| March 08, 2006 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 07:14 PM |
BillsZone.com takes a look at the players available in the 2006 NFL Draft and how they fill the needs of the Buffalo Bills. This week, we take a look at Tight Ends.
QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT
Discuss the NFL draft in our Draft Zone forum!
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Davis is as physically gifted as any player in the draft. He has all the tools scouts look for and more in a receiver. Davis is a physical beast and will be a stud in the NFL. His measurables are outstanding: he runs a 4.41 40-yard dash, squats 685 lbs. and benches 460 lbs Davis has outstanding speed and strength. A major weapon in the passing game, he was a clutch performer in college and a Mackey award finalist. He could be a dominant player along the lines of Antonio Gates if he is utilized correctly. He runs good routes, catches the ball away from his body, and has soft hands. Once he has the ball he does a good job of getting yards after the catch. He is an extremely hard worker both on the field and in the weight room. Davis' biggest downside is that he was rarely asked to play a conventional tight end role. At Maryland he often lined up as an h-back or even wide receiver. As a result, he does not have the credentials teams look for when it comes to blocking. Does not have the height you want at the position. Improving as a blocker and is adequate but can still get better in that area Is somewhat of a wide receiver trapped in a tight ends body and often times plays like it. Still a little raw and needs to round out the rough edges and master the nuances of the game. Vernon Davis has a great chance to be a top 15 pick and the first tight end drafted because of his true potential.
While not the physical freak that Vernon Davis is, this is possibly the most proven TE in the draft. He has 4.5 speed and can catch better than most NFL Wide Receivers. He has proven at UCLA that he can be the center of an offense. When he is picked he will supply height and strength and will fit into most offenses. He is a threat to score almost anytime he touches the ball. Shows upper-echelon top-end speed. Possesses outstanding quickness and agility. Has improved his feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage. He has the speed and athletic ability to stretch the seam vertically in the NFL. Is a playmaker in the passing game. Can work in-line, in the slot and flexed out as a receiver. He gets a good release off the line, has excellent hands, and creates mismatches for slower linebackers and smaller safeties. He also has the ability to split out and play wide receiver when needed. Lewis has proven to be a very durable player over the course of his career at UCLA. Struggles to match up as an in-line blocker against bigger DE's. Will have trouble winning at the POA if he does not get great positioning and stay balanced. Is still a better athlete than football player. Needs to improve his blocking technique. Could stand to add some weight and looks frail on the field due to his lanky build. Lacks explosiveness and may have trouble separating at the next level. Needs to hit the weights and get stronger. Marcedes Lewis is very possibly the most well-rounded member of his position in the upcoming draft. If everything goes as expected he should sneak into the end of round one. There is a small chance he will be on the board when Buffalo drafts in round 2, but Buffalo will probably pass.
Pope is one of the top TE prospects in this year's draft, with only room to improve. He has top-level athleticism, hands and speedPope also has good speed and the athleticism to cause mismatches against nearly anyone who covers him. Can stretch a defense vertically, as well as run after the catch. Tremendous leaping ability with great ball skills. Pope is an enormous target at 6'7" and will prove to be a dangerous red zone threat. Also can adjust to the poorly thrown ball. Pope also is a very solid blocker who holds the point of attack well in pass blocking and is able to be effective in run blocking. He can block well enough to stay in on running plays and not hurt the team. Shows good agility but lacks acceleration to separate. Release is adequate as he can be held up by smaller backers. Strength is questionable. He will need to add some bulk and strength to compete at an NFL level along the line. While run blocking, he will get pushed around by stronger DE's and SLB's that get into his pads. Still has room to improve in terms of the crispness of his routes. What makes Pope so intriguing as an NFL prospect is his outstanding speed, athletic ability and pass-catching skills. Looking like a second round selection but good workouts could see him sneak into late round 1.
Byrd is arguably the top receiving tight end in the draft. There aren't many tight ends that can beat you vertically, but Byrd can. He is a terrific natural athlete, and is a threat intermediately or down the field. With the ball in his hands, he has the elusiveness to make you miss, and the strength to break tackles. Shows good body control and balance. Will adjust to the poorly thrown ball. Byrd has excellent hands and can make the difficult grab. He is a good run blocker who knows his assignments and how to use angles to his advantage. Byrd is a dynamic playmaker with the potential to develop into a seam-stretching H-back type in the NFL. He is one of the best athletes at the tight end position in this year's class at the tight end position and he flashes terrific upside. Byrd lacks ideal height at tight end. Despite his bulk, he is more of a finesse blocker, and could improve in this area. He will need to demonstrate consistency and maturity on and off the field. He has had trouble staying academically eligible Dominique Byrd is a solid all-around tight end who has first day talent. His injury problems and questionable character could push him out of day one and into the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Anthony Fasano is one of the better all-around prospects at the tight end position. He is a player highlighted by an excellent pair of hands, with good size and a rugged style of game he brings to the field. A tough runner after the catch. Shows good upper body strength and adequate lower body strength. Is technically sound and feisty as a blocker. Takes good angles and uses consistent leverage. He has top notch intangibles including good leadership ability and an excellent work ethic. Is a clutch performer with a knack for coming up big on third down situations. Reminds scouts of former Giant's TE Mark Bavaro. He has average size for a tight end with the frame to get bigger. He is somewhat stiff and lacking mobility after the catch, but he looks to maximize and make the most of each and every opportunity after the catch to make things happen. He lacks great deep speed and isn't very elusive after the catch; however he is an excellent short to intermediate range target. Will need to improve his bulk and base in order to match up as an in-line blocker in the NFL. The combination of solid blocking and getting the tough chain-moving third down catches makes him one of the better all-around tight end prospects in the 2006 NFL draft. He should be a first day pick. Look for a team with a power running attack to show interest in the third round.
