Buffalo Rumblings Rookie TE Rankings

by Brian Galliford on Mar 27, 2008 2:16 PM EDT in NFL Draft

Rucker one of many tight ends that could fit the "Bill" (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Note: This article brought to you by sireric (the researcher, in this case) and yours truly (the slob who glommed his name and opinions onto an otherwise excellent article). For clarity's sake, the only pieces I added to this body of work is the "Fit the Bill" section, and to further clarify, all of those appear in block quotes. Everything else is sireric's. Enjoy!

In the upcoming NFL draft, it's a pretty good bet that the Buffalo Bills will draft a tight end. Incumbent starter Robert Royal, who is known as a solid blocker, is a shoo-in for the 2008 roster (sorry, Nick BensalemPA), but the rest of the depth chart consists of a plethora of good hands/bad blocker types. The Bills will be looking to add a "complete package" kind of tight end. They'll be looking for somebody who can stretch the field as a receiver, make the tough catch, be a solid red zone target, and still hold his own as a blocker.

I check out a lock of mock drafts, and the player rankings of many of the "professional" scouts. Lately, I have noticed a ton of differing opinions as to who the top tight end is. Even listings of who is in the top five vary greatly from source to source. Here are eleven tight ends worth looking at from the Bills' perspective:

Fred Davis, USC: 6'3" :: 255 pounds :: Combine 40 - DNR :: 24 bench reps :: Vert - DNP
Pros: Has been the top TE on many draft boards for quite some time... won the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end... finishes his career as the most productive tight end in USC history.
Cons: Struggled mightily at the Combine, dropping several passes... has only played tight end for three years after starting his career as a receiver.

Fit the "Bill"? Yes. He has the ability to stretch the seam from his days as a receiver, and enough size to continue to grow as a blocker. He's not so phenomenal that we'd trade up to get him, but he'd be a very solid fit as a starter in this offense.

Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M: 6'6" :: 259 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.69 :: 18 reps :: 34" vert
Pros: Finished his career as A&M's all time leader in receiving among tight ends... has excellent hands... played in a run oriented scheme and has honed his blocking skills... averaged 4 catches and 5 "knockdown blocks" per game.
Cons: Only a junior... played basketball for two years, so football is still new to him.

Fit the "Bill"? Absolutely. Bennett is the best in this draft, in my opinion, in terms of blocking/receiving combo set. He's not a guy who will routinely stretch the seam, but he's an excellent athlete that plays very similarly to Dallas' Jason Witten. He's going to be a good one.

Dustin Keller, Purdue: 6'2" :: 242 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.53 :: 26 reps :: 41" vert
Pros: Has soft hands, good ball skills and body control... good YAC player, and runs solid routes... hard worker with terrific intangibles.
Cons: Average blocker... had a few injury concerns.

Fit the "Bill"? Not if the team is looking for more than a receiving threat. Keller is small - almost receiver small - and would work best in motion out of the slot. He's not a great in-line blocker. He can certainly be dynamic in the passing game, though.

Brad Cottam, Tennessee: 6'7" :: 270 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.68 :: 24 reps :: 37" vert
Pros: Has great size... known as a very smart player that works hard and has great intangibles... runs good routes.
Cons: Hasn't been very productive in his career... hands are questionable... not known to be very physical or aggressive.

Fit the "Bill"? If the Bills are looking for a deep threat, Cottam is the guy, as he has surprising speed and great height to make plays downfield. He's raw, though - he didn't do a whole lot in college, and he has a lot to learn. I wouldn't touch this guy before the fourth round.

Jermichael Finley, Texas: 6'4" :: 243 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.82 :: Pro Day 40 - 4.66 :: 20 reps :: 28" vert
Pros: Good size/speed and very athletic... soft, reliable hands and great ball skills... has tons of upside and potential.
Cons: Very poor blocker who gets very little push... still pretty raw, needs to improve his route running and blocking.

Fit the "Bill"? Certainly. He's raw as well, and probably would not start immediately, but he's the cream of the crop as far as athleticism goes at the position. He'd fit in well as a receiving tight end, and he has the frame to get bulkier, which bodes well for his future as a blocker.

Martin Rucker, Missouri: 6'4" :: 251 pounds :: Pro Day 40 - 4.71 :: 20 reps :: 37" vert
Pros: Terrific hands and is a solid receiver... has a big frame and can get bigger... brother is Panthers DE Mike Rucker... fondly referred to as "Brian's Boy" in these parts.
Cons: Basically a wide receiver in a tight end's body... finesse player who isn't known to be very aggressive... poor blocker.

