The New England Patriots’ need for a tight end to back up and complement Rob Gronkowski greatly increased Wednesday when Scott Chandler was released.
That move left Gronkowski, blocker Michael Williams and unproven A.J. Derby on New England’s tight end depth chart. The Patriots should invest in a young tight end this offseason, and there are a number of solid fits in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The NFL Scouting Combine ended Monday, so we now have a better sense of which prospects the Patriots could select based on the team’s draft trends and the players’ measurables. The Patriots value agility and vertical explosion over size at tight end, so here are the potential fits.
Austin Hooper, Stanford
6-foot-4, 254 pounds
Projected round: 2
Hooper was wise to declare for the draft after his junior season with the Cardinal in a weak tight end class. He ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash, 7.00-second three-cone and 4.32-second short shuttle. He also broad-jumped 9 feet, 9 inches.
Hooper caught 74 passes for 937 yards with eight touchdowns in his final two seasons. The Patriots have gone to the Stanford well in the past two drafts.
Jerell Adams, South Carolina
6-foot-5, 247 pounds
Projected round: 4 to 5
Adams impressively ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at nearly 250 pounds. He also shined with a 38.5-inch vertical leap, 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump and 4.12-second short shuttle. He caught 28 passes for 421 yards with three touchdowns as a senior.
Ben Braunecker, Harvard
6-foot-3, 250 pounds
Projected round: 5
Braunecker was extremely productive in the Ivy League, catching 48 passes for 850 yards with eight touchdowns as a senior. He ran a 4.73-second 40-yard dash and posted a 35.5-inch vertical leap, 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump, 6.90-second three-cone and 4.20-second short shuttle.
David Morgan, UT San Antonio
6-foot-4, 262 pounds
Projected round: 5 to 6
Morgan will have to improve his 5.02-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, but he impressed with a 6.93-second three-cone and 4.19-second short shuttle. He caught 45 passes for 566 yards with five touchdowns as a senior.
Beau Sandland, Montana State
6-foot-4, 253 pounds
Projected round: 7
Sandland, another small-school prospect, also stood out at the combine with a 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump, 35-inch vertical leap, 4.74-second 40-yard dash, 7.10-second three-cone and 4.33-second short shuttle.
Sandland caught 37 passes for 632 yards with nine touchdowns as a senior. He spent his 2013 season at Miami.
Check out how every tight end at the combine fared against the Patriots’ typical standards.
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Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
