A possible sleeper at TE in the draft

Pokerbrat2000

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How is it these guys are preparing for the biggest summer of their life and yet they can't toe the line? They really gotta learn to follow a 50's era teenage girl routine. Home by dark and never leave without a mature chaperone.

Because the Cowboys need players too? :coffee:
 

tynimiller

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No problem for me. The Packers already did their asset allocation to TE position. I'm looking for a UDFA with some blocking ability as the 7th. OL for short yardage and who could make a special teams contribution...somebody to compete with Perillo, Bachman and Henry for the #3 spot.

Who?
 
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HardRightEdge

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Exactly. Ok, so it's "Backman". I don't generally obsess over spelling with a guy who's #4 or #5 on the depth chart. I don't think I had cause to ever type his name before.

packers.com shows Mitchell Henry is still on the roster, but you made me double-check. Like or not, it is what it is.

I don't think any of these guys are known particularly for their blocking, but I couldn't say for sure.
 
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Pokerbrat2000

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After the Cook signing, I'm worried a lot less about the TE position for 2016. However, since Cook signed a one year deal and we really won't know what we have in him for awhile, I would totally be in favor of drafting a TE for the future. That of course is only if the Packers don't see Perillo, Backman or Henry being a productive TE in the future. I think if TT doesn't draft a TE, it may be an indication of his confidence in the future of one or more of those 3 guys.
 

tynimiller

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Exactly. Ok, so it's "Backman". I don't generally obsess over spelling with a guy who's #4 or #5 on the depth chart. I don't think I had cause to ever type his name before.

packers.com shows Mitchell Henry is still on the roster, but you made me double-check. Like or not, it is what it is.

I don't think any of these guys are known particularly for their blocking, but I couldn't say for sure.

Yeah I missed the Henry guy completely...and wasn't sure if you meant Backman or not. I am following now.
 
D

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No problem for me. The Packers already did their asset allocation to TE position. I'm looking for a UDFA with some blocking ability as the 7th. OL for short yardage and who could make a special teams contribution...somebody to compete with Perillo, Bachman and Henry for the #3 spot.

With Cook only on a one-year deal it's possible the Packers will once again be in need of an athletic tight end next season. While it's possible either Backman or Henry could turn into a player capable of stretching a defense I wouldn't mind adding Higbee who's most likely the best receiving threat at the position in this year's draft.

After the Cook signing, I'm worried a lot less about the TE position for 2016. However, since Cook signed a one year deal and we really won't know what we have in him for awhile, I would totally be in favor of drafting a TE for the future. That of course is only if the Packers don't see Perillo, Backman or Henry being a productive TE in the future. I think if TT doesn't draft a TE, it may be an indication of his confidence in the future of one or more of those 3 guys.

Backman and Henry have the athleticism the Packers are looking for but are extremely raw. Perillo is just a guy.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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You do know that Higbee is in trouble with the law, right? http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...-of-former-wku-te-tyler-higbee-164233941.html

Why not consider end of round 7 Tanner McEvoy as developmental (PS) TE (and Safety?). Would have to learn about route running & blocking, but you can't teach size & speed.
While I wouldn't be opposed to Higbee, even with his hopefully one and only dumb move , I really like Tanner McEvoy. If you follow McEvoy's college career, he went from QB to ST's to S/WR and also takes snaps from the wildcat position. Every position change he went through, seemed to build him into an even better football player. He's smart and at 6'6", good hands, can take and dish out a hit and has some decent speed (4.47), I think he could potentially be a really good TE in the NFL. While he is learning the position, he would be a good special teams contributor as well as a back-up at S, WR and even your emergency #3 QB. Who know's I bet the guy can even punt! Can you tell this is one player that I think TT needs to look at from the 6th on? :D

Footage of McEvoy......confusing since he wore quite a few different numbers as a Badger:

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You do know that Higbee is in trouble with the law, right?

