Isaiah Hodgins – Page 17 – Syndication Server

LOOK: Josh Allen, Matt Barkley workout with 3 Bills rookies

Buffalo Bills Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, Isaiah Hodgins, Gabriel Davis, Zack Moss have offseason workout together.

The picture isn’t exactly social distancing guidelines, but Buffalo Bills quarterbacks Josh Allen and Matt Barkley managed to find a way to workout with some of their new teammates recently (safely, probably).

Bills Wire’s Bradley Gelber unearthed this photo of Allen and Barkley, posing for a photo with (from left to right) sixth-round receiver Isaiah Hodgins, fourth-round rookie Gabriel Davis and third-round running back Zack Moss. Check it out:

Sharing the photo originally was Bert Whigham, a personal trainer that specializes in NFL Combine speed and conditioning. Following the recent draft, Whigham chatted with the Bills Wire Podcast. He helped Moss and Davis prep for the draft. Click here to check out that interview.

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Isaiah Hodgins, Tyler Bass, Dane Jackson sign with Bills

The Buffalo Bills have three players from their rookie draft class under contract, according to The Houston Chronicle.

Sixth-round picks in receiver Isaiah Hodgins and kicker Tyler Bass have signed on the dotted line with the Bills, while seventh-round cornerback Dane Jackson did as well.

Bass will go head-to-head with Stephen Hauschka for kicking duties in Buffalo during training camp. Hodgins and Jackson will compete for depth spots at their respectively playmaker positions.

Hodgins brings added size to the Bills at 6-foot-4 on the outside on offense. Jackson will compete for one of the final roster spots on the Bills in a packed cornerback room. Both players will likely have to prove their worth on special teams as well.

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Winners, losers following Bills 2020 NFL Draft

Winners and losers on the Buffalo Bills roster following the 2020 NFL Draft.

As is with every draft, every player on the Buffalo Bills got some new teammates. But depending on who those players are… some incumbents from last season are feeling pretty comfy about things.

While others now have a young guy in their position group, potentially vying for their job.

If the 2020 NFL Draft is the fence right down the middle of things, one side of it has some winners while the other has some losers on Buffalo’s roster.

Here’s our list of winners and losers on the Bills roster following the recent draft:

Losers

Buffalo Bills running back T.J. Yeldon. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

RB TJ Yeldon

Both Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane said prior to the draft that they’d be fine with their backfield being Devin Singletary and TJ Yeldon.

It was their most obvious smokescreen to the rest of the NFL.

Everyone knew the Bills wanted a guy like Zack Moss. Bigger, more like Frank Gore and less like Singletary. Yeldon was not that guy. If Yeldon makes Buffalo’s final roster, he’ll likely be a candidate to be inactive plenty on game day once again like he was last year. There’s little chance he’ll see running back snaps next season unless injury strikes.

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2020 NFL Draft: Grading the Bills’ Day 3 picks

Here are the grades for the Buffalo’s draft picks on Saturday.

The Buffalo Bills added some intriguing pieces to their roster on the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft. These prospects will be battling for a roster spot, undoubtedly pushing veterans for snaps this fall. With the uncertainty of training camp this summer, which is where these players usually make their first mark for their team, these players have an uncertain road ahead.

Here are the grades for the Buffalo’s draft picks on Saturday:

UCF Knights wide receiver Gabriel Davis. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Round 4 | No. 128 | WR Gabriel Davis | Central Florida

Grade: B+

This is a very good value pick at this point in the draft for the Bills. Davis has the frame that is largely missing in the Bills’ receiving corps. At 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, the Central Florida wideout can use his size to win contested catches. He is a vertical threat for the team, even though he isn’t necessarily a flat-out burner. Davis does a good job of using his frame to gain position inside defenders. He had a stellar junior season, catching 72 passes for 1,241 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions.

Davis doesn’t necessarily have positional versatility at this point. He played mostly on the left side of the formation at Central Florida. His ascent up the depth chart will depend on how quickly hie expands his expertise at running an expanded route tree.

The pick further creates a bit of a logjam at the bottom of the Bills wide receiver depth chart. Isaiah McKenzie, Robert Foster, Andre Holmes, Duke Williams, and Ray-Ray McCloud III will challenge for roles in the fall.

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Buffalo Bills full 2020 NFL Draft class

Full list of the Buffalo Bills’ 2020 NFL Draft class and picks.

The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone for the Buffalo Bills. It took a little bit to hear their name, but the Bills finally made some picks.

