Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The New York Giants address multiple areas of need in the latest The Sporting News mock draft, including the selection of a real “steal.”
The NFL mock draft season is in full swing and some prognosticators are going deep such as The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer, who released his full seven-round mock this week.
How did the New York Giants make out? Fairly well, it seems. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of their picks.
Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield breaks down and analyzes the top 11 tight ends in the 2022 NFL draft class.
Last year saw tight end Kyle Pitts, termed the “unicorn” in many circles, come off the board inside the top five of the first round.
Do not expect something similar this draft cycle.
If you are a fan of the tight end position, you might be in for a little wait this time around. But what this draft class lacks for star power at the top, it more than makes up for it with depth and talent in the middle rounds. The first tight end might not come off the board until later in the second round, or maybe not until the third, but one it happens do not be surprised if you see a little run at the position. There are a number of tight ends in this class in the second- or third-round range who are going to come off the board once the first one hears his name called.
Interestingly enough, this group also has more players who can handle the blocking part of the position well, and what they offer as a receiver is the bigger question.
Let’s dive in.
Otton is considered a talented prospect who could go on Day 2.
The Arizona Cardinals are doing their homework on a tight end prospect in this year’s draft. According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Cardinals are one of many teams that Washington tight end Cade Otton has met or will meet with.
It might have been virtually, at the combine or coming up as a private “30” visit.
Otton played four seasons for the Huskies. The 6-5, 247-lb tight end had a combined 91 receptions for 1,026 yards and nine touchdowns.
He is a good route runner and an adequate blocker. He could be drafted has high as on Day 2.
The Cardinals have Zach Ertz and Maxx Williams on the roster for next season but could use youth at the position as well.
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The underutilized Washington tight end seems a bit similar to a player who is currently a short-term player. Tyler Browning (@DiabeticTyler) looks into the fit.
After placing the franchise tag on Dalton Schultz on Tuesday, Dallas shouldn’t be finished shopping for the position. Washington’s Cade Otton. is a highly decorated three-year starter for the Huskies. He served as a safety blanket type of option, similar to how Jason Witten was for the Cowboys for his long career. Otton showed improvement as a blocker from 2020 to 2021 and has reliable hands, but takes a while to get to top gear and doesn’t offer many yards after the catch.
Otton had a mildly productive career at Washington tallying 91 receptions for 1,026 yards and 9 touchdowns. The school underwent a massive scheme change in 2021 and became a predictable offense. That would be responsible for Otton’s lack of production in 2021 where he only went for 250 yards on 28 catches and one touchdown. A November ankle injury kept Otto from working out at last week’s combine. Here’s a deeper dive into what the evidence shows.
One prospect to watch is Cade Otton, one of Washington’s top three prospects in this year’s draft.
The Seattle Seahawks are relatively set at the tight end position, assuming they re-sign both starter Gerald Everett and backup Will Dissly, who will become unrestricted free agents in a couple of weeks. If either one walks then Seattle will be in the market for a new tight end and the 2022 NFL draft is the best place to find him.
One prospect to watch is Cade Otton, one of Washington’s top three prospects in this year’s draft along with cornberbacks Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon – who are projected to be picked in the first and second rounds respectively. Otton may still be around in the third or fourth, which could put him in the Seahawks’ range if the board falls right. Speaking with reporters today at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Otton said that he’s already spoken with the members of the organization and would be happy to stay in Seattle.
Former UW tight end Cade Otton said at Combine today he has met with Seahawks. Course, he also said he’d met with a bunch of other teams. But he says obvious – he’d be more than happy to stay in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/kbn9vviUNq
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 2, 2022
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Washington TE Cade Otton is up next in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2022 NFL draft for Packers Wire.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Green Bay Packers selected Jace Sternberger in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The following year the Packers once again selected a tight end in the third round when they drafted Josiah Deguara.
Sternberger is no longer on the team and Deguara has flashed potential and could be a potential breakout candidate next season.
Outside of Deguara, the long-term outlook for the tight end position in Green Bay is murky.
Will Robert Tonyan get re-signed after suffering a season-ending injury earlier this season? Even if he is re-signed he was nowhere near as productive as he was in 2020 when he hauled in 11 touchdowns.
Will this be the final ride for Marcedes Lewis? The veteran tight end will turn 38 in May and may opt to retire.
Even if Lewis is back next season, the Packers will need to add depth to the tight end room this offseason.
A player that Green Bay could target in the 2022 NFL Draft is Cade Otton. The Washington tight end checks in at No. 68 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Otton had three receiving touchdowns. In 2019, the Washington native caught 32 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns.
In four games in 2020, Otton caught 18 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown against Utah.
Otton, along with the rest of the Washington offense, struggled this past season. Before suffering an ankle injury, Otton caught 28 passes for 250 yards and one score.
“Cade’s 2021 definitely wasn’t his best, especially coming off of a career year in 2020 in terms of production,” Roman Tomashoff, a contributor for Realdawg.com, said. “His injury and a battle with COVID slowed him down, and John Donovan’s offense did him exactly zero favors. I came out of almost every game baffled as to why he didn’t get more targets on a weekly basis.”
