Expert Opinion: TE Mike Gesicki’s Profile
When talking about draft prospects from Penn State, most people talk about running back Saquon Barkley. But tight end Mike Gesicki is gaining a lot of momentum. Gesicki is 6’5” tall and weighs 247 lbs. He holds the record for most receptions by a tight end at Penn State. While in high school, Gesicki also played basketball and volleyball. Gesicki is seen as part of the 2nd tier of tight ends in this draft and has drawn comparisons to Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.
During the week of the Combine, Gesicki was very impressive. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.54 seconds, did 22 reps on the bench press and had a 41.5 inch vertical jump. During the pass-catching drills, he did a superb job showing his athleticism.
Amongst the tight ends in the draft, Gesicki has the best ball skills. He’s a solid route runner and is a huge mismatch for both safeties and linebackers. His background in volleyball is seen as an advantage as it seems to have helped him adjust to the ball as well as display excellent body control. Gesicki caught 15 touchdowns during his career at Penn State and is seen as a threat in the red zone. One of the best things going for Gesicki is that scouts believe his best football is ahead of him in his career.
A big deficiency in his game is his lack of blocking skills; he is basically a wide receiver in the body of a tight end. He needs to get stronger and become more consistent with his route running. Also, he had a tendency to drop passes which he will need to improve on at the next level.
The Browns are not in need of a pass catching tight end as they have drafted David Njoku and Seth DeValve in the past two drafts, however; if new GM John Dorsey is not enamored by DeValve, then Gesicki might be an option with one of the second round picks that the Browns have.
More realistically, Gesicki will most probably be drafted somewhere between the end of the first round and beginning of the third round. Teams that may be interested in his services include but are not limited to the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. All of those teams use multiple tight ends well and Gesicki would have the opportunity to play, but not be relied on like if he went to some other teams.
The importance of the tight end position has been growing over the past decade and Gesicki’s athletic abilities will make him a force in the NFL. He will most definitely make the Pro Bowl numerous times in his career.
Image: ESPN
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