And to many, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane made his seven total selections count. Despite not having a first-round pick, the two sixth-round picks gave Beane and the Bills their full load of seven picks in the seven-round draft process.

So here it is, your full Bills 2020 draft class:

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Instant analysis: Bills dip in the WR pool again with Isaiah Hodgins

With their second pick in the sixth round and No. 207 overall, Buffalo tabbed 6-foot-4, 210-pound Oregon State receiver Isaiah Hodgins.

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With their second pick in the sixth round at No. 207 overall, the Bufalo Bills tabbed 6-foot-4, 210-pound Oregon State receiver Isaiah Hodgins as their selection. Another big boy out wide for quarterback Josh Allen.

At this juncture of the draft, special teams become a significant part of the equation, and Hodgins will need to impress the coaching staff in that phase of the game to stick in a crowded receiver room since Buffalo already drafted Gabriel Davis in the fourth round of th draft.

Hodgins’ junior season was fantastic, securing 86 receptions for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns. He leaves school with 176 career receptions, which ranked sixth for a career at Oregon State, and his 2,322 receiving yards is good for seventh all-time.

He is an above-average route runner and refined receiver in many respects, but struggles against the press and creating separation on a consistent basis. His 4.61 40-yard dash time is a concern as well.

Hodgins’ balls skills, hands, and body control are outstanding, though. He can make the unbelievable catch and even the contested catches look easy. He uses his size to his advantage near the goal line boxing out defenders and winning with quick slants. That’s something the Bills have lacked in recent years.

So where does he fit with the Bills? Hodgins will need to impress on special teams to solidify a roster spot, as mentioned. This is a crowded group with well-established starters. However, Hodgins is a great value this late in the draft and offers promising traits to make his mark on the roster. With this larger frame and big catch radius, he could develop a nice chemistry with Allen.

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WR Isaiah Hodgins selected by Bills in sixth round of 2020 draft

Oregon State’s Isaiah Hodgins was added by the Bills.

After adding a big target in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bills did so again in the sixth round. Oregon State’s Isaiah Hodgins was added by the Bills.

At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, the Bills have certainly added the size to their wideout room at the draft. Hodgins joins the 6-foot-3 Davis.

As a sixth-round pick, there’s reasons why he fell to the Bills. Hodgins has a massive catch radius, but didn’t really create much separation from cornerbacks in college. His combine wasn’t the best, either. Hodgins didn’t show much speed during the 40-yard dash, running a 4.61 clip, while only putting up nine reps on the bench press. He’s going to need to add strength as well.

Where Hodgins makes up for those poor traits is with a versatility to play inside and outside and a strong set of hands.

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2020 NFL Draft: Giants could benefit from deep WR pool

The New York Giants could benefit from an exceptionally deep wide receiver pool in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft is loaded at the wide receiver position. It is so saturated with NFL-level pass catchers, each team should be able to come away from the draft table with at least one potential starter or contributor.

Both the haves and the have-nots of the NFL are going to get better at the wide receiver position this offseason. The New York Giants have to be smart and beat teams to the wideouts that fit them best.

The Giants already have an impressive lot at wideout, but considering Sterling Shepard suffered two concussions, Golden Tate is 32 years old and Corey Coleman is on a one-year contract, the future at the position looks like Darius Slayton and several other unprovens.

The Giants can fortify their depth chart in this draft. Now’s the time.

They likely won’t take a receiver in the first round, and maybe not even in Rounds 2 or 3, but the depth of this class goes beyond three rounds. Last year, they found Slayton in the fifth round. This year, they can easily find another viable receiver in that round — or beyond.

Here are some mid-to-late round options they should consider:

Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State (6’4″, 210) – Big outside and red zone target with good hands and ability to win the contested catch.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan (6’2″, 212) – Underachieving college player who could find his niche in the NFL. Has size, speed and hands to make it at the next level.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty (6’4″, 223) – Smaller-school prospect that is on everyone’s sleeper list. Can do it all.

James Proche, SMU (6’0″, 195) – Speedster who averaged 20.4 yards per catch. Caught 112 passes for 1,225 yard and 15 touchdowns in 2019.

Tyler Johnson, Minnesota (6’1″, 206) – Powerful frame allows him to bully defenders. Is one of the Gophers’ all-time productive receivers.

K.J. Hill, Ohio State (6’0″, 196) – The Buckeyes’ all-time receiving leader who is a reliable pair of hands. He’ll be on an NFL roster in 2019.

Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt (6’1″, 207) – Coming off a disappointing 2019 campaign, but led the SEC in receiving in 2018 and is a versatile option.

