How'd the TEs look yesterday? Any prospects you're impressed with?

[KB_fan]

My internet has been pretty awful lately, so no streaming video for me...  Thus I'm not watching any of the Combine, just reading some of the results & comments...  I've seen stuff on Twitter that the TEs were pretty impressive as a group, and that Greg Olsen provided excellent commentary.

Would love to hear more details / reaction from Huddlers who watched it.   I'm still hoping we draft a TE to pair with Greg and learn behind him.  Last year was a bust on that front.

It's not our top priority / need obviously.  DE, RB, S and even slot WR are all higher priorities.  (OT is our greatest need, I just don't expect we'll find what we need in the draft.  That will have to be solved in Free Agency).

Depending on how the board shapes up and how the players fall to us, I'm guessing we would not draft a TE before the 3rd or 4th, maybe at #98 or #115 (and obviously there's a chance Dave might use these picks as trade capital... who knows)

Who should I be looking at in the 3rd or 4th who might be worth a pick?  Thoughts?

[DaCityKats]

Evan Engram really impressed yesterday. Confirms everything you see in games 

[KB_fan]

Here's one of the tweets I saw about the TEs - having high SPARQ scores, i.e. being very athletic:

And then this about the average TE 40 time being the fastest in 14 years...

 

[gmonjimbo]

Greg Olsen was actually on the field watching the TE group do drills during the combine and was very impressed. Most experts agree that this is one of the strongest TE groups in the last 5 years or more. Olsen said there are 3 TEs that can play for all 32 Teams: OJ Howard, David Njoku, and Evan Engram because they can line up inside or outside.

I guess look out for Bucky Hodges Jordan Leggett, or Adam Shahen  in the later rounds but I believe finding a TE to play alongside Olsen will be a big priority come draft day. I think the Panthers can find a SS in FA that can make an immediate impact. If Jamal Adams, Fournette, Allen, and Thomas are off the board I think OJ Howard should be the pick. He is a complete TE and would force teams to stop running delayed blitzes because that safety or LB will now have to cover a 6"5 250 pound TE that runs a 4.5 up the seams. Also, he is a great run blocker that will open up holes. 

[top dawg]

OJ Howard is certainly a dark horse pick at 8, and I wouldn't even be mad.

[Mr. Miagi]

2 minutes ago, top dawg said:

OJ Howard is certainly a dark horse pick at 8, and I wouldn't even be mad.

No he won't. Why do guys keep saying he could be a potential pick at 8?

[top dawg]

1 minute ago, Mr. Miagi said:

No he won't. Why do guys keep saying he could be a potential pick at 8?

Because he can do it all, fits a need and want for the  offense, and Gettleman mentioned him at the Senior Bowl.

Mind you, I said "dark horse" for a reason.

[top dawg]

Evan Engram's speed was probably the most shocking thing of all. I think that if we were seriously interested, we'd have to grab him at 40 if still available.

Shaheen showed that he belonged, so he may have helped himself the most. This class is impressive in general.

[LinvilleGorge]

26 minutes ago, Mr. Miagi said:

No he won't. Why do guys keep saying he could be a potential pick at 8?

Because it's a typical Gettleman pick. Guy with ideal size at a position that we have no immediate need at and a pick that would be considered a bit of a reach by many. That's a Gettleman pick.

In reality, we run two TEs over half the time and our #2 TE gets more snaps than our #3 WR. Plus, Olsen turns 32 in about a week.

I'd prefer to pick someone else, but picking Howard wouldn't shock me.

[Mr. Miagi]

4 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Because he can do it all, fits a need and want for the  offense, and Gettleman mentioned him at the Senior Bowl.

Mind you, I said "dark horse" for a reason.

I don't see it happening unless he trade down. 

[Mr. Miagi]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

Because it's a typical Gettleman pick. Guy with ideal size at a position that we have no immediate need at and a pick that would be considered a bit of a reach by many. That's a Gettleman pick.

In reality, we run two TEs over half the time and our #2 TE gets more snaps than our #3 WR. Plus, Olsen turns 42 in about a week.

I'd prefer to pick someone else, but picking Howard wouldn't shock me.

I'm sure Gman would rather go Solomon Thomas over Howard. 

[top dawg]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Miagi said:

I don't see it happening unless he trade down. 

Well, conventional wisdom would suggest that you're right, but DG is not the most "conventional" drafter. We all know that if he believes Howard is the BPA, then he won't hesitate to put his name on the card. That's what it will cone down to, and I suspect that Howard will be one of those three or four names that @Jeremy Igo will have on his list of potential first round picks after everything is said and done.

[Mr. Miagi]

3 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Well, conventional wisdom would suggest that you're right, but DG is not the most "conventional" drafter. We all know that if he believes Howard is the BPA, then he won't hesitate to put his name on the card. That's what it will cone down to, and I suspect that Howard will be one of those three or four names that @Jeremy Igo will have on his list of potential first round picks after everything is said and done.

Jeremy doesn't know anything more than you or I do. Jeremy is a photographer in the end zone. Nothing more. 

My top 3-4 names will probably be a lot closer than Jeremy's.  I'm just saying. 

[top dawg]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Miagi said:

Jeremy doesn't know anything more than you or I do. Jeremy is a photographer in the end zone. Nothing more. 

You obviously weren't watching the last couple of years. His small list has included the last two or three draft picks (coincidentally the time when he started upping his journalist game).

This may not end well for you...