2024 Tight End class

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

What's up with this kid Austin Stogner? Apparently he was really great until an injury, hasn't fully recovered yet and will drop to later rounds bc of that.

NFL DraftBuzz Scouting Report has this to say about him, amongst other positives:

"We have him graded as one (for his career) of the best mid-level route receivers in college football"

Did he have an injury at the end of the year? I don't remember one. The only thing I know of is that infection he had like 3 or 4 years ago but he's well past that.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Did he have an injury at the end of the year? I don't remember one. The only thing I know of is that infection he had like 3 or 4 years ago but he's well past that.

"Stogner was on the trajectory to become a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft until an injury almost destroyed his playing career. He's never even looked close to the player he was before and teams will look at him with a massive question mark. He'll be tested heavily at the combine and will need to demonstrate the speed and athleticism he showcased prior to the injury or risks being a late-round selection.

If he can convince NFL teams that a) the knee is fully healed and b) 2021 was just a disappointing fluke - he could sneak into the late second round. It's a big if though."

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

"Stogner was on the trajectory to become a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft until an injury almost destroyed his playing career. He's never even looked close to the player he was before and teams will look at him with a massive question mark. He'll be tested heavily at the combine and will need to demonstrate the speed and athleticism he showcased prior to the injury or risks being a late-round selection.

If he can convince NFL teams that a) the knee is fully healed and b) 2021 was just a disappointing fluke - he could sneak into the late second round. It's a big if though."

I don't remember him ever having a knee injury. He had a deep thigh bruise in 2020 that he ended up getting an infection in and it did almost end his career. I don't see it as an issue at this point though.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

"Stogner was on the trajectory to become a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft until an injury almost destroyed his playing career. He's never even looked close to the player he was before and teams will look at him with a massive question mark. He'll be tested heavily at the combine and will need to demonstrate the speed and athleticism he showcased prior to the injury or risks being a late-round selection.

If he can convince NFL teams that a) the knee is fully healed and b) 2021 was just a disappointing fluke - he could sneak into the late second round. It's a big if though."

I'd probably rather spin the wheel on Trey Knox and hope he can learn to be more of an athletic TE than a large WR (which was mostly how he was used in college).

But guys like Knox come out every year and most of them pretty much suck.

[Palangi]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'd probably rather spin the wheel on Trey Knox and hope he can learn to be more of an athletic TE than a large WR (which was mostly how he was used in college).

But guys like Knox come out every year and most of them pretty much suck.

Knox played TE at South Carolina

[raybec 4]

Originally Posted by Palangi

Knox played TE at South Carolina

He's aware, this is the TE thread after all. He doesn't really have the size to be a typical TE in the NFL was his point.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by raybec 4

He's aware, this is the TE thread after all. He doesn't really have the size to be a typical TE in the NFL was his point.

Correct.

They weren't having him go out there and down-block as a TE. The Gamecocks were largely a spread offense and they used him as more of an oversized WR in their system.

And he's not quick enough to be that guy in the NFL or strong enough to be a TE in the NFL - even a move TE like Kelce presents a credible threat of lining up in-line and you have to use your defensive personnel accordingly.

He's more like Jody Fortson and that's a novelty more than a replacement for anyone. Well...unless it's a replacement for Jody Fortson.

[Oxford]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'd probably rather spin the wheel on Trey Knox and hope he can learn to be more of an athletic TE than a large WR (which was mostly how he was used in college).

With only a few picks this is where I'd go, hopefully develop him into a Jody Fortson (without the injuries), priority UDFA or a 7th rounder