The New Breed TE

By Gil Brandt
NFL.com Senior Analyst

(April 24, 2006) -- This year might be the best tight end class in a long time. Only one tight end -- Kellen Winslow Jr. -- has been drafted in the top 10 over the last nine drafts. He was the sixth player selected in 2004.

The most tight ends selected in the first round since 1996 was three in 2002. All three were selected after the teams moved up in the first round. Two of the three -- Jerramy Stevens and Daniel Graham -- have played in the Super Bowl. Sixty-one tight ends in the past 10 drafts have been selected on Day 1 (the most in one draft was nine in 2002).

Times are changing in the NFL. It used to be a rarity when a tight end was taken in the first round of a draft. While tight ends were important to an offense, they weren't considered a vital part -- you could get by without a tight end.

Well, there isn't a GM or head coach in the league that thinks that way in 2006. A good tight end has become a priority for teams to acquire. The great ones are highly valued and are very much sought after. The reason is because now tight ends are hybrids -- they are asked to be good at blocking and good at receiving.

The tight end has sort of replaced the fullback, or at least the fullback's role, in the offense. Because there's no fullback, the tight end is called upon to block, be it from the fullback's spot in the formation or from the line of scrimmage. But also like a fullback, the tight end needs to be able to make those clutch third-down receptions to keep the chains moving. And don't even think twice about a team's red-zone offense -- tight ends are really relied upon there to help put points on the board. On one weekend during this past season, tight ends had 19 TD catches.

But a key factor why tight ends are in demand are because they can disrupt the very popular defensive scheme known as the Tampa Cover-2. In that defensive formation, the middle linebacker gets a lot of depth, so coaches want to find a way to attack that by throwing to the tight end in that intermediate area. The result usually will cause a mismatch as a tight end with great hands and great speed can outrun a linebacker with lesser speed. Now that teams realize this strategy, it makes the demand for tight ends much higher.

 

Davis has more than Combine effort on his side


By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com


(April 24, 2006) -- If it were only about his amazing 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine two months ago, NFL talent evaluators would likely be inclined to temper their enthusiasm over Vernon Davis.


They aren't.

The 4.38-second clocking in the 40 caused eyes to widen and stopwatches to be rechecked throughout the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, but it is hardly the only reason the former Maryland tight end is widely projected as a top-10 pick in the draft.

And while we're talking about his Combine performance, you also can scratch his stunning vertical leap (42 inches), broad jump (10 feet, 9 inches) and bench press (33 repetitions at 225 pounds) as primary factors that Davis is regarded as an elite talent in this year's college crop.


As a junior, Vernon Davis almost doubled his stats from the previous two years combined.
Player-personnel people throughout the league have seen their share of prospects cause their draft stock to soar with spectacular showings in a T-shirt and shorts at the Combine, only to become major disappointments in the uniform of an NFL team.

It is different with Davis, however, because scouts, general managers and coaches can look at his collegiate career and see tremendous production. Although Davis' ability to catch the ball is impressive, what he does after the catch is largely why he is projected by many draft analysts as being selected as high as sixth overall by the San Francisco 49ers. He has had six 100-yard receiving games in his career at Maryland. Last season, as a junior, he caught 51 passes for an average of 17.1 yards per catch. At Baltimore's Dunbar High School, he averaged 24.3 yards per catch.

There isn't another tight end in the draft who offers anything close to the level of game-breaking talent that the 6-foot-3, 254-pound Davis brings to the field. With his excellent combination of speed, athleticism, strength and soft hands, there are no limits on how to utilize him in the passing game.

"You've got a tight end who can make moves like a wide receiver," Davis said. "When there's a linebacker on you, that's kind of a mismatch. That pretty much speaks for itself."

So does the fact most league talent evaluators favorably compare Davis with top pass-caching tight ends, such as Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers, Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs, Jeremy Shockey of the New York Giants, and Todd Heap of the Baltimore Ravens. Davis likes being labeled a "new breed of tight end," which means he is capable of making the sort of plays that change a game rather than merely being a reliable target on short and intermediate routes.

"That's what it is when you got a guy who can do more than catch the ball," he said. "(You have) someone who can get extra yardage after catching the ball and make guys miss."


Ask Vic!
Have a question for Vic on anything NFL related? Don't just sit there -- send it to AskVic@nfl.com, and the best questions will be answered throughout the season right here on NFL.com!
Or, as was often the case during Davis' career with the Terrapins, run guys over. Power is a key element of his game, as evidenced by his well-defined physique and bench-pressing prowess. After one catch, he used his free hand to literally swat a defensive back out of his path. On many occasions, he carried multiple defenders while picking up extra yards.

As Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen once pointed out, "He doesn't think another human can bring him down."

Davis is highly encouraged by the positive feedback he has heard from several offensive coordinators and tight end coaches, although he is astute enough to realize that talk is cheap until he actually hears his name called during the draft.

"They all speak highly of me," Davis said. "They all say they would love to have me, but you never know."

Know this: Davis has production, to go along with his gaudy numbers at the Combine, to feel very good about his chances of becoming a top-10 choice.