Well, I knew Higbee was in trouble with the law but didn´t pay close attention to what exactly happened that got him arrested. It seems pretty bad though and could actually result in him not being drafted.

Why not consider end of round 7 Tanner McEvoy as developmental (PS) TE (and Safety?). Would have to learn about route running & blocking, but you can't teach size & speed.

There´s no doubt McEvoy is an intriguing prospect and would be fine with the Packers spending a late round pick on him.
 

Mondio

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I think McEvoy is an interesting project for the NFL. The kid is obviously athletic and talented. Everything would point to a team oriented player that is coachable and has some interesting physical skills, but why TE? If he was 240 or more I'd see it, but he's pretty tall and 220. I can't see him in tight blocking many DE's and linebackers in the NFL. Why not WR? He won't be a QB, not sure if he projects to NFL safety or not, but he's obviously not afraid of contact, but I just don't see someone that tall, long and light playing NFL TE, not in any meaningful sense anyway.
 
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I think McEvoy is an interesting project for the NFL. The kid is obviously athletic and talented. Everything would point to a team oriented player that is coachable and has some interesting physical skills, but why TE? If he was 240 or more I'd see it, but he's pretty tall and 220. I can't see him in tight blocking many DE's and linebackers in the NFL. Why not WR? He won't be a QB, not sure if he projects to NFL safety or not, but he's obviously not afraid of contact, but I just don't see someone that tall, long and light playing NFL TE, not in any meaningful sense anyway.

McEvoy would for sure have to add some weight to play tight end in the NFL. In my opinion lining up at safety is most likely his best chance to make a roster at the pro level. I don´t see wide receiver as an option for him.
 

Pkrjones

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6 of the top 18 TE's (on Draftek's listing) are under 250, with McEvoy listed at 231 lbs. Don't expect him to ever be a great inline blocker but would be a split out guy (as Finley was 50+% of the time) running down the seam or outs. Don't think he can learn to run great routes that a WR needs for separation, and at 6'-6" figure he could be PS Safety and/or TE. Great athlete with size & speed, capable & willing to learn. Other late-round WR to convert to TE might be David Cajuste, but he would like to remain a WR I believe I read (somewhere).
 

Mondio

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So he's already gained 10lbs, over his collegiate playing weight. 6'6" and 220, which is about what he played college at, it very long and very lanky for a TE. It's all semantics at this point which is why I said i don't see him lining up and playing TE in any meaningful sense, meaning, he's not going to be in tight, like a TE has historically been.

anyway, I checked the list and pretty much everyone is 244+ and most are a pound or 2 short of 250 or over. They're also 2-4 inches shorter, most of them. anybody in the 230 range are 4 inches shorter than McEvoy. How you carry your weight and use leverage with your frame makes a big difference too, especially in blocking. If he ever got up to 245 or so, and moved well with it, I'd wonder how he got there. He's a conditioned athlete, has been for a while and has a long thin frame. They don't put on 20lbs of muscle in a season or 2 without help.
 

tynimiller

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I have liked McEvoy as well. The thing that makes me think he "could" be "decent" at blocking is he has no fear of contact and has an aggressive streak in him...something not a lot of lankier TE's have. His days of playing S and STs help with this. He isn't a player I reach for but is definitely a player I keep on my mind when entering the last day of the draft...or if he goes undrafted (which I doubt)
 

Pokerbrat2000

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Evidently at The Badger Pro Day, all 3 positions (TE, WR, S) were discussed with McEvoy by various teams. Personally, I think his future in the NFL is at TE. He would have to continue his work in the weight room and bulk up. I have no doubt he can do that. Last I heard he was almost 240 lbs, which is only 15 lbs less then Tyler Eifert and Zach Erts who are both 6'6". Bottom line for me, the kid is smart, has good hands, decent speed, adapted well to multiple positions, and a body that can be built on.

