I’ve watched eight videos on Amaro now. It’s taken some time, but I’m starting to get a feel for what he’s about.
He kind of came from nowhere.
Last season he had 25 catches for 409 yards. This year he exploded for 106 grabs, 1352 yards and seven touchdowns. For a time he led the NCAA for receiving yards and finished at #11 overall. Eric Ebron was the only other tight end to crack the top 80 (#49).
For starters he’s not an incredible athlete who becomes an impossible mismatch. Unlike Ebron, he’s not going to take a short pass and run it 60-yards.
So yeah, Amaro is not the next Jimmy Graham/Jordan Cameron.
Jordan Reed ran a 4.72 at last years combine and Zach Ertz a 4.76. I have a hard time imagining Amaro topping that. In fact he could be in the 4.8’s like Gavin Escobar — who has a very similar frame but is probably a few pounds lighter.
He looks every bit a 260-265lbs player. He’s a big unit and might be able to improve his conditioning. I’d want to see if he can drop a few pounds personally.
Yet despite his size, Amaro has terrific body control. This is his biggest asset. He’ll work a defensive back or linebacker with smart route running — and he always seems to put himself in the best position to make a catch.
Against Kansas he pretty much sold the same play three times — a little corner route to the right side. Every single time he created 2-3 yards of separation purely on his control and polish as a route runner.
There are so many examples on tape where he just gets position, shields the defender and then it’s an easy throw and conversion.
He’s not a flawless hands catcher, but he’s solid. When you need a conversion on 3rd and 5, he’ll run a short route — get open — and he’ll make the play. He’s fairly consistent catching over the middle in traffic.
There’s value there. For teams that don’t have a massive receiver on the outside or a reliable slot guy, a good tight end who gets open underneath or on a quick throw will help you extend drives. Amaro did this regularly for Texas Tech in 2013.
I think he has better red zone qualities than we see in the college tape. His ability to get open in tight spots will be a real problem for defenses close in. Even if he doesn’t emulate his monster yardage stats at the next level, I suspect he’ll be a regular scorer in the right offense.
I’d love to see him getting some back shoulder fades, some little outside whips and quick hitting inside slants.
Having said that, the physical limitations put me off a little bit if we’re talking about the first round and in particular for the Seahawks.
In that range I want a tight end I can line up outside as a pure receiver and win jump balls. I want a player who runs down the seam and can take a catch 15-20 yards before he’s brought down.
Essentially, I want something akin to the Gronk if I’m going all-in with a first rounder.
A lot of average tight ends have entered the league because they’re a bit bigger and run a 4.6. I want a difference maker. A special player.
Ebron has as much potential as any college tight end in recent years and should be a top-20 pick as a consequence. Austin Seferian-Jenkins has flashed Gronk-like talent and if he really rams home the conditioning side, he can be that type of player.
Amaro, funnily enough, reminds me more of Zach Miller. Similar body, similar pass catcher. Amaro will need to work on his blocking but all young tight ends do.
There is tape of him running downfield, breaking tackles and making plays. West Virginia had a torrid time against him but their defense has been suspect for a while. When he does make a big gain he’s more of a 20-yard catcher — just slipping into the secondary and getting into a nice zone.
Again, he’s a savvy route runner and knows how to find open space.
It’ll be interesting to see how he compares to Ebron and ASJ athletically — to see if I’m right and if they mark up better. There are teams in the back end of the first round who will be considering drafting a tight end. He might be better placed as an early second round selection.
Escobar was the 15th pick in round two last year but lacked Amaro’s control, consistent catching ability and conversion rate on 2nd/3rd down. They’re similar athletically, but it’s probably good for 10-15 slots on draft day that he’s already a much more reliable target.
Personally I’d rather swing for the fences. I suspect ASJ is a more dynamic athlete than people realise and he’ll be in the best shape of his life for the combine. Ebron will be long gone by Seattle’s pick.
If they decide to save money on Zach Miller’s contract and go for a tight end in the first frame — I’d lean towards going after Seferian-Jenkins before Amaro. Get Tom Cable working on his blocking — get him in the best possible shape. You could end up with an excellent all-round tight end who doesn’t just do a good job in protection, but also makes big plays too — including some lined up outside.
