Brayden WIllis - TE, OU

[cnuball21]

Just saw we're meeting with Willis so watched a little bit of him. Why in the world is no on talking about this kid?

Smooth athlete, extends his 33+ inch arms to catch away from his body, makes catches in traffic and appears to understand how to find soft spots in zone. He's not a burner, not a good blocker yet and I think he'll give you medicore YAC, but he looks like a fluid athlete that is a very natural catcher of the football that has experience lining up everywhere.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Just saw we're meeting with Willis so watched a little bit of him. Why in the world is no on talking about this kid?

Smooth athlete, extends his 33+ inch arms to catch away from his body, makes catches in traffic and appears to understand how to find soft spots in zone. He's not a burner, not a good blocker yet and I think he'll give you medicore YAC, but he looks like a fluid athlete that is a very natural catcher of the football that has experience lining up everywhere.

He’s a receiver not TE. Not powerful enough to block.

 

[cnuball21]

He’s a receiver not TE. Not powerful enough to block.

Dig a little deeper…yes, he’s not going to give you anything blocking early in his career but he has experience lining up online, outside the line and in the backfield.

Similar to Kincaid - just not as good.

 

[Carson]

First report I read, sums it up from what I saw as well.

Willis’ size and athletic profile leaves him lacking as both an in-line blocker and as a pass-catching option. He lacks in-line power and plays with low-burn intensity getting into blocks at times, but body control and hand strength help increase his sustain effectiveness when blocking on the move. He’s tough working into traffic, but a high percentage of his catches came with nobody around him in space. He will need to prove he can separate against man coverage outside of the Oklahoma scheme.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Dig a little deeper…yes, he’s not going to give you anything blocking early in his career but he has experience lining up online, outside the line and in the backfield.

Similar to Kincaid - just not as good.

Just doesn’t seem to fit TE for Dallas. Maybe they look at him like a Noah Brown.

 

[cnuball21]

Just doesn’t seem to fit TE for Dallas. Maybe they look at him like a Noah Brown.

I think you look at him like a Goedert or Ertz.

Not a good blocker but mismatch player.

 

[JBell]

We don’t draft TE’s that can’t block.

 

[JBell]

I think you look at him like a Goedert or Ertz.

Not a good blocker but mismatch player.

Goedert can block.

 

[cnuball21]

Goedert can block.

Exactly…neither can Ertz. That’s my point.

We also never used to draft shorter WRs and we’re taking to a bunch of them this year.

Think MM might just be pushing more for playmakers than focusing on types.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Just saw we're meeting with Willis so watched a little bit of him. Why in the world is no on talking about this kid?

Smooth athlete, extends his 33+ inch arms to catch away from his body, makes catches in traffic and appears to understand how to find soft spots in zone. He's not a burner, not a good blocker yet and I think he'll give you medicore YAC, but he looks like a fluid athlete that is a very natural catcher of the football that has experience lining up everywhere.

I think he is in a similar tier to last years 4th round TE. Alot of good prospects there last year. He may have gone at the top of the round last year. I think he would be a solid get with our 4th

 

[cnuball21]

I think he is in a similar tier to last years 4th round TE. Alot of good prospects there last year. He may have gone at the top of the round last year. I think he would be a solid get with our 4th

He’s just so intriguing to me - seems to have such a good feel as a space player and just love the way he attacks the football and uses his length in traffic.

I said it before, but he feels like a watered down Kincaid for me.

Really like him. Especially if you can get him in the 4th like you mentioned.

 

[Aliencowboy]

I think you look at him like a Goedert or Ertz.

Not a good blocker but mismatch player.

No one looked at them as not good blockers.

https://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/scoutingreport2013zertz.php

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dallas-goedert/3200474f-4559-5520-b7af-5e002aedafbb

 

[cnuball21]

No one looked at them as not good blockers.

https://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/scoutingreport2013zertz.php

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dallas-goedert/3200474f-4559-5520-b7af-5e002aedafbb

2 of his weaknesses are literally as a blocker…

 

[Aliencowboy]

2 of his weaknesses are literally as a blocker…

No literally - Goedert is said to lack effort not ability. Ertz nothing

 

[cnuball21]

No literally - Goedert is said to lack effort not ability. Ertz nothing

Yea I’d disagree with that. Goedert has developed into a mediocre at best blocking TE. That’s not why he was drafted and not how Philly used him.

Same goes for Willis. You aren’t drafting him to block.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Yea I’d disagree with that. Goedert has developed into a mediocre at best blocking TE. That’s not why he was drafted and not how Philly used him.

Same goes for Willis. You aren’t drafting him to block.

I’m not drafting but I know Dallas won’t draft a TE that cant block inline. See Brent Strange. They are not drafting Darren Waller any time soon.

 

[cnuball21]

I’m not drafting but I know Dallas won’t draft a TE that cant block inline. See Brent Strange. They are not drafting Darren Waller any time soon.

Well they played Hendershot last year and he can’t even remotely block.

Again, maybe not traditionally but MM seems to be changing the identity a bit.

 

[visionary]

Yea I’d disagree with that. Goedert has developed into a mediocre at best blocking TE. That’s not why he was drafted and not how Philly used him.

Same goes for Willis. You aren’t drafting him to block.

That’s not the point

The threat or possibility of the block is not there when he’s on the field so the surprise factor is gone and he’s basically just a WR and this makes the offense more predictable if he’s there as opposed to a Kincaid

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Yea I’d disagree with that. Goedert has developed into a mediocre at best blocking TE. That’s not why he was drafted and not how Philly used him.

Same goes for Willis. You aren’t drafting him to block.

I think you may have Willis wrong. Check out the first 4-5 plays of this clip which is just him blocking (he’s #9 and lined up in the backfield as an H-back for a number of those).

 

[T-RO]

I think you look at him like a Goedert or Ertz.

Not a good blocker but mismatch player.

Rated as 16th best tight end on Consensus Board. There are so many interesting tight ends not getting discussed this year.

If interested Cowboys must view as 6th or 7th round flier. Or post draft FA signing.

Comparing him to Goedert or Ertz c'mon! Less wing span, less polish and only 4.75 40. How is he a mis-match? Not especially long, strong or fast.