Quez Watkins, So. Mississippi (6’0″, 195) – Ran 4.35 40 at the NFL Combine and is still scratching the surface of his ability.

Collin Johnson, Texas (6’6″, 225) – A huge target who will likely find his niche in the NFL as a downfield/red zone option.

Quartney Davis, Texas A&M (6’1″, 201) – Has 4.5 speed and is built to play in the slot in the NFL.

Others who interest me: Juwan Johnson, Oregon; John Hightower, Boise State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; Stephen Guidry, Mississippi State; Ja’Marcus Bradley, Louisiana and Jauan Jennings, Tennessee.

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2020 NFL Draft: Giants could target these Day 3 prospects

With the 2020 NFL Draft just around the corner, here’s a look at several Day 3 prospects the New York Giants could target.

There’s not much to do these days except analyze the upcoming NFL Draft and what we’ve done here is line up some possible Day 3 candidates for the New York Giants.

In both of the scenarios below, the Giants did not land Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. In the first scenario, we passed on him at No. 4. In the second, he was gone before the Giants were on the clock.

Using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator, here’s how the 2020 NFL Draft played out for the Giants.

Day 1

Round 1, Pick 4: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

Analysis: Wirfs is a versatile, athletic lineman the Giants sorely need. They have a lot invested in Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley and they need some talent up front to help stabilize the trenches.

Day 2

Round 2, Pick 36: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Round 3, Pick 99: Nick Harris, C, Washington

Analysis: Queen would be a steal here and more than make up for passing on Simmons in the first round. Queen next to Blake Martinez in a 3-4 would be a nice tandem. Harris is a down-and dirty interior lineman cut from the Richie Seubert cloth. Giant fans will love him.

Day 3

Round 4, Pick 110: Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
Round 5, Pick 150: Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
Round 6, Pick 183: Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland
Round 7, Pick 218: Calvin Throckmorton, OT, Oregon
Round 7, Pick 238: Carter Coughlin, LB, Minnesota
Round 7, Pick 247: Levonta Taylor, CB, Florida State
Round 7, Pick 255: Mitchell Wilcox, TE, South Florida

Analysis: Blackmon is a pretty good fourth round find. I feel he’d start for the Giants right away. Hodgins was a sleeper, but his name has been rising. Not sure he’ll be around at No. 150. Brooks is a physical safety the Giants will find many uses for. Throckmorton would have to excel in camp to make the roster, but he’s got some ability. The final three players are all boom or bust types, but are all good athletes with solid football acumen.

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2020 NFL draft: Isaiah Hodgins scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Oregon State wide receiver prospect Isaiah Hodgins

Isaiah Hodgins | WR | Oregon State

Elevator Pitch

Hodgins is a big-bodied wideout with fantastic ball skills, strong hands and the ability to box out defenders and high-point jump balls well. His route running could use some improvement, but he has the potential to eventually grow into a solid complementary weapon with red-zone potential.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 210

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Hodgins is a big receiver who can just go up and get the football with ease.

He is a lengthy wideout with a large catch radius who does a great job of timing when he goes up to compete for a pass. His ball skills are fantastic, as he does a great job of tracking down the deep ball and contorting his body to make the appropriate adjustments to the ball. Hodgins is able to box out defenders well, and his superglue hands allow him to consistently hold onto his ball. That ability not only helps him in jump-ball situations, but also when competing against man coverage when running shorter routes.

For a player who’s taller for his position, Hodgins plays with good overall fluidity. He can flip his hips well and possesses good body control and coordination across the middle of the field on the seam. He has solid footwork as a route runner and has shown the ability to understand leverage points in coverage and alter his stems to attack a cornerback’s blind spot. His combination of size and fluidity gives him some upside to work with going forward.

Weaknesses

As is the case with most bigger receivers, Hodgins isn’t necessarily a burner downfield. His acceleration off the snap is okay at best, and he doesn’t have the long buildup speed to consistently beat defenders as a vertical threat. That can allow NFL defenders to stall off the snap and give him some cushion, preparing to attack underneath. He doesn’t offer much agility or elusiveness after the catch, either.

Hodgins has some a bit of promise as a route runner, but the overall sharpness and burst with which he accelerates coming out of his breaks could be improved. He doesn’t sink his hips into his cuts very well, as one would expect for a big wideout. He could also stand to add some more muscle to his frame, as he struggles against press coverage and can be shut down by cornerbacks who can maintain pad level and play with a physical edge.

Projection: Day 3

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