Tag: Jalen Wydermyer

Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer looks towards his NFL future

Jalen Wydermyer looks towards his football future

The pre-draft process has been a roller coaster for former Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer. His draft stock has, at least in media circles, taken a massive hit following a very poor athletic testing performance at the NFL combine and his pro day.

With the draft starting thursday, Wydermyer chatted with Pro Football Network, about the pre-draft process of meeting with multiple NFL teams ranging from the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, and the Buffalo Bills, describing the meetings as both “exciting” and “nerve-racking” while hoping to give the best face to face impression he could after a pro day that was not ideal. He noted his hardworking demeanor and lack of off-the-field problems, noting that he comes from a “good and respectable family.”

During his pro day workout, Wydermyer ran a reported 5.03 40-yard dash paired with a 35 1/2 inch vertical, both very underwhelming measurements at the tight end position for the current NFL standard. Wydermyer explained the poor testing day as “I just didn’t feel good at all. I had trained hard two days before the pro day and my back was tight and my legs were heavy. After the broad jump, I felt my back lock up, and I didn’t feel good when I ran the 40 and my vertical felt tight.” If NFL teams view that explanation as legitimate, it might help front offices better understand the need to judge Wydermyer’s on-field play more than his testing numbers during the selection process.

During his time with the Aggies from 2019 to the 2021 season, Wydermyer reeled in 118 receptions for 1,468 yards and 16 touchdowns, scoring 6 times in 2019 and 2020, and was a three-time All-SEC second-team selection, which made the testing numbers even more confusing at first glance. However, as we have seen in years past during the pre-draft process, numbers can be deceiving, and taking a chance on a hardworking, productive player like Wydermyer could pay dividends for a team in the near future. When asked about his goals, he kept it short and sweet “Honestly, it’s to come in and be the best me I can be, and all the accolades and achievements will come later on as I show my worth.” If that isn’t a player to take a chance on in the 2022 NFL Draft, then color me surprised.

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2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: TE Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M

Wydermyer comes with vertical skills but ample question marks.

Tight end Jalen Wydermyer was a prep standout in the Houston area and chose Texas A&M after a number of schools recruited him.

As a true freshman, he posted six scores on 32 grabs and averaged 14 yards per catch, helping Wydermyer earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. In 2020, his reception and yardage totals increased with two fewer games played, which was enough for a spot on the conference second-team squad.

Height: 6-foot-3 7/8
Weight: 255 pounds
40 time: 5.03 seconds (pro day)

Despite suffering a serious finger injury that required surgery in the offseason, Wydermyer posted a respectable line as a junior that once again put him on the SEC second-team roster and also made him a finalist for the nation’s top tight end award yet again. Even with the success, it may be a challenge for the former Aggie to get drafted earlier than the fifth round.

Table: Jalen Wydermyer NCAA stats (2019-21)

Year School Class Gm Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
*2019 Texas A&M FR 12 32 447 14.0 6 — — — —
*2020 Texas A&M SO 10 46 506 11.0 6 — — — —
2021 Texas A&M JR 12 40 515 12.9 4 — — — —

*includes postseason/bowl games

Pros

  • Quality ball skills and above-average tracking ability down the seam
  • Excellent going for a contested catch, usually winning with timing and large, strong hands
  • Adept at sticking a foot and making a clean break to get vertical
  • Flexible with good body lean and overall control for his size
  • Unfazed going into heavy traffic over the middle of the field
  • Tenacious after the reception and is difficult bring down in the open field
  • A fair amount of route experience from moving all over the field — lined up in the slot, at wide receiver, in the backfield, and as a traditional Y tight end
  • Offers upside for on-field growth in several areas and can fit into multiple offensive systems

Also see: 2022 NFL Draft Central

Cons

  • Plays faster than his 5.03-second 40 time at his pro day, which is slower than a 336-pound Jason Peters ran in 2004. Even if that is the slowest Wydermyer could have possibly run, his best speed likely isn’t much better than 4.8
  • Was not asked to block a bunch but also wasn’t very good at it, despite having a favorable build. There’s room for growth, so consider it a borderline weakness over the long term
  • Consistently productive each season but was a little too erratic from week to week
  • Reported concerns about his maturity

Fantasy football outlook

System fit will be key for unlocking his maximized potential. Wydermyer will be at his best as a “move tight end” in a creative design, ideally a West Coast offense. Think of how the Indianapolis Colts utilize (or at least attempt to) Mo Alie-Cox … put him in spacetto create mismatches.

While Wydermyer also could be useful in an offense similar to Sean McVay’s, it’s unlikely he will develop into a weekly plug-n-play starter for fantasy owners. Look for a more specific update during the draft once he finds a home in the NFL.

7-round NFL mock draft for the Denver Broncos

Our first seven-round NFL mock draft for the Broncos has the team going LB, OT, RB with their first three picks.

The 2022 NFL draft will be held next week, which means mock draft season is heating up! Here is Broncos Wire’s first attempt at mocking Denver’s plans for this year’s draft.

