'05 Draft Preview: Tight Ends
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:33 pm
By Gary Fitzgerald
Redskins.com
April 11, 2005
Heath Miller entered the University of Virginia as a quarterback and left as one of the elite tight ends in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Heath Miller
The 6-5, 255-pound Miller is expected to be the only tight end selected in the first round of the draft. A unanimous All-American selection, he leaves Virginia after only three seasons in which he caught 144 passes for 1,703 yards and 20 scores.
"The tight end position is an athletic position, and a lot of quarterbacks who grow move there," Miller told The Sporting News. "I didn't have any problem adjusting to catching the passes because the quarterback has the ball in his hands a lot, but I had to learn blocking from the ground up. I never blocked before."
Even after only three seasons, Miller has convinced Virginia head coach Al Groh, who coached in the NFL for 13 seasons.
"There is a significant difference between a player being ready to be drafted and that of a player being ready to play well in the NFL," Groh said. "Heath clearly fits into both categories. He is one of the best players to have ever played at Virginia. He has done a great deal for our team and we appreciate and admire him."
Miller won the Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation's best tight end, and set Atlantic Coast Conference records in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns by a tight end.
Alex Smith
If there's another potential first-round tight end, it's Stanford's Alex Smith. In size, he is a carbon copy of Virginia's Miller at 6-5 and 255 pounds, but Miller has consistently run a shade faster in pre-draft workouts.
Smith finished his collegiate career with 107 receptions for 1,291 yards, making him the most prolific receiving tight end in Stanford history. Last season, he led the Cardinal with 52 receptions for 706 yards.
Smith compares himself to San Diego Chargers' tight end Antonio Gates, who burst onto the NFL scene with 81 receptions and 13 touchdowns last year.
"I think the main reason we've seen tight ends start to increase their receptions is because of the new rules that are in place," Smith said. "As a result, it is a lot easier for tight ends to get up and it's a bigger target for the QBs to get us the ball. I love that! Any time I can get my hands on the ball, it's a good thing."
Kevin Everett will likely draw strong consideration in the second and third rounds, in part due to his background. Everett comes from the University of Miami (Fla.), the school that had produced tight ends Bubba Franks, Kellen Winslow, Jr., and Jeremy Shockey.
Everett, 6-5 and 250 pounds, has only started one season in college, so some scouts consider him a bit raw. Last season, he logged 23 catches for 310 yards, a 13.5 yards-per-catch average.
Victor Sesay, a Missouri product who worked out at the Redskins' local collegiate player workout on April 1, is expected to be a day two selection. The Silver Spring, Md., native is 6-5 and 270 pounds, making him possibly the biggest tight end in the draft.
"I think my biggest strength is my size advantage," he said. "It's an advantage to the offense every time I line up. People think a guy like me this tall, they tend to think he's not as strong as a smaller tight end, but I'm as strong as they come."
Some other tight end prospects to watch in the NFL Draft:
Joel Dreesen, 6-4 and 260 pounds, Colorado State
Adam Bergen, 6-5 and 255 pounds, Lehigh
Alex Holmes, 6-1 and 267 pounds, USC
Garrett Cross, 6-4 and 233 pounds, California
Steve Fleming, 6-6 and 260 pounds, Arizona
David Kashetta, 6-3 and 251 pounds, Boston College
http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=5918
Redskins.com
April 11, 2005
Heath Miller entered the University of Virginia as a quarterback and left as one of the elite tight ends in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Heath Miller
The 6-5, 255-pound Miller is expected to be the only tight end selected in the first round of the draft. A unanimous All-American selection, he leaves Virginia after only three seasons in which he caught 144 passes for 1,703 yards and 20 scores.
"The tight end position is an athletic position, and a lot of quarterbacks who grow move there," Miller told The Sporting News. "I didn't have any problem adjusting to catching the passes because the quarterback has the ball in his hands a lot, but I had to learn blocking from the ground up. I never blocked before."
Even after only three seasons, Miller has convinced Virginia head coach Al Groh, who coached in the NFL for 13 seasons.
"There is a significant difference between a player being ready to be drafted and that of a player being ready to play well in the NFL," Groh said. "Heath clearly fits into both categories. He is one of the best players to have ever played at Virginia. He has done a great deal for our team and we appreciate and admire him."
Miller won the Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation's best tight end, and set Atlantic Coast Conference records in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns by a tight end.
Alex Smith
If there's another potential first-round tight end, it's Stanford's Alex Smith. In size, he is a carbon copy of Virginia's Miller at 6-5 and 255 pounds, but Miller has consistently run a shade faster in pre-draft workouts.
Smith finished his collegiate career with 107 receptions for 1,291 yards, making him the most prolific receiving tight end in Stanford history. Last season, he led the Cardinal with 52 receptions for 706 yards.
Smith compares himself to San Diego Chargers' tight end Antonio Gates, who burst onto the NFL scene with 81 receptions and 13 touchdowns last year.
"I think the main reason we've seen tight ends start to increase their receptions is because of the new rules that are in place," Smith said. "As a result, it is a lot easier for tight ends to get up and it's a bigger target for the QBs to get us the ball. I love that! Any time I can get my hands on the ball, it's a good thing."
Kevin Everett will likely draw strong consideration in the second and third rounds, in part due to his background. Everett comes from the University of Miami (Fla.), the school that had produced tight ends Bubba Franks, Kellen Winslow, Jr., and Jeremy Shockey.
Everett, 6-5 and 250 pounds, has only started one season in college, so some scouts consider him a bit raw. Last season, he logged 23 catches for 310 yards, a 13.5 yards-per-catch average.
Victor Sesay, a Missouri product who worked out at the Redskins' local collegiate player workout on April 1, is expected to be a day two selection. The Silver Spring, Md., native is 6-5 and 270 pounds, making him possibly the biggest tight end in the draft.
"I think my biggest strength is my size advantage," he said. "It's an advantage to the offense every time I line up. People think a guy like me this tall, they tend to think he's not as strong as a smaller tight end, but I'm as strong as they come."
Some other tight end prospects to watch in the NFL Draft:
Joel Dreesen, 6-4 and 260 pounds, Colorado State
Adam Bergen, 6-5 and 255 pounds, Lehigh
Alex Holmes, 6-1 and 267 pounds, USC
Garrett Cross, 6-4 and 233 pounds, California
Steve Fleming, 6-6 and 260 pounds, Arizona
David Kashetta, 6-3 and 251 pounds, Boston College
http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=5918