FB and Blocking TE

[xwalker]

I was watching some Alabama game footage. They often use their DT Jesse Williams as a FB. Usually, when teams do this it seems like a Gimmick; however, Williams appears to be well coached in this role.

The Cowboys used Josh Brent and Montrae Holland in this role last year; however, they didn’t look overly prepared. My guess is that they didn’t get very many practice reps at this position.

After watching some Alabama footage, I was watching some footage of Louisville Center Mario Benavides. He is a good college player. He has good quickness, good strength for his size and plays with good leverage; however, he looks too small for the NFL. He is listed at 6-4, 284. In an interview, he said that he got his weight up over 300 lbs in the past but felt too sluggish and his knees hurt too much.

If a player like Benavides proves to be too small to play OL in the NFL, could he be trained as a Full Time FB/TE? In past drafts, there have been some smallish Olinemen that ran sub 5.0 forties while some FBs and Blocking-TE(s) didn’t break the 5.0 mark.

It seems like there are probably players similar to Benavides that go undrafted every year. A lot of these players probably bulk up as much as possible prior to the draft. Their speed/agility measurements are probably slower than if they had kept their weight down to the lower end of their range.

A lot of NFL FBs and Blocking TEs just run very simple pass routes. They usually only get the ball if they're wide open in the flat or on a very short route.

 

[kirkjrk]

I was watching some Alabama game footage. They often use their DT Jesse Williams as a FB. Usually, when teams do this it seems like a Gimmick; however, Williams appears to be well coached in this role.

The Cowboys used Josh Brent and Montrae Holland in this role last year; however, they didn’t look overly prepared. My guess is that they didn’t get very many practice reps at this position.

After watching some Alabama footage, I was watching some footage of Louisville Center Mario Benavides. He is a good college player. He has good quickness, good strength for his size and plays with good leverage; however, he looks too small for the NFL. He is listed at 6-4, 284. In an interview, he said that he got his weight up over 300 lbs in the past but felt too sluggish and his knees hurt too much.

If a player like Benavides proves to be too small to play OL in the NFL, could he be trained as a Full Time FB/TE? In past drafts, there have been some smallish Olinemen that ran sub 5.0 forties while some FBs and Blocking-TE(s) didn’t break the 5.0 mark.

It seems like there are probably players similar to Benavides that go undrafted every year. A lot of these players probably bulk up as much as possible prior to the draft. Their speed/agility measurements are probably slower than if they had kept their weight down to the lower end of their range.

A lot of NFL FBs and Blocking TEs just run very simple pass routes. They usually only get the ball if they're wide open in the flat or on a very short route.

I saw video where John Jenkins, DT at Georgia--6'3",358 lbs., was used as a RB/FB in Junior College and/or high school. He was smaller then but not that much. Can you say "The Refrigerator".