Tag: Hunter Long

Dolphins select Hunter Long in third round of 2021 NFL draft

The Miami Dolphins selected Boston College tight end Hunter Long in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

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The Miami Dolphins selected Boston College tight end Hunter Long in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft on Friday.

Long was taken with the 18th pick of the round, No. 81 overall. Earlier Thursday, in the second round, the Dolphins drafted Oregon safety Jevon Holland with the No. 36 overall selection and Notre Dame offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg at No. 42 overall.

The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Long registered 89 receptions for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns in three seasons at Boston College. He averaged 14.6 yards per reception as a collegian.

Long was named a second-team All-America selection by The Associated Press in 2020.

Draft Wire ranked Long as the fifth-best tight end in this year’s class.

The Dolphins have no more draft selections on Friday. Miami has three picks on Saturday: No. 12 in the fifth round (No. 156 overall), No. 3 in the seventh round (No. 231 overall) and No. 17 in the seventh round (No. 244 overall).

Miami Dolphins’ 2021 draft class

Rd. Pos. Name School
1 WR Jaylen Waddle Alabama
1 Edge Jaelan Phillips Miami
2 S Jevon Holland Oregon
2 OT Liam Eichenberg Notre Dame
3 TE Hunter Long Boston College

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2021 NFL draft: Chargers Day 2 predictions

What might the Los Angeles Chargers do on Day 2? Let’s take a crack at predicting the picks.

The Chargers hit a home run in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, selecting offensive tackle Rashawn Slater. Now with Day 1 in the rearview, the attention has shifted to Rounds 2 and 3.

What might Los Angeles do with their Day 2 picks? Using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, I took a crack at how general manager Tom Telesco could continue his haul.

Round 2, No. 47, S Jevon Holland, Oregon

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, the Chargers need a starting cornerback, but the safety position needs just as much attention considering Derwin James has only played five games in the past two seasons, Nasir Adderley is coming off of a sophomore slump and Alohi Gilman isn’t a scheme fit.

As Staley said: “I don’t think you can have enough DBs just in the current NFL.”

Lining up in the box, the slot and from a two-high safety spot, Holland served as a key piece in the pass and run defense.

Holland’s speed, instincts and strength should bode well in coverages against opposing receivers. Also, he is high effort player who is not afraid to stick his nose in to make a tackle. In addition, he can serve as a punt returner and contributor on coverage units.

Ball skills, you ask? Holland produced 19 passes defensed and nine interceptions for the Ducks in two seasons.

Holland would be an instant contributor for the Bolts where he offers the positional versatility with his ability to play safety or nickel corner at a high level, something that would give the team a lot to work with in the back end of the defense.

Round 3, No. 77, CB Paulson Adebo, Stanford

The Chargers still manage to find a corner who’s capable of starting from Day 1 in the third-round.

Adebo had a phenomenal sophomore year with the Cardinals. He seemed destined to be a first-round pick, but his junior tape was inconsistent, so Adebo wanted to solidify his name as a top corner and returned to school for 2020. However, COVID-19 put things to a halt, forcing him to opt out.

Built with a long and rangy physique, Adebo shows the looseness and fluidity, rarely allows any separation on vertical routes. He shows receiver-like ball tracking abilities when the ball is in flight. He can control the rep and dictate where the receiver goes in press and is always aware in zone.

Like Holland, Adebo is always around the ball. In two seasons, he posted 34 passes defensed and eight interceptions.

Adebo is also very good in run support, diagnosing things develop in the snap of a finger and shooting downhill to make stops in the open field or near the line of scrimmage with textbook technique.

Overall, Adebo’s fluidity, reactive athleticism and his playmaking abilities against the pass and run make him a plug-and-play cornerback for Staley. His effort and play speed would allow him to serve as a gunner on the punt team unit, as well.

Round 3, No. 97, TE Hunter Long, Boston College

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Chargers drafted a tight end with one of their first two selections on Day 2 considering Jared Cook is only a one-year deal, but here we are after taking two impactful players on the defensive side of the ball.

Productive throughout three seasons, Long finished his stint with the Eagles with 89 catches for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns.

