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TE Profiles
By: John McMullen
1999 won't be a great year for tight ends either, at least not right away but there are a number of guys with the prototypical size, speed ratios to excel down the line. It looks like a wait and see game for the tight ends. Here are the top guys:
- Jimmy Kleinsassen North Dakota 6-2 274
Remember this name, Kleinsassen is the most gifted athlete at TE in college football today. He has great size as a target with the speed and acceleration to stretch defenses. A very, very productive player that gets open easily and has the hands to be a difference maker. He has the leverage and more importantly the head to be a dominant blocker.
Jimmy has dominated his competition and has the best upside of the all the seniors tight ends. A small college guy who is just a dominant blocker and could be as good as David Lafleur was coming out. A first round sleeper!
- Larry Brown Georgia 6-5 260
Big time college player who loves to play the game. A great combination tight end who has good hands and the ability to get open. He's a huge target who is a good athlete but isn't very fast. Brown has good blocking skills but to be honest hasn't been the dominant blocker that he should be. He has excellent athletic ability with good change of direction & feet. Has good pass receiving abilities and uses his hands very well. Looks like a complete package who has a big upside for NFL offenses. Brown is a tremendous competitor who is leader for the Bulldogs and is probably the most complete tight end right now but does not have the upside of Kleinsassen or Cuncho Brown.
- Cuncho Brown Penn State 6-4 270
Nice sized tight end who is huge target in the passing game. He is not very fast but shows great quickness and an innate ability to get open. If he improves his blocking to a commensurate level with his size and becomes a complete package, you are looking at a first round pick. Brown is already a good short route runner with ability to separate and create space but is a bit of a lumberer and only has average hands. He has shown the ability and concentration to catch in traffic but that's all he is allowed to do under Joe Paterno. The bottom line is that Cuncho plays in a very antiquated offensive system at Penn St. but he has the hands and size to be a difference maker. Brown will not be ready immediately but with the right coaching could be a big problem for most NFL teams or he could turn into another mediocre Penn St. tight end ALA Kyle Brady.
- Rufus French Mississippi 6-4 250
A junior who is considered to be a good bet to come out. French is a good athlete who goes after the football with his hands and shows good athletic ability as receiver. An excellent athlete with the body control of a wide receiver. Has the feet but needs to improve his bulk and strength as a blocker. French does everything reasonably well but doesn't have the bulk right now to be a dominant NFL blocker.
- Jerame Tuman Michigan 6-5 250
I love Tuman. He has a great combination of size and speed and more importantly has a great head for the game. He's not really a special athlete but is as tough as they come. As a receiver he has the great hands and the innate ability to find the seam and sit down.Tuman continues to improve as a blocker and stood out on the Rose Bowl national championship team. May not be the special athlete you are looking for at tight end but is the kind of player you just can't cut.
- Reggie Kelly Mississippi State 6-5 243
A pretty athletic tight end with good size and speed. Kelly is a really nasty blocker who plays until the whistle but doesn't have the strength to dominate. He doesn't get many passes in the Bulldogs offense, which raises questions about his receiving abilities. All in all Kelly is an interesting prospect who doesn't get many passes thrown his way so you can't judge him fairly. Individual workouts are likely to have a great effect on him going up or down the board.
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