Otton is a well-rounded tight end. His production suffered this past season due to an anemic offense.
The Washington tight end has the size (6-5, 250) for the next level. He has reliable hands and will make a killing in the intermediate routes. Otton has the quickness to create separation is quick in and out of his cuts. He’s comfortable making catches in a crowd and only had two drops all season.
He has some wiggle after the catch. He has the quickness to get upfield and the toughness to drag defenders for a few yards.
Otton isn’t going to be a game-changer at the tight end position like Travis Kelce. That doesn’t mean he can’t carve out a huge role in an offense.
“You’re getting a huge target, a reliable pair of hands, and a crisp route runner,” Tomashoff said. “He has the potential to be at the very least a reliable chain mover, and in the right system, he could be a No. 2 target.”
He has the want to as a run blocker. Otton has the upper body strength to create movement as a blocker. While Otton’s trump card is his ability as a blocker, he was severely underutilized in the passing game during his time at Washington.
“I love his run blocking,” Tomashoff said. “He’s very willing to do it, and at 6-6, 250, he’s excellent at it too.”
As highlighted earlier, the Packers need help at the tight end position.
Otton is likely to go late day two or early on day three of the draft.
If the Packers were to select the Washington product, he’d fight for starting reps as a rookie at a position that’s wide open in Green Bay.
Otton has all the tools to develop into a team’s No. 1 tight end. He is an average athlete with reliable hands that can develop into a quarterback’s best friend as a chain mover.
His game gives off Jason Witten-like vibes when Witten was on the downswing of his career. Somebody that will catch everything thrown his way, while being a solid run blocker. He has the capability to play as an inline tight or move tight end.
“I believe that he’s the most complete tight end in the class,” Tomashoff said. “If his ankle checks out and someone grabs him at the end of the second or early third round, he could be considered the steal of the draft in five years.”
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In his latest mock draft, Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has the Titans going EDGE and TE with their first two picks.
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In his latest 2022 mock draft, Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has the Tennessee Titans taking a versatile edge rusher and tight end with their first two picks of the 2022 NFL draft.
In the first round, Easterling pegs Georgia edge rusher Trayvon Walker to the Titans at No. 26 overall. Here are his thoughts on the pick:
Harold Landry’s breakout season was huge for the Titans, but they need a better long-term solution on the other edge of the defensive front. Walker was one of the best players on the nation’s most dominant defense, and has the versatility to line up at multiple spots in any alignment.
The only way we could possibly see the Titans taking an edge rusher this early is if it’s someone versatile like Walker, and even then it isn’t likely.
After all, the Titans are pretty set upfront for next season. However, all bets are off if Harold Landry doesn’t re-sign.
In the third round (the Titans don’t have a second-round pick thanks to the Julio Jones trade), Easterling selects Washington tight end Cade Otton for Tennessee.
This selection is more realistic. After all, the Titans didn’t have an every-down tight end in 2021, instead opting to go with a three-man rotation of players who specialized in one area or the other.
Otton checks the boxes for an every-down tight end, as he’s a good receiver and blocker, both in the run and passing game. Here’s more information on the 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end, courtesy of Drae Harris of The Draft Network:
“Cade Otton is a sufficient-level athlete with regards to downfield speed and separation quickness as a route-runner. In the run game, he is a very good in-line blocker with good power at the point of attack. He has some nastiness and tenacity to him in the run game. In the passing game, he demonstrates the football IQ and versatility to align at Y, F, or H. He has a very good catch radius and strong hands to pluck the football. He lacks elite separation quickness at the top of the route but does a good job catching the football away from his frame. He is a mismatch up the seams against smaller linebackers and does outstanding work between the numbers.”
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Lastly, here’s a deeper dive into 6-foot-5, 275-pound Walker, also per The Draft Network:
“Georgia’s Travon Walker is an exciting defensive lineman who offers rare athleticism and versatility along the defensive front. Walker, a former 5-star recruit and high school basketball star, has been a mainstay for the Bulldogs in his three-year career but has taken his game to the next level as a junior. Walker has outstanding size and length for the position and pairs those attributes together with rare athleticism. As a pass rusher, Walker displays rare get-off and explosion off the snap. He can easily win edges and shoot through gaps with his explosive and quick-twitch movements. He flashes very good power at the point of attack and has a terrific long arm, which he utilizes to knock back and shock offensive tackles. Walker primarily wins with quickness and speed-to-power as a pass rusher, failing to show consistent hand counters and secondary rush moves. In the run game, Walker sets a firm edge with a strong lock-out and anchor. He has outstanding lateral pursuit and consistently makes plays across the line of scrimmage or down the field with excellent effort. He struggles to get off blocks at times and can be slow tracking the football. All in all, Walker has rare athletic upside with position versatility but needs to develop into more of an impact player to warrant as high of a pick as his athletic traits suggest.”
Walker tallied career-highs in sacks (six), tackles (30), tackles for loss (7.5) and pass defended (two) in 2021. Otton reeled in 28 catches for 250 yards and one score.
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