At 6-foot-5 and 254 pounds, Long is a smart, willing blocker who shows athleticism in his routes, has very good speed, and a big catch radius, projecting as a capable tight end in this league with good receiving potential who can fill an inline and slot role.

Poll: Who should Jags target at TE aside from Freiermuth?

Pat Freiermuth is likely the best tight end the Jags could land, but if that doesn’t work out, who else could they target at the position?

Tight end is clearly the Jacksonville Jaguars’ biggest position of need aside from quarterback. They let Tyler Eifert walk, and though they signed Chris Manhertz from Carolina, him and James O’Shaughnessy are the notables they have at the position at the moment.

With that being said, it’s almost guaranteed the team will take a tight end in the upcoming draft. There’s a transcendent prospect at the position in Kyle Pitts, but he will almost certainly be off the board in the top 10, meaning it would take an aggressive trade-up for Jacksonville to land him.

Instead, it will likely target a player like Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, the consensus No. 2 tight end in the draft. But what if Jacksonville chooses to pass on Freiermuth and address another position of need? Or worse yet, what if he’s off the board when the team picks at 33rd, a likely landing spot for him?

There are other tight end prospects in this class that have gotten some attention, such as Boston College’s Hunter Long, who Mel Kiper projected the Jags would take over Freiermuth. He has similar college production to Freiermuth, but there is a fairly considerable drop between the two in the eyes of most scouts. If they took Long, they would still probably have to do it in the second or third round.

They could also opt for a player like Miami’s Brevin Jordan. He’s not the downfield threat that Pitts and Freiermuth are, but he’s great after the catch and was utilized on a lot of flat and drag routes with the Hurricanes. The Jaguars could also wait longer for Jordan than for Freiermuth.

There’s also Kansas State’s Briley Moore Jr., who had a breakout season as a grad transfer from Northern Iowa. He’s a good run-blocker in addition to solid abilities in the passing game.

What do you think, Jags fans? Who should the team target at tight end if landing Freiermuth isn’t an option? Let us know in the poll below.

 

Mel Kiper gives thoughts on Jags’ need for a TE

The Jags have several needs, but Mel Kiper feels tight end is one of the top ones they need to address this year.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of needs after coming off a one-win season in 2020, and as a result, Urban Meyer and company will have a task on their hands when it comes to bolstering up the group to a respectable level. However, depending on what analyst fans get their information from, the team’s top needs vary, which has made trying to figure out the Jags’ direction interesting these last few months.

In a recent conference call, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. revealed one of the positions he felt was a top-3 need for the Jags, which is at tight end. Thankfully, Kiper feels there will be plenty of prospects to choose from, though, as the Jags have 11 picks in April’s draft.

“Yes, that is a need – and that is one of their top three needs overall,” Kiper said about the tight end position. […] “There will be a lot of tight ends. It depends on which ones they like. They’re all a little different, but they all certainly would be possibilities for Jacksonville in this draft.”

In addition to the draft picks they have, the Jags are projected to have a figure of over $80 million in available cap space. They could use that to sign a veteran like Jonnu Smith or Hunter Henry in a few weeks if they become available.

As for the draft, the top prospect is Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, who should be a top-10 selection. Of course, his ranking as an elite prospect would rule the Jags out unless they gave up significant compensation to move up.

What’s more likely is for the Jags to snag a tight end in Rounds 2-5. Pat Freiermuth is a popular name at the position who has a second-round grade. He also has ties to the Jags as his former position coach, Tyler Bowen, is on the staff. Other options include Brevin Jordan, Tre’ McKitty, and Hunter Long, who the Jags could snag in Days 2-3.

Regardless of what route the Jags go, it’s hard to see them not addressing their weakness at tight end as the position has proven to be important for quarterbacks. By addressing it this year, the team would be bringing in the tight end at the same time as probable No. 1 selection Trevor Lawrence, giving him a weapon at the position to build a bond with immediately in his young career.

12 potential Chargers to watch during Senior Bowl week: Offense

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists 12 offensive players in the Senior Bowl that could be on the Bolts’ radar.