From everything I have read, there are some teams pretty interested in him and he will be drafted somewhere in the 6th or 7th. Considering what we typically get with those picks, I would be very pleased to get a hard working swiss army knife like McEvoy that potentially has a lot of upside to him.
 

Mondio

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I think he's drafted in the late rounds by someone. He doesn't play like a tall uncoordinated person at all. as a running QB he had moves and ran that field very well, through traffic and in the open field. He's definitely not afraid to mix it up, he layed some hits out there playing safety. I think he's a great athlete, and to think he played QB, WR and Safety in a legitimate college conference. I just have never seen him have to block anybody, and i'm fine calling him a TE and splitting him out, but that to me is just semantics. He could develop into a good blocker, maybe he does it very well and has better leverage than I give him credit for, he certainly moves around the field as a runner better than I'd imagine he could.
 

tynimiller

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Evidently at The Badger Pro Day, all 3 positions (TE, WR, S) were discussed with McEvoy by various teams. Personally, I think his future in the NFL is at TE. He would have to continue his work in the weight room and bulk up. I have no doubt he can do that. Last I heard he was almost 240 lbs, which is only 15 lbs less then Tyler Eifert and Zach Erts who are both 6'6". Bottom line for me, the kid is smart, has good hands, decent speed, adapted well to multiple positions, and a body that can be built on.

From everything I have read, there are some teams pretty interested in him and he will be drafted somewhere in the 6th or 7th. Considering what we typically get with those picks, I would be very pleased to get a hard working swiss army knife like McEvoy that potentially has a lot of upside to him.

Honestly, if you get a utility guy that will contribute on STs for years I'm happy with that out of a 6th, 7th or undrafted without hesitation.
 

Pkrjones

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So he's already gained 10lbs, over his collegiate playing weight. 6'6" and 220, which is about what he played college at, it very long and very lanky for a TE. It's all semantics at this point which is why I said i don't see him lining up and playing TE in any meaningful sense, meaning, he's not going to be in tight, like a TE has historically been.

anyway, I checked the list and pretty much everyone is 244+ and most are a pound or 2 short of 250 or over. They're also 2-4 inches shorter, most of them. anybody in the 230 range are 4 inches shorter than McEvoy. How you carry your weight and use leverage with your frame makes a big difference too, especially in blocking. If he ever got up to 245 or so, and moved well with it, I'd wonder how he got there. He's a conditioned athlete, has been for a while and has a long thin frame. They don't put on 20lbs of muscle in a season or 2 without help.
McEvoy was recruited into college as a QB and wasn't asked to gain weight, so he lifted as a QB. When he switched to Safety (and then WR) he wasn't asked to gain weight, so he lifted like a WR/S. If he's added to the 90 and told they would switch him to TE he'd be lifting as a TE with the purpose of gaining muscle/strength. This article is about collegians weight gain from recruit to draft day, and in no way am I comparing McEvoy to JJ Watt or Von Miller... but significant weight gain/strength is possible for young guys.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/footba...o-draft-picks-by-the-numbers?urn=ncaaf,wp1188
 

tynimiller

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I agree Pkrjones, he's consistently done what was asked of him and excelled on a team that played in one of the tougher conferences as a whole...and he's a Wisconsin boy unafraid of cold weather.
 

Mondio

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significant weight gain is possible, with help. Long lanky guys are rarely bulky guys, I don't care how much they lift. I think Von Miller and Watt have very different body types than McEvoy and I don't think they did it without help either.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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JJ Watt his freshman year, before he transferred to Wisconsin played TE.......if you look at the JJ Watt then and the JJ Watt now, no doubt he was able to balk up.

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Mondio

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If he was, why would we be talking about him in regards to the 2016 draft?
it was rhetorical, so why are we talking about rather common situation of 18 year olds changing physically over a period of 5 years at time when bodies naturally do with or without a college weight program like it transfers to a more mature, graduated 20 something year old conditioned athlete going from his 220 college days and just putting on 25lbs of decent weight in an offseason by lifting weights?
 

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