Ravens trade down for value in latest 7-round mock draft

The Ravens traded down for value in our latest seven-round mock draft

The Baltimore Ravens will have plenty of opportunities to add talent to their roster over 2022 NFL draft weekend. They have a plethora of picks across all three days of the festivities, and can use each of them in multiple different ways.

One possible outcome for Baltimore on the first night of the draft is to trade out of the No. 14 overall selection to get more picks and more value. There are multiple teams with two first-round selections this year, so there’s potential that the team could look to trade their one mid-first rounder for two late-first rounders, or a similar package.

Below we look at a full Ravens seven-round mock draft where Baltimore trades down in the first round to pick up more selections.

Commanders set to use one of their 30 pre-draft visits with top tight end prospect

The Washington Commanders will use one of their top 30 visits with Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer.

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Every NFL team is allowed 30 pre-draft visits to the team’s headquarters before the NFL draft. We now know that one of Washington’s 30 visits will be for Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

On paper, tight end may not be considered a significant need for the Commanders; however, Logan Thomas didn’t have surgery on his torn ACL until late December, meaning he may not be ready for training camp in July.

John Bates, a fourth-round pick in 2021, showed promise late in the season. He played in every game, made eight starts, catching 20 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. Bates is also a solid blocker.

Washington also has Sammis Reyes on the roster but lost Ricky Seals-Jones to the New York Giants in free agency.

The 6-foot-5, 256-pound Wydermyer was widely considered a solid second-round prospect before a disappointing 40-yard dash at Texas A&M’s pro day. Over his three years in College Station, Wydermyer caught 118 passes for 1,468 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Wydermyer should still be considered a solid second-round pick. His college film will carry more weight than one 40 time. Sure, it will cause some teams to go back and watch Wydermyer’s tape to see if there is a lack of explosiveness, but it should be no big deal.

Wydermyer is a good prospect and could immediately help Washington in 2022. Remember, new quarterback Carson Wentz loves throwing to big tight ends.

 

Colts to hold private workout for Texas A&M TE Jalen Wydermyer

The Colts are reportedly holding a private workout for TE prospect Jalen Wydermyer.

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly holding a private workout for Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer ahead of the 2022 NFL draft, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

There is no denying the Colts have a pretty big need at the tight end position after Jack Doyle retired earlier this offseason. Wydermyer has been viewed as the top prospect in the class but that has been up for debate in recent weeks.

Some teams might have question marks about his testing numbers, especially after running a reported 5.03 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day this week.

While the testing numbers might be in question, which is why the Colts would want a private workout,  Wydermyer’s production was solid. In 2021, he posted 40 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns while being a finalist for the John Mackey award.

The Colts have a few prospects they are likely eyeing at the tight end position and it will be interesting to see if Wydermyer remains on the board after his private workout.

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Titans set for top-30 visits with Treylon Burks, Jalen Wydermyer

Despite recent moves, the Titans should still be in the market for a TE and WR in the 2022 NFL draft.

The Tennessee Titans are reportedly using two of their top-30 visits to meet with Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks, per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus, and Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer, according to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, in advance of next month’s draft.

Burks has consistently been mocked as a mid to late first-round pick, and several mock drafts have the Titans taking him with the No. 26 overall pick.

The Warren, Arkansas native had a breakout junior campaign for the Razorbacks, hauling in 66 receptions for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns. He became the first Arkansas wide receiver to post a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2012, and just the fourth in school history.

Wydermyer ran a surprisingly slow 5.03 40-yard dash time at Texas A&M’s Pro Day earlier this week.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end put up good numbers in three seasons in College Station. As a junior, Wydermyer hauled in 40 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns.

Both positions remain a high priority for the Titans despite recently acquiring wide receiver Robert Woods from the Los Angeles Rams and signing tight end Austin Hooper to a one-year deal.

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Report: Browns meet with TE Jalen Wydermyer prior to his pro day

With only one tight end under contract beyond the 2022 season, Wydermyer could be day two target for the Browns:

The Cleveland Browns are still likely to have several moves before the NFL draft but draft preparations are still ongoing while those moves are being worked on. A Baker Mayfield trade seems like the biggest move left to make but the team also could be looking to fill more needs in free agency including the possible return of Jarvis Landry and Jadeveon Clowney.

The Browns have cap space to work with and will get more if/when they trade Mayfield. They also will reap the cap benefits of the Austin Hooper release come June 1st.

The team gave up a fifth-round pick for Amari Cooper (and swapped sixth-round picks as well). With the trade for Deshaun Watson finalized, with last-minute changes where the team gave up an extra pick, Cleveland has the following draft picks in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft:

  • #44 – Second Round
  • #78 – Third Round
  • #99 – Third Round
  • #118 – Fourth Round
  • #202 – Sixth Round – From Dallas
  • #223 – Seventh Round – From Detroit

With the release of Hooper, the Browns could be targeting a tight end with one of those picks. While there are some concerns about the class, Jalen Wydermyer is a player that could intrigue teams. According to Aaron Wilson, Cleveland met with Wydermyer prior to his pro day at Texas A&M.

Wydermyer didn’t excel at the pro day with a pedestrian 5.03 40-yard dash time.