The pre-draft process leading up into the 2021 NFL draft is headed to Mobile, AL, for the Senior Bowl. This event is one of the biggest college football all-star games that will feature the most prolific prospects in the country.

This week will draw the attention of many Chargers’ scouts, coach Brandon Staley, and general manager Tom Telesco to do their homework on players that could potentially be suitors for Los Angeles come April.

Last year this event brought in quarterback Justin Herbert, running back Joshua Kelley, safety Alohi Gilman and wide receiver K.J. Hill. The year before that the team found safety Nasir Adderley and linebacker Drue Tranquill.

It all starts with three days of practices and finally, the game on Saturday. I’ll be in attendance, constantly giving updates throughout the week.

With that being said, here are 12 players to keep an eye out on the offensive side of the ball.

OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama

Leatherwood elected to return for his senior season, and was arguably the nation’s best left tackle. Leatherwood, a consensus First Team All-American and winner of the 2020 Outland Trophy, made 48 starts for the Crimson Tide with 13 of them coming at right guard in 2018. Leatherwood is an excellent blindside blocker who possesses a wide base, clamps as hands and the physicality to grow into a very reliable tackle or guard at the next level.

OT Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame

Notre Dame has done a fine job of producing quality NFL offensive line and Eichenberg is next in line. Arguably one of the most consistent left tackles over the past two seasons, on over 900 pass-blocking snaps in that span, Eichenberg allowed only 27 pressures. He possesses smooth movement skills, is strong at the point of attack, using physical hands to occupy pass rushers. A mauler in the run game, Eichenberg plays the game with a mean streak.

OT Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa

After starting 32 of 33 games, Brown decided to sit out of his final season due to the delay until the spring because of COVID-19. Towering at 6-foot-8 and 321 pounds, Brown has the combination of size, length and athleticism to thrive at the next level. The former tight end is a mirroring magician in pass protection and is an outstanding run blocker. He needs to develop more power and the finer details to the position, but he could end up being a steal.

OT Alaric Jackson, Iowa

Jackson put himself on the NFL radar dating back to his freshman season, starting at left tackle over Buccaneers’ Tristan Wirfs. Jackson suffered a knee injury that injured the majority of his 2019 campaign, but he took a major step forward in his final year. While he needs to get stronger and clean up his footwork and hands, Jackson has the length, reactive athleticism and run blocking prowess to become a high upside tackle at the next level.

OL Aaron Banks, Notre Dame

Playing next to Eichenberg, Banks started the last 30 games for the Fighting Irish at left guard. Banks allowed just two sacks in 844 snaps as a junior. The first-team All-American is a good-sized smooth-moving mauler as both a run blocker and pass protector who won’t lose many one-on-one battles. Banks has a mammoth body type with 330 pounds neatly packed on his frame, using his mitts like powerful vice grips to latch-and-control. Banks has the versatility to play both guard spots and even left tackle at the next level.

OL Quinn Meinerz, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Meinerz, the 6-foot-3 and 320 pound guard, is capable of being this year’s Ben Bartch (Jaguars), a former Division III player who gets drafted and plays a significant role in the NFL. The former high school state wrestler has extremely strong hands and does whatever it takes to finish his blocks as a run blocker. He has a really powerful anchor and sound technique in pass protection. Overpowering the small-school competition, Meinerz will have the opportunity to show that he’s capable of stymieing some of the top interior talent.

OL Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma

Humphrey started the final 26 games of his career, earning Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year honors for the second time this season. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Humphrey earned second-team AP All-America honors in 2019. Humphrey isn’t the most athletic lineman, but toughness, instincts and consistency in pass protection and the run-blocking department are starter quality at center.

OT James Hudson, Cincinatti

Hudson, the first-team All-American Athletic Conference, didn’t give up a single sack this season and allowed just six total pressures at left tackle for the Bearcats, per Pro Football Focus. While his technique is still a work in progress, his lower body athleticism, wide base, aggressive hands and competitive temperament to stay square to rushers are NFL-ready.

