Gronk To The Bucs For a 4th Rounder

[skinsdad62]

Give me one of these TE's with a pick plus Howard in a trade and call it good.

NFL Draft 2020 tight end rankings
1. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame

Kmet has the size (6-5, 250 pounds) and speed (4.70 40-yard-dash time at the Combine) to be a field-stretching slot TE for whoever drafts him. He didn't do much his first two seasons at Notre Dame, but he caught 43 passes for 515 yards and six TDs as a junior. Blocking is still a bit of a question mark, as it is for most rookie tight ends, but Kmet can make an immediate impact as a receiver.

2. Hunter Bryant, Washington

Bryant is a bit of a tweener; he's just 6-2, but at 239 pounds and with a 4.74 40 time, he can't really play wide receiver. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in toughness and big-play ability. He averaged an eye-popping 16.4 yards per catch during his career at Washington, and his junior season yielded 52 catches and 825 yards. He was never much of a touchdown producer in college, catching just five during his career, but that could change in the NFL, where he'll continue to present mismatches for linebackers and safeties.

3. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue

Hopkins gradually improved over his four seasons at Purdue, finishing with 61 catches, 830 yards, and seven TDs last year. He has great size (6-5, 245 pounds) and speed (4.66 40-yard-dash time), so if he can prove to be a capable enough blocker, he'll stay on the field and will have a chance to put up big stats in the right offense.

MORE: Read the latest NFL Draft news at SN's draft HQ

4. Adam Trautman, Dayton

Trautman dominated at FCS Dayton, catching 70 passes for 916 yards and 14 TDs during his final season. There are plenty of question marks given the lower level of competition, but Trautman's size is legit (6-6, 253 pounds) and his 40-yard-dash time is good enough (4.80) if he's used the right way.

5. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

When it comes to pure playmaking ability, Albert O might be the best TE in the draft. The 6-5, 255-pound pass-catcher ran a blazing 4.49 40-yard dash at the Combine, All those tools didn't result in a ton of receiving production (average of 32.7 receptions and 395.7 yards over his three seasons), but Okwuegbunam was a touchdown machine, catching 23 scores in 27 games. Nagging injuries are a concern — though not as much as his nonexistent blocking resume — but Albert O is a matchup nightmare as a glorified slot receiver, field-stretcher and red-zone threat.

6. Harrison Bryant, FAU

Bryant didn't play at a Power 5 school, but his steady improvement and senior season are impossible to ignore. He caught 65 passes for 1,004 yards and seven TDs during his final year at FAU, and he impressed with a 4.73 40 time at the Combine. With his size (6-5, 240 pounds), Bryant could be at least a red-zone threat wherever he winds up, but he'll have to prove he can stay on the field with his blocking.

7. Thaddeus Moss, LSU

Moss doesn't have much tape because he missed both 2017 and 2018 after transferring from N.C. State and then suffering a foot injury, but he excelled during his lone season at LSU, catching 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns. Moss has good size (6-3, 249 pounds), and even though he didn't run a 40 at the Combine, he also has good speed. The family lineage is strong, too: Moss is the son of Randy Moss. Teams will have to take a bit of a leap of faith if they select him, but Moss is an intriguing prospect who could develop into something special.

MORE: SN's complete 7-round mock draft

8. Colby Parkinson, Stanford

Stanford regularly features tight ends in its offense, so it's no surprise an athletic 6-7, 251-pound field-stretcher like Parkinson is on the NFL radar. He caught 48 passes for 589 yards his junior year, and while that resulted in only one touchdown, we know he can wreak havoc around the goal line based on his seven TDs as a sophomore. Parkinson's size could make him a red-zone threat right away.

9. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt

Pinkney has dealt with injuries and inconsistent QB play throughout his career at Vanderbilt, but his outstanding junior season (50-774-7) shows what he's capable of when he puts it all together. His lack of speed (4.96 in the 40) will hurt him, but he has good size (6-4, 260 pounds) and is a solid blocker. If he can continue to work on his blocking, then he'll have a chance to stay on the field and provide decent production as a receiver.

10. Devin Asiasi, UCLA

A breakout junior season (44 catches for 641 yards and four TDs) put Asiasi on the draft radar. His 4.73 40 time is impressive given his size (6-3, 279 pounds), and he's tough to bring down in the open field. He's another interesting project who could develop into a solid starter in a few seasons.

Asiasi could be a late round steal

 

[DJ Fieri]

Remember Gronk prably wouldn't have come out of retirement unless he was traded to TB. That meant there was no competition for him in trade, and that probably lowered what NE could get in trade for him. And he could very well retire again after this season. So... I wouldn't make any assumptions about how this trade tells you what Howard is worth in trade. For all we know, Howard's going to be a perennial Pro Bowler long after Gronk retires.

