I have done almost zero homework on the TE prospects but McBride seems like a pretty solid bet. He's had really good production in college, former basketball player, looks to be a pretty lean 260 and a willing blocker. Lots to like there. Scooping him up in the 2nd round would be great.
This group is going to be very interesting in terms of where they go. Even this early, most sites have a consensus on players that are within say 10 rankings of each other. A lot of the tightends are all over the map. I’ve seen McBride as high as the 29th ranked player and as low as in the 60’s and 70’s. Kolar and Otton’s ranges are even higher in being the 2nd/3rd tightends to the 9th/10th tightend. I like what I’ve read of Otton lately although I’ve barely seen him play. Seems to be a traditional in-line tightend that blocks and catches.
Getting one in the 3rd would be ideal. I just don't think these tight ends are game changers. Wedermeyer is good but nobody near Kyle Pitts. I would think these are purely more safety blankets and red zone targets for ZW.
There's no Pitts but they might as well be Pitts compared to what we currently have at TE. A safety blanket and red zone target for Wilson sounds great.
It's not out of the question for someone in the class to develop into a game changer. Kittle, Kelce, Gronk, Andrews, Waller, and Goedert weren't day 1 picks, but have turned out to be above average to elite.
Our tightends may have been our weakest position group. Overhaul! I hope for a decent FA, One drafted 2-3 round and even another later in draft. Lafleur/Shanahan system can utilize two tightends at times, ours were so bad it was abandoned.
I would seriously consider drafting both McBride & Ruckert. Would absolutely overhaul our TE room and I think both players have a ton of potential
I wish that we could, but it's starting to look like McBride will go in the bottom of the 1st round. We will probably need to use #10 or trade down from there to take Burks. We'll miss out on McBride, but hopefully, we can get Ruckert and another TE later. There are other good TE prospects in the draft.
I'm telling y'all. OSU fan or not.. I'm betting money Ruckert Is the best TE In this draft class. People are sleeping on this kid because of the amazing WR talent and offense that OSU had. He's really good and there is a reason scouts and the like are saying he is going to be a better pro than college player. I like several TE's In this class though. I think by the time the senior bowl and combine is done, Ruckert will be in the conversation for top TE. We shall see.
This isn't crazy important but how is he as a blocker? For me McBride seems like the best TE prospect overall. Athletic, great hands, good blocker, good production in college.
Ohio had enough weapons so they turned Ruckert into a blocking machine. WR in HS - Blocking Machine in NCAA
He Is a very good blocker overall. He's strong, aggressive, and makes an impact In this area of his game. His technique will only get better with the transition to the NFL but he doesn't have bad technique as Is, I just think he will become an even better blocker In the NFL with specific coaching In this area as well. To me.. Ruckert Is more athletic, better hands, just as good at blocking. IMO He can play a lot of different roles for any team. Ruckert took a backseat to a very talented WR group, which Is the ONLY reason he doesn't have even better production than, McBride. I'm convinced of that. I'm skeptical of McBride, I can see talent, I have a hard time with the level of competition he played against though. I know that's not fair a lot of the times, It Is what It Is though for me. I'm curious how he does overall during Senior Bowl week and the actual game against better players across from him.
I'm starting to agree with you, Dean. Initially, I didn't like McBride, because he looked stiff, not that athletic or fast. I looked at more footage, and changed my mind. This week at Sr. Bowl practices, I've read comments by reporters and fans alike about both. What I'm hearing is that McBride is viewed more as a flex TE whereas Ruckert is more of a traditional in-line TE. Would you agree with that? If so, then I'd rather have Ruckert than McBride. There was a rep of McBride blocking Ojabo or one of the lighter, faster Edges. He stayed with him through the whole rep and eventually got the Edge pushed deep, but didn't slow him down at all, which resulted in pressure on the QB and the QB had to flee the pocket. I think Ruckert would have done a much better job handling that Edge. While it's never ideal to have a TE trying to block a fast Edge, it happens in the NFL, even if it's just a chip to momentarily slow the Edge down and then the TE releases into the flat or over the middle. In many, if not most of the reps I'm seeing of McBride, he doesn't seem to have much separation consistently, and I think that will be a problem in the NFL. Like London, almost every catch will be a contested catch. Conversely, Ruckert seems to gain separation more consistently, and I think he is faster and smoother than McBride. What are your thoughts?
Actually, I think the blocking is very important. Kittle in SF is an excellent blocker. You know that any scheme that wants its WRs to block is also going to demand that the TEs are good blockers. I don't see McBride as very athletic at all, at least he's not in the same class as Ruckert or Wydermyer.
I agree with basically everything. Ruckert Is going to play the Y. A normal TE that can be a threat In-line and passing attack. McBride has talent, I just think that he will struggle with the competition being vamped up heading to the NFL. He might be a good one In the end but my money is on, Ruckert.