TE Hunter Long, Boston College

Even if Hunter Henry is re-signed, the Chargers could afford to end a reliable and consistent No. 2 tight end. Long is a smart, willing blocker who shows athleticism in his routes, has very good speed, and chunk yardage creation after the catch, possessing the ability to be a monster off of play action. He finished his stint with the Eagles with 89 catches for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns.

TE Tony Poljan, Virginia

Poljan played quarterback at Central Michigan, before converting to tight end. Upon making the positional change, he amassed 71 catches, 907 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Poljan has a large catch radius, soft hands, and enough speed to produce at the next level, but he will have to work on his blocking to become at a complete player.

WR Shi Smith, South Carolina

The Chargers have talent in the wide receiver room, but they could afford to get more explosive at the position. In his Gamecock career, Smith appeared in 42 games, posting 171 receptions for 2,176 yards and 13 scores. Smith is a crafty route runner who has the speed, quickness, and yards after the catch ability to be a solid contributor at the next level.

WR Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State

After tearing his ACL in 2019, Wallace bounced back in a big way this past season, finishing the 2020 season as the leading receiver in the Big 12 Conference with 922 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games played. The 6-foot and 185 pound wideout has the natural speed and ease of movement to be a home run threat any time he touches the ball. He also possesses great leaping ability, constantly winning contested situations.

Perfect offseason gift for Chargers at each position of need

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez gifts Los Angeles with the most ideal and realistic acquisition at each position of need.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

In the spirit of the holiday season and the offseason coming up, we decided to gift Los Angeles with the most ideal and realistic acquisition at each position of need, using the 2021 NFL draft and free agency as our outlets.

Offensive tackle — Jalen Mayfield, Michigan

Sam Tevi has been the team’s best offensive lineman this season, which makes it more difficult when it comes time to decide which of the three starters, Tevi, Dan Feeney and Forrest Lamp will be back next season. In this scenario, I’m assuming Feeney and Lamp are the only two back while Tevi is finding a new home.

The loss of Tevi wouldn’t be all that significant when considering how rich this year’s tackle class is. Many assume that Los Angeles needs to draft a tackle in Round 1 and while they could go that route, the team selects a plug-and-play starter in Round 2 with Mayfield.

Mayfield manned the right tackle position for Michigan but he played left tackle early in his collegiate career. The 6-foot-5 and 320 pounder struggles with speed at times, but he has the length and overpowering hands to neutralize power and control the point of attack as well as the athleticism and movement skills to flourish against the run and in motion.

Guard — Joe Thuney, Patriots

Like I mentioned, I can see the Chargers re-signing Lamp, but the team relegates him to a depth piece and looks to free agency to fill the void. Assuming general manager Tom Telesco is not fired, he’s notorious for going the free agency route to find offensive linemen. In this case, he makes the splash signing on Thuney.

Thuney, who has developed into one of the league’s most premiere guards, has yet to miss a game in his five-year college career. Earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2019, Thuney has followed that up with another impressive season. While he will likely command a hefty paycheck, he is worth every single as Los Angeles looks to build a wall for QB Justin Herbert.

Edge defender — Kwity Paye, Michigan

There are a handful of Chargers fans who believe the offensive tackle position absolutely needs to be addressed in Round 1. However, the most important position in football outside of quarterback is edge defender. Every team must have defensive playmakers along the front line with the potential to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the passing game.

No pressure, no diamonds.

Los Angeles currently ranks No. 21 in team pass rush win rate, which primarily has all been EDGE Joey Bosa. I expect Melvin Ingram to walk in free agency. While Ingram has been out, the team hasn’t gotten much out of the players that have filled his void, Uchenna Nwosu and Jerry Tillery.

With that being said, the Bolts address in the position in the first round with Paye. Paye, the 6-foot-3 and 271 pounders, is an explosive and speedy pass-rusher who wreaks havoc in opposing backfields, both against the pass and run. He needs to add more counters to the bag of tricks, but he has the skillset to be productive for a very long time at the next level.

Intrigued yet? How does 25 quarterback pressures in three games sound?

Pro Football Focus’ Nick Farabaugh believes Paye and the Bolts would be a perfect fit, too.