This is a player that posses an excellent pair of hands, and for a player his size he adjusts well to balls thrown his way, which account for his agility and motor skills. Smart player, knows how to stretch the field. Very deceiving off the ball (looks too big to be so fast).Can separate from man-coverage and will generate some mismatches to out run most linebackers. He can catch on the run, away from his frame and over his head. He also has a knack for getting open in the red zone and is a reliable target in clutch situations. He has long arms and a great wingspan. Shows impressive leaping ability. From a measurables standpoint this guy has what teams are looking for .May never rank amongst the elite tight ends in the league but could fall into that next tier. Should become a tremendous weapon in the passing game. Run blocking needs improvement, needs to bulk up to about 255lbs to 260lbs to block effectively in the NFL. More of a position and wall-off type blocker who will give a good effort in trying to sustain. A hard working, high character player. A blue-collar type who keeps improving with more experience. Is durable and tough. The type of intelligent, tough, aggressive player an NFL team should want on its roster. Should be off the boards very early in day 2 of the draft. 
There aren't very many tight ends with a combination of size, power, and athleticism that Day has. He is a big target to throw to over the middle, and is tough to bring down in the open field. An excellent weapon as a receiver, he has good hands and will make the spectacular catch. In addition he runs good routes and knows how to get open. Adjusts well to poorly thrown balls and displays excellent focus. His athleticism and quickness allow him to match up well against most linebackers or safeties as a receiver. As a blocker, he has the power and agility to keep his man at bay. He gets in position and will wall-off, but seems to lack a mean streak as a blocker. He will still need to work on blocking and dealing with tight coverage. Does not do a consistently good job of finishing his blocks. Durability is a long-term concern, as well. Although he has demonstrated his toughness by playing through injuries in the past, he had shoulder and foot injuries that lingered with him throughout the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Tim Day is a player who is solid but unspectacular in every area. Day is a playmaker and has drawn comparisons to Jeb Putzier and Stephen Alexander, though a better blocker. He has the skills to develop into a good all-around tight end in the NFL. A solid pick on day two, somewhere in the 5th or 6th rounds in the 2006 draft. 
He is a rugged type of player that does not shy away from contact, but at the same time has the versatility to slip and break a tackle and take it (40+yards) down field. Great hands, great route runner, and good speed (4.59) Runs excellent routes and will make the tough catch and adjust to poorly thrown balls. He is a go to type of receiver out on the field, he is a player that will come up with the big catch in crucial situations, who has ice water in his veins to make the catch and big play. He is very agile and fast for a player his size and can maneuver well downfield against defensive backs, getting yards after the catch. David is a very smart player. He executes delay and timing routes to perfection, getting open underneath and using his speed to get yards after the catch. Good natural athlete with fine quickness. Plays faster than he times and sported an impressive yards per catch average in college. Is a threat in the red zone and has a knack for catching touchdowns. Will be an absolute liability as an in-line blocker in the NFL. Narrow base and marginal lower body strength for the position. Will struggle to hold up in the phone booth as a run blocker. Needs to have perfect positioning in order to complete his blocking assignment. Thomas isn't for everybody. But for a teams who use H-backs and undersized tight ends in the slot in order to generate unique mismatches in the passing game, Thomas is a great fit as a reserve that will also contribute on special teams. As such, look for Thomas to come off the 2006 draft board early on the second day. 
Jeff King is a very good sized tight end that excels around the goal line and uses his soft hands to pull in touchdown passes. He is tall and bulky, and gives his quarterback a huge target to throw to. Plays with a mean streak and never gives up on blocks. Doesn't take many false steps and is generally a fundamentally sound in-line blocker. You won't see too many plays downfield made from King. He is excellent in a short area, but doesn't have the speed to get open deep. He shows the willingness as a blocker, but does not adjust well to a combination of moves by the defender. Takes good angles to blocks and flashes the ability to get into position at the second level. Is not a great natural athlete, lacks elite timed speed and quickness. Runs adequate short-to-intermediate routes and doesn't drop many passes that should catch. Has the wide frame to shield defenders from the ball, can make the tough catch in traffic and has the potential to develop into a productive red zone target. King is a better football player than he is an athlete, so he doesn't have a great deal of upside. King has enough character, work habits and toughness to contribute as a special teams player and a reserve TE in the NFL, and should put him in as a late-round prospect in 2006. 
Williams has developed into one of the college football's better pass-catching tight ends and he projects as an H-back in the NFL. He is a smooth athlete with very good hands, giving him the potential to generate mismatches versus linebackers. A good athlete - not great athlete - with a soft pair of hands who seems to always find a way to make himself open and available to his quarterback. Is extremely reliable catching the football. Shows good concentration and will make the tough catch in traffic. He can catch on the run and away from his frame. Looks the ball into his hands and gets upfield quickly. Has some burst after the catch and is a tough runner who will lower his shoulder and run over some smaller defenders. However, Williams is undersized and will not match up well in-line as a blocker at the next level. An underrated player who can be a solid, but unspectacular option in the pro passing game. Could be limited to a situational role due to his limitations in size and as a blocker. Williams has some ability and should be able to carve out a role for himself at the next level, even if it is as a backup. He will never have great size or elite speed, which is why he projects as a Day 2 draft pick in 2006. QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT - DT - DE - OLB - ILB - CB - S