Having said all that — and we’ve talked a lot about tight ends this week — I still think it’d be more beneficial to pick up a big, tall receiver who can eventually develop into a true #1.
It’s all about what’s on the board. If there simply aren’t any receivers who fit that description worthy of a first round grade, you have to look at other options that can have a similar impact.
I dig ASJ’s potential, too, but he has yet to show that he can be a hard worker consistently. He’s been playing half speed since high school. Perhaps Seattle can trigger something in him, but it’s not likely.
I would not be against a tradeup at this point. We need a big receiver and the only ones I’m any kind of excited about are going before 25.
I’m gonna take another look at Jared Abbrederis* again. Maybe he’s a sleeper.
It’s a no on Abbrederis, but I think Allen Robinson belongs in the first round.
This is a good year for WR.
I actually wouldn’t mind Robinson at 32.
Shit. I like Jordan Matthews for the Hawks, too.
Do you specifically want a 6’6 220 guy? Because there are lots of 6’3 200 guys at receiver this year.
6’3″ with a long reach, speed and great pass catcher would work for me!
I want a big receiver, someone who can physically dominate an opponent. It’s not just height. It’s size — big frame, big hands, long reach. Ability to run too.
Like Allen Robinson?
Robinson is more of a YAC guy — tall but better with the ball in space and running at defenders. He’s not a physically dominating receiver. Doesn’t go up and win many jump balls. Quick with good length, but not necessarily the type I want. We need someone who consistently wins the red line battle.
I think his ability to win jump balls is over shadowed by his YAC ability. People overlook it because he’s so phenomenal in the air.
To be fair, we can’t say whether it’s likely or not.
I think Abberadaris might be a very good fit in the later rounds for solidifying that WR corp., especially since he has all ready played w Wilson for a year in college at Wisconsin. They looked pretty dam solid together to me! Lots of crossing and Deep bombs TD plays…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGWXphHFTaY
…At thirty seconds in look at that badass throw from Russell Wilson to J A for a TD!
*Plus he is a good punt returner for us if we happen to lose Golden…
Jared is 6-2, 190 #… Fast, and Possibly runs sub 4.5…. we shall see!
If we added ASJ and Jared Abbrederis — that would sparkle with Percy mixed in…
Otherwise, trade up for Mike Evans!!! (and grab Amaro further down…)
…uh, and VERY religious…
Russell Wilson is also posting bible verses daily on twitter, so would that maybe be a good reunion? Give ur QB a best friend both on and off the field??
hmmm
I just can’t help but feel we already have an Abbrederis in Kearse.
Abbrederis would look good replacing Baldwin if Dougie is tendered by another team.
Abbrederis doesn’t have the size to box out and win jump balls. That’s what we’re looking for. We want a Brandon Marshall/ Vincent Jackson, not a Danny Amendola.
Difference maker – that is what I want to see us draft in the first round. I wouldn’t reach for a TE – Amaro doesn’t do it for me. I think ASJ will be gone too – he has the look of a NE TE. If one of the tall wide outs is there, take him, if not someone will want to jump up and we should let them.
Thanks for article, Rob. TE will be an interesting case this year.
I still wouldn’t be surprised to see Pete Carroll try a Colt Lyerla reclamation project as an UDFA. As an Oregon fan, I don’t have much hope for the kid, and it would represent Carroll’s most impressive work yet. No idea if he is getting his act together or not, but if he gets in shape- he will give an incredible pro-day performance. He could be quite the match-up nightmare if he ever figures things out. But again, I don’t hold much hope.
I hear what you’re saying about Lyerla. If he puts in the type of work that Mathieu did working out and repairing his image, he’ll get a shot somewhere.
I personally have a lot of faith in Willson and think he’ll only get better. If we were taking a TE in the 1st Rd, my order would be Ebron, ASJ then Amaro. I know someone on here has mentioned Fiedorowicz as a possible 2nd Rd pick and if we could grab a Coleman/Benjamin in the 1st, I’d be good with that. CJ has similar size to ASJ and where he isn’t as athletic, he’s a great blocker.