The Los Angeles Chargers are a fascinating landing spot for Paye. They love to run multiple fronts and use their guys up and down the line. Paye can fill a need there. While working as a defensive end on the interior, Paye has the right amount of sand in his pants to hold his weight and go at it with the biggest of linemen. His explosiveness on the interior is inherently disruptive as well. Still, Paye can stand up and work at outside linebacker, too. The Chargers like to do that at times, so Paye is a nice plug and play here for the Chargers.

Tight end — Hunter Long, Boston College

Hunter Henry has played his way into a contract extension, which I expect both sides to get done this offseason. However, the Chargers will need to figure out what to do with the depth. Virgil Green is a free agent and I don’t expect him to be back while Donald Parham and Stephen Anderson are just proving to be developmental players.

Knowing that the Chargers will have an extra third-round pick for Philip Rivers, this could be where they draft a player to complement Henry with someone that has starter upside. Long is a smart, willing blocker who shows athleticism in his routes, has very good speed, and chunk yardage creation after the catch, possessing the ability to be a monster off of play action.

Long finished his stint with the Eagles with 89 catches for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns.

Cornerback — Trill Williams, Syracuse

This is another position that many fans believe could be addressed in the first-round, especially due to the regression of Casey Hayward. The Chargers could release Hayward and save $9.75 million in cap space. But I believe the team will blame the woes on his injuries and give him another chance to prove himself before his contract is up at end of the 2021 season.

Michael Davis is set to be a free agent at the end of this season, but he’s been one of the best defenders this season and has played his way into a contract extension. Chris Harris Jr. hasn’t been perfect and while he’s another player that could be cut, I don’t see them doing that, either. At the end of the day, they all return and look for depth and a future starter in the draft.

Williams is a name that has gone under the radar, but I believe he will become more well known as we get closer to the draft. The 6-foot-1 and 198 pounder is a long and rangy corner and is extremely competitive. Williams has jumped 40 inches and has been clocked at a laser-timed 4.34 in the 40, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

In 28 games, Williams amassed 93 tackles, 10 passes defensed, four interceptions and three passes defensed.

Colts’ 2021 NFL mock draft after Week 14

A mock draft after Week 14.

As the offseason draws near, we continue to look at potential prospects for the Indianapolis Colts in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Colts are still well in the playoff picture so the focus around the team isn’t on the draft or the upcoming moves in the offseason. It’s seeing how far they can go if they make the playoffs.

Holding the No. 23 pick after Week 14, here’s a look at a mock draft for the Colts with three games remaining in the regular season:

Notre Dame at Boston College: Fourth-Quarter Analysis

Forget all of that talk about Notre Dame letting everyone down right after a huge victory.

Forget all of that talk about Notre Dame letting everyone down right after a huge victory. The ghosts of the 1993 loss to Boston College have been vanquished. And now, we have an Irish team prepared for pretty much anything. What else can be said after a 45-31 win over the Eagles?

The Irish (8-0, 7-0) didn’t need to do anything fancy in the fourth quarter, so they decided to just keep the ball on the ground. That proved to be little consolation for the Eagles (5-4, 4-4), who saw Avery Davis run 29 yards on the very first play of the period. Ian Book ended that drive, which began the previous quarter, with a 6-yard touchdown run. The Irish’s quarterback had himself one heck of game, so that was the perfect way to put a stamp on his performance.

Not everything went the Irish’s way, however. C’Bo Flemister, who scored twice in this game, injured his left leg and had to be helped off the field after being unable to put weight on that leg. It would be a real shame to lose Felmister for any amount of time, and hopefully, the upcoming bye week will help him heal in time for the Irish’s next game against North Carolina.

The Eagles made the final score a little closer when Phil Jurkovec capped an 88-second drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Long, and Travis Levy successfully ran for the two-point conversion. By then, there was too little time left to make a serious comeback, though they made a futile attempt at it. For the second time in the game, they appeared to recover an onside kick only to be penalized for blocking before the ball traveled 10 yards. It was a fitting finish to a game that started well for them but just as quickly went south.