The 6’5″, 255-pound tight end put up good numbers during his three years in college. He caught 40 or more passes the last two seasons for over 500 yards each year. He had 16 touchdowns throughout his college career.

With David Njoku on the franchise tag, Harrison Bryant is the lone tight end under contract for more than this season. Adding Wydermyer, especially if he drops into the late third or fourth round, could be a good long-term addition for the team.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 40 Jalen Wydermyer

Texas A&M TE Jalen Wydermyer is up next in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2021 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 Texas A&M program has not been kind to Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.

In the 2019 NFL Draft, Gutekunst selected a pair of Aggies. In the third round, he selected Texas A&M tight end, Jace Sternberger. Then in the fifth round, Gutekunst selected defensive lineman Kingsley Keke. Fast forward three years and those two former Aggies are no longer on Green Bay’s roster.

Texas A&M has plenty of talent in the 2022 NFL Draft that will tempt Gutekunst to dip his toes back into the College Station prospect pool. Jalen Wydermyer is one of those players. The Texas A&M tight end checks in at No. 40 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

Wydermyer finished his career at College Station with 33 career starts under his belt. As a freshman in 2019, the Texas native led the Aggies with six receiving touchdowns. To go along with those six touchdowns, Wydermyer caught 32 passes for 447 yards.

In 2020, Wydermyer recorded 46 receptions for 506 yards and six touchdowns. This past season he caught 40 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns.

Wydermyer finished his career at College Station with a program record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end (16).

After bursting onto the scene as a freshman, Wydermyer never managed to take his game to the next level. Although he never took that “leap” Wydermyer has the tools and talent to develop into an impact tight end at the next level.

Wydermyer is ready-made in terms of his size and frame (6-4, 255 pounds). He has a large catch radius and does a good job of attacking the ball and boxing out defenders at the catch point. He’s comfortable working in the middle of the field.

The former four-star recruit has easy acceleration off the line of scrimmage. He has the quickness to threaten the seam. He doesn’t labor in and out of his cuts. With his quickness, Wyderymyer has the ability to be a three-level receiving threat.

“He can definitely stick his foot in the ground and change direction quickly,” Mark Passwaters, the Texas A&M reporter for Rivals.com, said. “Before Haynes King, the starter, got hurt last year, A&M had some deep out and up routes in the playbook for Wydermyer.”

Wydermyer has some juice after the catch. With his size, he can be a load to take down for defensive backs and shows some wiggle to make defenders miss in the open field. He keeps his legs driving and fights for extra yards.

“You’re talking about a guy who is 6-4, 255 pounds, but can make smaller players miss,” Passwaters said. “When he gets moving, he’s a load to bring down.”

Wydermyer struggled with drops this past season, something that didn’t show up during his first two seasons at Texas A&M. According to Pro Football Focus, the Texas A&M tight end dropped eight passes this past season. He only had two drops in 2020. He has good hand strength and was good in contested catch situations.

“I think it was a lack of focus and a quarterback in Zach Calzada who threw rockets regardless of what kind of throw was needed,” Passwaters said. “When Kellen Mond, now with the Minnesota Vikings, was A&M’s quarterback, he didn’t have any issues. In fact, he made some pretty impressive one-handed catches.”

Wydermyer works hard as a blocker. He needs to learn to play with better pad level to move defenders as a run blocker.

“He didn’t block much during his first two seasons at A&M,” Passwaters said. “He did a lot more this year and he was pretty solid in this department.”

Fit with the Packers

The Green Bay Packers need to add a pass-catching tight end to go along with Josiah Deguara and Marcedes Lewis.

Wydermyer is a well-rounded tight end that could make an immediate splash in the passing game, just like he did as a freshman at Texas A&M. With his size and deceptive quickness, Wydermyer has the tools to be a mismatch at the next level.

“If you love Kyle Pitts, and why wouldn’t you Wydermyer is someone you’d want,” Passwaters said. “He has a lot of similarities. He’s not as fast, but he’s bigger. Linebackers will have trouble with him and safeties are too small. I think he could put up big numbers in the NFL.”

Since arriving at College Station in 2019, Wydermyer was one of the most reliable pass-catching tight ends in the SEC. That’s where he could carve out a role as a rookie for the Packers.

While catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, Wydermyer could put up a stat line of 50 catches for 500 yards and five touchdowns.

That’s the type of impact Green Bay needs from the tight end position and Wydermyer could answer the call.

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10 Sleeper prospects for the Eagles to watch at 2022 NFL Combine

10 Sleeper prospects for the #Philadelphia #Eagles to watch at 2022 #NFLCombine #NFLDraft2022

The 2022 NFL Combine is officially underway and even as the Eagles prepare to utilize three first-round picks, they’ll have 10 picks overall, and plenty of late-round success to build on.

Howie Roseman has done a solid job of hitting on mid to late-round picks and we’ve highlighted 10 players at Lucas Oil Stadium that can potentially run themselves right into the eyes of Philadelphia’s top decision-makers.

With several big-name players set to sit out the workout portion of the event, here are 10 sleeper prospects for the Eagles to watch in the onfield portion of the combine.