Fit the "Bill"? Yes. Rucker was a star in college and part of a class that turned Missouri into one of the best nations in the team. He's an excellent receiver. His work habits have been questioned, but if he passes a character test by the Bills' coaches, he'd be a good fit here.

Jacob Tamme, Kentucky: 6'3" :: 236 pounds :: Projected 40 - 4.50 :: 18 reps :: 30" vert
Pros: Great hands, good speed and good YAC ability... known as a smart player and a hard worker... can be a holder or a long snapper (this one's for you, krytime).
Cons: Not a physical player... terrible blocker... a little small, could stand to add about 15 pounds.

Fit the "Bill"? Maybe. He'll never wow you even as a receiver, but he's one of those guys who just seems to get the job done, even though you never notice him doing it. He's a more athletic Derek Schouman with a little more upside; I'd probably pass on him, but he's certainly worth looking into.

John Carlson, Notre Dame: 6'4" :: 255 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.89 :: 20 reps :: 31" vert
Pros: Good receiver who has excellent hands... above average blocker... good YAC ability.
Cons: Played for Notre Dame (Boo Irish!)... coming off a terrible senior season (but then what Notre Dame prospect isn't?)... incredibly slow timed speed will drop him down draft boards.

Fit the "Bill"? Yes. He's not a game-breaker, but he has similar blocking tools to Royal, and with technique improvements could be his equal in that department in the next year or two. He's also a much more consistent receiver than Royal ever hoped to be, and his poor senior season can easily be attributed to the switch from Brady Quinn to... who?

Kellen Davis, Michigan State: 6'6" :: 262 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.58 :: 22 reps :: 34" vert
Pros: Good hands... runs well after the catch... lots of upside.
Cons: Underachiever, could have produced a lot more for the Spartans... not known to be very physical... kind of soft... has a few character issues.

Fit the "Bill"? Yes, with a caveat - Buffalo needs to make sure this kid's heart is in the game. Davis played both tight end and defensive end at MSU, a testament to his excellent athletic ability. He'd be a good fit with a certain former wide receiver teammate in Buffalo...

Gary Barnidge, Louisville: 6'6" :: 244 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.63 :: 22 reps :: 31" vert
Pros: Great receiver... good hands... good speed... runs good routes... very tough and durable... long snapper.
Cons: Not a great blocker... Could stand to add a little bulk... Not very athletic and can look a little stiff at times.

Fit the "Bill"? Yes - but not for anything more than, say, a fifth-round pick. His added special teams value would make him an excellent choice at that point, and he'd have a chance to be a solid role player in this offense, but he's not a guy you would expect to develop into a starter.

Craig Stevens, California: 6'3" :: 254 pounds :: Combine 40 - 4.62 :: 27 reps :: 33" vert
Pros: Good all-around receiver, with good hands and speed... can be tough to tackle... blocking skills are above average... was a team captain, and is known as a leader with good intangibles.
Cons: Doesn't stretch the field well... ball security issues.

Fit the "Bill"? Not quite. I like the kid's attitude, and he just strikes me as a really tough dude. I just don't think he's enough of a receiver to be counted on as a future starter. He'd be good in the run game, and I'm willing to be that he'd be nasty on special teams as well.

So there you have it: the list of arguably the top eleven tight ends in the upcoming draft (in no particular order). Feel free to comment on the ones you like and dislike, rank them in order from top to bottom, or add anybody you think I missed who you would like to discuss further.

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Comments

My rankings

I was wondering when the Buffalo Rumblings draft rankings were going to come out. This is a really solid list guys.