This....imagine Brady having Howard and Gronk on field at same time?

Defenses are shuddering at the thought.

 

[skinz2winz]

Asiasi could be a late round steal

Something about this guy that bothers me. His production wasn't all that in a Chip Kelley offense, seems strange. He appears to have the athletic ability and upside to improve into a solid starter.

 

[skinz2winz]

it was parkinson

Yeah, give me that guy! Damn!

 

[gkekoa]

This....imagine Brady having Howard and Gronk on field at same time?

Defenses are shuddering at the thought.

Why would Howard invoke fear at all? Mike Evans and Gronk...yikes.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Why would Howard invoke fear at all? Mike Evans and Gronk...yikes.

He's a very good TE....my comment was regarding a double TE set.

 

[gkekoa]

He's a very good TE....my comment was regarding a double TE set.

OJ Howard is a very good TE? He hasn’t shown it, at all. Why else would they have given a rate the boost they did? Bruce Arians has never been know for his TE involved offense.

Other than Heath Miller, who wasn’t exactly frightening, name another TE in an Arians offense that did anything.

He got nothing out of Dwayne Allen and even less out of Coby Fleenor.

I expect Tom Brady to disappoint in TB and so will Gronk.

 

[DJ Fieri]

OJ Howard is a very good TE? He hasn’t shown it, at all. Why else would they have given a rate the boost they did? Bruce Arians has never been know for his TE involved offense.

Other than Heath Miller, who wasn’t exactly frightening, name another TE in an Arians offense that did anything.

He got nothing out of Dwayne Allen and even less out of Coby Fleenor.

I expect Tom Brady to disappoint in TB and so will Gronk.

Look at his targets...his production is very good. Based off amount of targets Winston doesn't rely as much on the TE as Brady did in NE.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Howard will flourish with Brady there.

 

[gkekoa]

Look at his targets...his production is very good. Winston doesn't rely as much on the TE as Brady did in NE.

Brady relied on the TEs because the offense was predicated on short throws between the numbers.

 

[DJ Fieri]

If you don't think they will tweak Arians offense....you're insane....

 

[gkekoa]

If you don't think they will tweak Arians offense....you're insane....

Ok...we will see.

 

[Sportster 72]

Why would Howard invoke fear at all? Mike Evans and Gronk...yikes.

You left out Chris Godwin.

 

[gkekoa]

You left out Chris Godwin.

Didn’t leave him out...just not scared of him. He did have a helluva season though.

 

[Stymietee]

This....imagine Brady having Howard and Gronk on field at same time?

Defenses are shuddering at the thought.

Why are folks,assuming that Brady is going to be good at 42 years old? I don't see it!

BTW: Gronk retired for a reason, if both or either makes it through 16 games, I'll admit to my bad, but if I'm Tampa, I'd be preparing their backups.

 

[gkekoa]

Why are folks,assuming that Brady is going to be good at 42 years old? I don't see it!

BTW: Gronk retired for a reason, if both or either makes it through 16 games, I'll admit to my bad, but if I'm Tampa, I'd be preparing their backups.

I am with you. Tampa is number five in Vegas...it is wild. The house is making a killing.

I expect Tampa to be third in the NFC SOUTH, behind NO and ATL. 8 wins sounds about right.

 

[Stymietee]

I am with you. Tampa is number five in Vegas...it is wild. The house is making a killing.

I expect Tampa to be third in the NFC SOUTH, behind NO and ATL. 8 wins sounds about right.

They are taking one hell of an experimental gamble!!
It seems to me that, we've seen this sort of thing before here in Washington. Signing aged veterans and/or well past their prime players that can sell tickets (generate excitement off of the field) and ultimately disappoint on it.

Oh my Gawd, Tampa Bay is "winning off the field!" (Maybe it's a thing that's unique to guys named "Bruce.")

 

[Ruzious]

Something about this guy that bothers me. His production wasn't all that in a Chip Kelley offense, seems strange. He appears to have the athletic ability and upside to improve into a solid starter.

Yeah, there's gotta be some issues with him, because just watching him - he's an athletic freak. A guy with his physical tools should be putting up monster numbers. He was a huge recruit for Michigan, but he stayed there only 1 year and transferred to UCLA "to be closer to home". Last year was his only productive season. If I'm a GM, it's awfully tempting to pick him - gotta due a lot of due diligence to find out why he wasn't more productive - and what happened at Michigan?

 

[gkekoa]

They are taking one hell of an experimental gamble!!
It seems to me that, we've seen this sort of thing before here in Washington. Signing aged veterans and/or well past their prime players that can sell tickets (generate excitement off of the field) and ultimately disappoint on it.

Oh my Gawd, Tampa Bay is "winning off the field!" (Maybe it's a thing that's unique to guys named "Bruce.")

In fairness, this is a bit different than anything we have ever done.