The tight end position is among the most complex and demanding in today’s NFL, and Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet has the versatile skill set to get the job done.
One of this year’s top prospects at the position, Kmet recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about choosing football over baseball, his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: There’s some competition to be the first tight end selected in this draft, and you’re certainly right in the thick of that. Why should you be the first tight end selected in the 2020 NFL Draft?
CK: I think my ability to split out wide as a receiver or come in-line as a blocker sets me apart. I offer a lot of versatility in that regard. I think that’s what separates me from the rest of the pack.
JM: Lake Barrington, Illinois is home, and you went just a few hours east to play at South Bend. What did it mean for you to stay so close to home?
CK: It meant a lot to me and my family. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, it was a big Notre Dame area. To be able to play at Notre Dame and continue the tradition of great tight ends to come through the program was a dream come true for me.
JM: You must have had a lot of support at those home games, right?
CK: Yeah, I really did. I constantly had people coming down there to watch me play live. It was a good time.
JM: You were a great baseball player as well. Do you feel like the skill sets are a little interchangeable?
CK: Yeah, they definitely are. Baseball teaches you a lot of patience and discipline. I was a pitcher, a closer specifically. You deal with a lot of high-pressure situations as a closer. You have to be able to get out of tough situations. I recall games where I came in to face a batter with the bases loaded. In both senses, you can learn a lot from playing baseball and football. I certainly took what I learned from one sport and applied it to the other.
JM: What ultimately led to you deciding to focus on football as your future career?
CK: I really took a step back and saw an opportunity to play in the NFL. Since I was a little kid, the dream was to become a professional football player. This has always been my dream. I saw an opportunity to pursue that dream. It was a no-brainer for me.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the tight end position?
CK: I love the versatility that comes with it. We’re asked to do a little bit of everything. You have a great relationship with the offensive linemen because you spend so much time playing next to them in the run game. Being able to split out wide and catch touchdown passes is also a lot of fun. You kinda get the best of both worlds. You get to play such a big role in the offense.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
CK: The combine was a crazy experience. I remember gathering around my television as a little kid to watch the combine. Getting a chance to meet all of the different NFL teams was a great experience. I thought I performed really well. I’m thankful for the opportunity to perform under the bright lights. It was such a great experience.
JM: Taking every aspect of the combine into account, ranging from the medicals to the on-field testing, what do you think is the overall impression that you left out there?
CK: I think that I showcased myself as a reliable guy during the interview process. The teams had heard a lot of good feedback on me from my coaches and different people they’ve spoken with and I think I was able to confirm all of that throughout my interviews. I also think that I confirmed what you saw on tape during the testing aspect of the combine. I showed that I’m a versatile guy that can do a lot of things.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
CK: There was this one team that asked me to tell a joke. It actually came up several times throughout the meeting. That was definitely a little weird (laughs). That definitely stuck out to me.
JM: You’re not the first player to tell me that. Did you freeze up, or did you have a joke ready to go?
CK: I froze up (laughs). I definitely did not have a joke ready to go. We actually came back to it later, and I still couldn’t think of a joke to tell them (laughs). That was definitely one of the weird questions.
JM: I know that you’re keeping the teams private at this time, but have you met with many teams via FaceTime and Zoom? How’s the process going for you?
CK: The meetings have gone really well. I’ve met with quite a few teams and I still have a few more on my schedule for this week (editor’s note: interview was done on April 7th). I’m looking forward to it. Obviously my experience has been a little different given the circumstances. It’s been a good process so far. I wasn’t able to make any in-person visits or workouts.
JM: Playing at Notre Dame afforded you the opportunity to play against some of the best competition college football has to offer on a weekly basis. Who are some of the best guys you’ve had to go up against?
CK: I went up against Isaiah Simmons from Clemson this past season. He’s obviously going to get drafted very early. I’m glad I had a chance to play against him during my senior season. He’s a great player. Richard LeCounte from Georgia was a great safety as well. Those two guys stick out to me.
JM: Do you have a favorite route to run?
CK: We called it the option route. That was my favorite. I have the decision to break out or break in. I can decide to sit somewhere if I want. It’s that 10-yard option. I would pay close attention to the leverage of the linebacker and make my decision from there. I really like running that route.
JM: If you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one teammate with you, who would you bring and why?
CK: I would bring Chase Claypool with me. I’ve been spending a lot of time with him, even after our season ended. He’s the ultimate competitor. He refuses to lose. I love that about him.
JM: If you could catch a pass from one NFL quarterback, who would you choose and why?
CK: I obviously grew up watching Tom Brady. He’s the greatest to ever play the game. It would be pretty cool to catch a pass from him.
JM: When a team spends a draft pick on Cole Kmet, what kind of guy are they getting?
CK: They’re getting a reliable guy that’s gonna come in and consistently put his head down and go to work. I’m gonna be a confident guy on the field, and a teammate you can rely on both on and off the field.
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