Martellus Bennett - a basketball background is a good thing. At least after Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates became superstars. Seriously though, Bennett has a great combo of size, athleticism and blocking ability. If the Bills are going TE in the second round I really hope it is Bennett. He could become one of the better all-around TEs in the whole league.
Dustin Keller - It is tough to ignore his speed. His performance at the combine vaulted him up into the second round. If Seattle or Green Bay took him in the first round it wouldn't be a surprise. He is only a 1/2 shorter and 10 pounds lighter than Fred Davis (which is probably more of an idictment of Davis' size). You would have to use him like a Chris Cooley type player and move him around to get the most out of him.
Fred Davis - has a skill similiar to Dallas Clark, but Davis doesn't seem like a potential superstar to me. Just OK size and good, but not great athletic ability. I am also starting to not trust USC offensive players after Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett are looking like busts and Reggie Bush proving that he really is the most overhyped non-quarterback in draft history.
Brad Cottam - Huge player. Should excel as a blocker early in his career. If it weren't for injury concerns I would have him as my number 2 TE prospect. Scouts at the senior bowl thought he displayed the second best hands of all the TEs (behind only Davis).
John Carlson - the most polished TE in this draft class. He could contribute early, but his limited potential will drop him into the late second round or lower. He just isn't too impressive athletically.
Craig Stevens - I clearly like him more than most. I think he will be a Daniel Graham clone in the NFL. Great blocker, decent receiver. Not exactly what the Bills are looking for, but I really like him as a prospect.
Martin Rucker - I thought his athleticism was overrated and still do. He seems stiff and I think he lacks explosion. He is a solid mid round (3-5) prospect, but I don't think the upside is that impressive.
JerMichael Finley - Another player who I think is overrated as an athlete. He is a real smooth runner who looks fast. In fact, he looks so fluid that you can't tell how average his speed is until you break out the stopwatch. Finley is very raw and shouldn't have declared for the draft this year. TEs are slow to develop and I would prefer we draft one that is more NFL ready than Finley.
Gary Barnridge - Had a pretty solid year at Louisville, but doesn't possess the size or athletic ability to be considered an above average prospect. Could develop into a solid receiver and decent blocker over time though.
Kellen Davis - has great size and speed. I really dislike him though. He is the least physical 260 pound player I have ever seen (not including QBs). He doesn't like to block or get hit. He would rather go down than fight through a tackle. I think he will get drafted highly based on measurables and has bust written all over him.

by kaisertown on Mar 27, 2008 3:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Great work sireric

I wonder how much our first pick will affect the type of TE we draft? If we go DE and miss out on a top WR, will we be more likley to go after a vertical threat TE like Fred Davis? If we go WR in round 1, will we pick up a raw mid-round talent like Finley? If we wait until late rounds, I like Joe Jon Finley.

by Joe P. on Mar 27, 2008 3:48 PM EDT 0 recs

Great Work

I don't have anything valuable to add other than that.

I like your rankings, Kaiser. Question: Are the bust statuses of recent alumni indicative of a prospects relative potential? I find what your saying about Davis intriguing. I think this is true of Texas, where Longhorns seem to bust frequently (Maybe I'm still bitter about Williams).

I'm the jolly little baker and you'll find me on the label of Kaufman's Rye Bread

by DCRumbler on Mar 27, 2008 3:59 PM EDT 0 recs

Well

A school's history of churning out busts or good players really shouldn't be considered when looking at an individual prospect. It sure is tought to not think about though.

For Example, I shouldn't have even mentioned Reggie Bush. He doesn't have anything to do with Fred Davis. They played totally different positions and the Bush hype was just ridiculous. Dominique Byrd hasn't done much for himself in the NFl, but he is more of a blocking TE. Williams is a weird case with the year off and a questionable work ethic so that doesn't really apply here either.

Something about Dwayne Jarrett in particular really reminds me of Fred Davis and that is where my comment really came from. I thought Davis would work out better (I new Jarrett wouldn't). Where the school and history becomes important for me is when they collect as much talent as USC. They are just so good that their players need that elite athleticism to show me that their production is for real. I guess I just view Fred Davis as more of a Donald Lee than a Dallas Clark.

by kaisertown on Mar 27, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Might as well, right?

I had input in the article... I might as well rank the dudes as well.

1. Martellus Bennett
2. Fred Davis
3. Kellen Davis
4. Martin Rucker
5. John Carlson
6. Dustin Keller
7. Brad Cottam
8. Craig Stevens
9. Jermichael Finley
10. Gary Barnidge
11. Jacob Tamme

As you may be able to tell, I believe that the Bills will be targeting a bigger TE with the "total package", as sireric pointed out in his write-up. That's why Keller and Tamme slide so far.

Create a free account to join in the discussion, Bills fans!

by Brian Galliford on Mar 27, 2008 4:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Tamme

he would've been 11th for me. He is going to be an h-back and nothing else in the pros. I don't think he will ever be able to line up on the line of scrimmage as a TE. He will play exclusively out of the backfield and get split out wide via motion from time to time as well. He could be pretty good in that role for somebody other than the Bills though.

