him to fail if he gets coached
up (and utilized) correctly.
Isaiah Likely Draft Profile
Vitals
College: Coastal Carolina
Height/Weight: 6'4"/245
Hands: 10"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)
High-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Delanie Walker Low-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Randy McMichael
Position-Specific
Attributes and Grades
Attribute
Att Grade
Scale
Ball
Tracking
9.0
10.0
Contested
Catch/Body Control
8.5
10.0
Hands
9.5
10.0
Release
8.0
10.0
Route-Running
9.0
10.0
Run
After Catch
9.0
10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness
5.0
8.0
Blocking
3.5
6.0
Separation
2.0
3.0
Speed
1.5
3.0
Film
Grade
65.0
80.0
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect
Grade* (out of 50): 37.0
* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For tight ends, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 60 catches and 800 rushing yards at some point early
in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.
Positives
Despite some lackluster athletic testing numbers (40, 20-yard shuttle,
3-cone), Likely produced his share of big plays (five catches of
55-plus yards over the last two seasons) and is a threat after the
catch (14 receptions of 20-plus yards in 2021). He is surprisingly
quick and loose-hipped for a 245-pound man, and he possesses much
more experience in running a full route tree than one might expect
from a Sun Belt player. While he will likely not line up outside
very often in the NFL, he is sudden enough to beat most linebackers
and some safeties with a speed-out, curl or slant if he gets flexed
out of the backfield and the defense is slow to adjust.
Negatives
At 245 pounds, he is stuck in a bit of a no man's land; he is at
a great size to be a fullback but does not block well enough to
live there. He is also too light to be a traditional tight end in
most schemes. There are flashes of him exerting his will on second-and
third-level defenders, but his blocking as a whole needs work -
even though he typically gives good effort. To that end, he needs
to add some muscle, but it is fair to wonder if he can do it without
sacrificing some of his aforementioned positive traits. It is not
as if he can afford to move slower at his current weight; he is
not exactly a seam-stretcher as it is.
Bottom Line
Likely is a player that is about 10 years too late to the party
in that he is an ideal H-back in a league that largely does not
use the position anymore. Creating mismatches is in vogue, however,
and that is where Likely could shine. On film, he appears to be
much more athletic than his test scores would indicate, and there
is always going to be a place in the league for potential mismatch
players with good hands who can do some work after the catch.
Greg Dulcich Draft Profile
Vitals
College: UCLA
Height/Weight: 6'4"/243
Hands: 9 7/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)
High-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Dalton Schultz Low-end NFL Player Comp(s):
Austin Hooper
Position-Specific
Attributes and Grades
Attribute
Att Grade
Scale
Ball
Tracking
8.5
10.0
Contested
Catch/Body Control
8.5
10.0
Hands
8.0
10.0
Release
7.0
10.0
Route-Running
9.0
10.0
Run
After Catch
8.5
10.0
Physicality/Competitiveness
5.5
8.0
Blocking
2.0
6.0
Separation
2.0
3.0
Speed
2.0
3.0
Film
Grade
61.0
80.0
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect
Grade* (out of 50): 36.5
* - How well does his skill set carry over
to the fantasy game? For tight ends, a player needs to be a realistic
threat for 60 catches and 800 rushing yards at some point early
in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional
scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.
Positives
Dulcich tested well at the Combine, and there are times when he
shows why those numbers are legit. He is no stranger to detaching
from the line (he lined up in the slot nearly a third of the time
last season). Dulcich's 4.69 speed shows up when he gets a chance
to build up some momentum (six of his catches covered at least 30
yards in 2021 and three of his 11 career TD catches covered at least
50 yards). His 33 3/8-inch arms would make many offensive tackles
jealous. They also give him a larger catch radius than most tight
ends. I did not get to see many plays in which he exhibited remarkable
body control or ball-tracking skills, but there was a touchdown
catch against Cal last year in which he showed both - at least enough
to make me believe he has that in his bag if he needs it.
Negatives
Dulcich has added roughly 35 pounds to his frame since walking
on at UCLA and he will need to add more, as he lacks the functional
strength at this point to win at the line of scrimmage consistently.
His blocking technique and effort are inconsistent, to say the least.
Dulcich also tends to get too upright at the top of his routes,
which takes away from his overall fluidity and reduces the effectiveness
of his ability as a route-runner. I also feel as though his big-play
ability and speed may be a bit overrated. For example, his 75-yard
catch-and-run against LSU was a play in which the zone defense forgot
about him about 15 yards down the field and the closest defender
was about five yards away. That defender missed his tackle attempt
about 15 yards later, yet he was nearly caught right at the end
despite having about a 10-15 yard head start.
Bottom Line
Schultz and Hooper are good tight ends that have benefited a great
deal from their scheme and/or supporting cast as pros. Ultimately,
I believe Dulcich is in the same boat. His hands are steady for
the most part. He will consistently make himself available in the
short and intermediate passing game and is a good bet to move the
chains when he gets his hands on the ball. I do not believe he is
a game-changing tight end by any stretch, but that doesn't mean
he will not be more than serviceable as a pro. Schultz and Hooper
each have multiple 60-catch seasons on their resume, and I think
that is also possible for Dulcich in the right system.
---
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now. Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and been featured
in USA TODAY's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He
is also a high-stakes player who often appears as a guest analyst
on a number of national sports radio shows, such as Sirius XM’s
“Fantasy Drive." Doug is also a member of the Fantasy
Sports Writers Association.