Watched TE tape today for a couple hours during work status meetings. Thanks, WFH. Here's my thoughts on the top couple guys.
McBride: Runs like a man 40 lbs lighter... I was shocked to find out he was 6'4" 260. Watched him beat a corner on a sideline streak route that was Pitts-ian. Instant acceleration. Great hands. Snaps his routes and separates easily. Love the effort in his game - he lays out for catches and goes all-out blocking. His blocking unfortunately reminds me of Stanford Dalton Schultz: great effort, but you can see the lack of leg drive that is going to screw him later. But as a receiver, he is the real deal. I think he's going to test much better athletically than people think, and he looks ready-made for a high-volume role. He is a first rounder easy IMO.
Wydermyer: Plays like a WR stuck in a DE's body, but unlike McBride he runs more like a DE. Probably 4.7 speed. He's a smooth route runner with great hands and can make downfield plays, but I don't see the elite athleticism to consistently threaten deep in the pros. He's a better blocker than McBride but I'd still call him average. Wydermeyer is fundamentally stronger than McBride, but he doesn't play with good leverage, so he just kind of walls guys off instead of driving them. Very pro-style usage in Jimbo's system, playing probably 50-50 slot and in-line and did well at both. I'd give him a 30-50'ish kind of second round grade. His versatility gives him a high starting-caliber floor, but I don't see the superstar traits for a high ceiling.
Ferguson: real go-getter as a blocker and has that physical Wisconsin mentality. Buries guys in space. Noticeable dropoff in athleticism from the previous two TEs: he has a kind of gliding buildup speed that can get some YAC, but he isn't explosive. Rounds his routes off rather than snapping them. The tape I'm seeing says 4th or 5th round pick, but I'd probably take him in the 3rd because a TE that could hit his blocks would be such a force multiplier for this offense.
Ruckert: feels very Schultz-ian to me. More athletic than you'd think, good hands, gives effort as an in-line blocker but not good at it and gets lost out in space. I'd take him 4th and redshirt him a year. We fans have got our problems with Schultz, but he was a hit as a 4th round pick and I'd make the same selection again.
Kolar: One-speed guy who can't block. Good hands. His height is a weapon but that's about it. I'd take him 5th or 6th and evaluate him more as a special teamer.