Other than Kellen Davis, who does almost nothing for me, that is a good list.

by kaisertown on Mar 27, 2008 4:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Bennett

After looking at this, and judging by what has been done production wise and at the combine, I think Bennett is the best TE and there are a couple guys there in your top 5 who would be a great pick up in the second rd.
Keller is not a fit for this offense, and among the top 5, I think Carlson does not stretch the field as much as I'd like, and frankly, what is said about the combine concerning Fred Davis does not make me want to draft him, especially since he is a USC product and they are always suspect, much like the receiver taken last year by Carolina.
And, I do think it will be an offensive 1-2 at this point unless someone they really like falls or their is someone we're overlooking.

The Bills can win every game

by killascript on Mar 27, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

I guess I should rank 'em

Martellus Bennett
Fred Davis
John Carlson
Martin Rucker
Dustin Keller
Brad Cottam
Craig Stevens
Kellen Davis
Jermichael Finley
Gary Barnidge
Jacob Tamme

If the Bills go for a TE in the second round I like Fred Davis, or maybe Carlson. If they wait till later (4th-6th) I really like Stevens, He's got a lot of the leadership skills and intangables that this team looks for.

Man do I miss #78

by sireric on Mar 27, 2008 9:00 PM EDT 0 recs

Bennett

The write-up on Bennett was very intriguing, but I have to admit I don't remember seeing Texas A & M much these last few years (I remember them getting smoked by Miami on a Thursday night, but I turned that off pretty quickly)...I watched Carlson's whole career in college and his lack of speed makes for nothing more than Robert Royal without the fumbles and annoying quotes in the paper after losses (still not good enough)...I really liked Fred Davis in college and if pro scouts worry about his blocking, I'm still all for drafting him. Backup, blocking TEs that can't catch are a dime a dozen (unless your Marv Levy, then they're a lttle pricier) so we'll always be able to compliment him...Rucker caught my eye this year and I'm with Brian on reserving judgement on his laziness concerns for those who have access to the information. As a talent, I see him as a cheaper version of Davis and Keller (who I feel is overrated, but would still be a great pick for a team as desperate for a TE as the Bills). Cottam was a decent college player, but I never looked at him as a potential starter in the pros (unless he was competing with Robert Royal and Courtney Anderson). I don't like K. Davis, Finley, Stevens, Tamme, or Barnidge as anything more than late round flyers. The bottom line is that we scored 20 TDs last season for a reason- and no matter how much you'd like to believe it, it wasn't all Steve Fairchild. Failures like Reed, Fowler, and Royal need replacing ASAP or we're going to waste a dynamic running back, a pair of excellent tackles, a legitimate big play wide receiver, and the easiest schedule we've seen in years...the Bills need to get this pick right, the clock is ticking and 7-9 doesn't cut it anymore, Dick.

I'll rank them:

Fred Davis
Martin Rucker
Dustin Keller
Martellus Bennett
John Carlson
Brad Cottam
Jermichael Finley
Kellen Davis
Craig Stevens
Gary Barnridge
Jacob Tamme

Nick (Bensalem, PA)

by Nick BensalemPA on Mar 27, 2008 9:13 PM EDT 0 recs

I'd go

Martellus Bennett
Fred Davis
Dustin Keller
Kellen Davis
Martin Rucker
John Carlson
Jermichael Finley
Brad Cottam
Craig Stevens
Gary Barnidge
Jacob Tamme

I'd be happy with any of my top 7, though Carlson doesn't do much for me. If we can snag a Rucker, Davis or Finley in the 4th round, that would be excellent value. Other than that I'd take Bennett, Davis or Keller in the 2nd. Nobody should be taken in the 3rd round of this draft unless one of the top 3 slip.

by Kurupt on Mar 27, 2008 10:35 PM EDT 0 recs

that would be mine...

I like Keller a lot, but when we are talking about overall package, you have to go Bennett first. Davis is a close second. Any of the three would be excellent pickups in round 2.

The rest would be good in the 4th or later. Right now I'm thinking, Kelly at 11 and Bennett at 42. Trent Edwards would be the happiest Bill on draft day, and rightfully so.

John I.

by jri111 on Mar 30, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Call me crazy, but...

I'm just wondering what draft picks the Bills would have to shell out to pick up:

Martellus Bennett as our future TE, and
Dustin Keller as our WR #2 prospect (he certainly has good size, speed, and YAC potential for that spot, don't you think?). I mean, how many receivers in this draft have that kind of vertical leap measurable?

This would certainly help Trent Edwards out in the red zone, having 2 taller receivers like these!

Get the Bills back to the big game!

by Blitz on Mar 28, 2008 9:24 AM EDT 0 recs