Tag: Thad Moss

2020 NFL Combine: Winners from the TE group

Overall, the tight ends group underwhelmed on the day but a few players stood out and likely separated themselves from the pack.

The 2020 NFL Combine opened their on-field drills with the tight ends group. The group began, as always, with the 40-yard-dash, but when they shifted into position drills, we were introduced to a few new drills.

Overall the group underwhelmed, and with the Lions investing heavily at the position last offseason, it would be surprising if they selected a tight end from this year’s class before the later part of Day 3.

Let’s take a look at those who did earn positive marks today.

Adam Trautman, Dayton, 6-5, 255

In the mix to potentially be the first tight end selected, Trautman ran a middle-of-the-road 4.75 40-yard-dash but looked sharp in drills — including a new blocking sled drill, where he may have been the only player to use proper technique. As one of the more balanced tight ends in the class, he will likely be selected before the Lions start looking at the position.

Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri, 6-5.5, 258

Entering the season Okwuegbunam was discussed as the potential top tight end in this class, but an underwhelming redshirt junior season that saw him put up a career-low statistical season quieted the hype around him.

The hype started back up today after he ran an official 4.49 40-yard-dash (no other tight end ran under 4.60). But, when they shifted on-field, his speed slowed in favor of improving his catch accuracy, which will leave scouts wondering if he actually plays as fast as he can run in a straight line.

Stephen Sullivan, LSU, 6-5, 248

Sullivan’s 4.66 40–yard-dash was a solid score, but when he got on the field, it was no surprise that the former wide receiver stood out in the pass-catching drills. At LSU, he took a backseat in production to Thaddeus Moss, but with the NFL’s desire to add more mismatch move tight ends, his stock could be on the rise. If the Lions don’t bring back Logan Thomas — or find his replacement in free agency — Sullivan could be a late-round target.

Notes:

  • Moss (6-2, 250, LSU) was flagged with a broken foot during medicals and was not cleared to participate.
  • Cole Kmet (6-6, 262, Notre Dame), who may challenge Trautman for top honors, didn’t do enough to stand out.
  • Hunter Bryant (6-2, 248, Washington) was expected to fly based on his game tape, but his 4.73 40-yard-dash, while respectable, was slower than expected.

Who and what to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine: Tight ends

The Lions Wire staff has identified which tight ends Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis and the tight ends group will take the field on opening day. Adding a tight end won’t be a priority for the Lions this offseason — beyond possibly a third option — but it’s always good to scout the competition.

This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.

If you missed the previous articles in this series, be sure to check out our quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers previews.

Tight end traits to evaluate

Like with the wide receivers group, scouts will be focused on several traits that revolve around pass-catching and movement:

  • Natural hands: Do they fight the ball or allow it to land softly in their grasp?
  • Acceleration in and out of breaks: Do they throttle down, or can they maintain speed?
  • Quickness versus long speed: where do they gain separation?
  • Body control: Being fast is great but it means nothing unless they can maintain balance and focus.
  • Ball tracking: Do they have the patience to look late and still locate? Do they maximize their speed by not reaching early?

Cole Kmet, Notre Dame

Suggested by: Max Gerber

A two-sport athlete at Notre Dame (baseball), Kmet is a balanced tight end who is likely to find more success as a pass-catcher in the NFL. He is one of the more NFL ready tight ends in this class despite still have some areas of his game that need to be improved.

Adam Trautman, Dayton

Suggested by: Bryce Rossler, Derek Okrie, and Matt Urben

Trautman may have the highest upside at the position in this class but coming from a small school there will be some learning curve involved as he transitions to the NFL. The Elk Rapids, Michigan native grew up playing quarterback but his natural athleticism made the transition to tight end a smooth one. He’s a big target in the passing game and can handle a large volume of work.

Hunter Bryant, Washington

Suggested by: Scott Bischoff

Bryant is a move tight end who will spend the majority of his time trying to create mismatches in the slot. His athleticism shines when the ball is in the air or after the reception when it’s in his hands, as he routinely generates yards after the catch. His height (est. 6-2) and lack of impactful blocking skills will limit the schemes he will be successful in, but the right fit could be magical.

Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

Suggested by: Jeff Risdon

This past season’s Mackey Award winner (the nation’s top tight end), Bryant is an athletic pass catcher whose experience is in the slot, but he can also survive occasionally setting up inline. He has the potential to produce at all three levels but he has a few things to clean up in his route precision in order to find consistent success.

Devin Asiasi, UCLA

Suggested by: Erik Schlitt and Scott Warheit

Asiasi was heavily recruited by Michigan, but after a brief stint with the Wolverines, he transferred back home to UCLA. The moves across the country slowed his development and with him being an early entrant into the draft, he only has one-year starting experience for analysts to evaluate. He has NFL traits, and will mostly find success in the short and intermediate areas, but he will need to improve his blocking if he wants to see the field as a TE2 or TE3.

Thad Moss, LSU

Suggested by: Zack Moran and Ty Finch

The son of NFL Hall-of-Famer Randy Moss, Thad Moss only has one-year starting under his belt due to a transfer from North Carolina State, two-foot surgeries, and declaring early for the NFL Draft. In LSU’s dynamic offense, despite a loaded roster, Moss managed to secure 47 receptions for 570 yards and four touchdowns — two of which came in the National Championship game. Despite his limited starting experience, Moss’ blocking is a plus and will help him carve out an early role as reserve/role tight end.

Steven Sullivan, LSU

Suggested by: Sonja Greenfield

While Moss was the Tigers balanced tight end option, Sullivan was slated more in the pass-catching/big slot receiver role. Despite his role, he only had about 25-percent the production Moss had last season, as LSU favored wide receivers over a bigger body with limited blocking experience. This same situation is likely to follow him to the NFL and will limit his suitors. He showed well at Senior Bowl practices, illustrating his upside, and he will need to continue to showcase those traits to prove he was a hidden gem on a loaded LSU roster.