I was pretty high on Fiedorowicz a while back, but I’m not sure he’s good enough to warrant a day 2 pick. If we had a third I’d want him there. Fourth would be great. Artie Lynch is an option, too. Chris Coyle is a productive pass catcher at Zach Miller’s alma mater.
I will say this — as much as PC enjoys reclamation projects, he also has a line. He won’t jeopardize harmony and this team has already had enough bad news related to drug use.
Rob if Colt Lyerla hadnt had all the off field troubles and issues, where would you rank him in this TE class?
It’s hard to say because going into the season with no known character issues we were still saying he had to become more of a feature in Oregon’s offense. If he’d stayed way from trouble and played a ton of snaps, we’d have a better idea for what he’s all about. Instead all we know is he’s an athletic tight end with major, major character flags.
Okay but where would you rank him among other TEs in this class purely based off of production and what youve seen on film?
Based on the tape I’ve seen he was a third day pick. There’s barely any good tape out there. His best year was a 25-catch, 392 yard effort in a prolific, explosive offense. He went into 2013 needing to put up better numbers, be more of a focal point. When he did make the field in 2013, he was awful. And then the off-field issues, drug problems and eventually being kicked off the team.
He’s an athlete who never delivered on his promise and then got into all kinds of trouble.
And frankly, I suspect we’re going to spend far too much time talking about him.
If Miller does get released, I think we’re fine bringing back McCoy, M.Rob and/or Fred Davis at low cost. TE just doesn’t seem like a position where upgrading would help us much. Miller’s a steady guy you can depend on but within Bevel’s scheme he won’t open up a game for us, even though he looks capable of it in his tape with Oakland. If Bevel stays, why add another guy like that? Someone like Evans looks like he’d do more within our offense and may be worth trading up for.
Rob,
any thoughts on Troy Niklas?
Thanks for the tip. I’m very intrigued already. Great Blocker, nfl pedigree (from the legendary Matthews family tree), soft hands. Hard runner likes contact. Really impressed so far.
Not seen enough of him to be fair, apologies.
The way you explained Amaro left me feeling underwhelmed. If Miller was to go for cap reasons, honestly I feel good about Luke Willson. That kid has a very bright future.
The one thing you said maybe me really think about speed. Precise route running will create separation and you don’t need burner speed if you can consistently do that. Thinking about that makes Jordan Matthew sound that much better in R-1 if Coleman and ASJ are off the board already.
If the Seahawks are looking for a fast, athletic TE, they already have one. Just to remind everyone, Luke Willson ran a 4.51 at his pro day with a 38″ verticle. He needs more targets.
Based on this article, my main thought is: route running, route smarts, ” getting open”, selling routes, shields the ball and makes tight catches…. Way more important than 40 time. Very few players ” outrun” defenses in the NFL, especially tight ends.
Give away 3/10ths of a second in exchange for a great route running, good hands, big bodied TE? Ok. Fine.
If he’s snapping off routes that repeatedly burn CBs, as you describe, great. Step around that 40 time trap.
I would generally agree — but I also think speed and quickness has a part to play at the next level. Some of that route running and ability to get open might be less effective if he’s a 4.8 guy going up against superior athletes.
I want to see him run a 4.70-5 to really buy in.
Yeah, that 4.8 barrier really puts a TE in the R3 range. Miller ran a blistering 4.83, 4.87 and 4.9 at his combine.
I’m pretty confident that Amaro and Fiedorowicz will beat that. Amaro should beat it easily. ASJ should beat that handily as well.
It really depends on what kind of TE you’re looking for. And I think JW hits it spot on. Quickness and the ability to shield defenders will neutralize lack of speed. While they are almost always matched up with superior athletes (LBs/SSs), they are also matched up with some of the worst cover skill players on the defense.
TEs have to catch balls in the phone booth. If they have good hands, they can be trusted to catch the hot route balls at closer range. To be an effective inline TE, you need to value different skills as opposed to outside WRs and even Joker TEs.
I’m not a fan of Amaro as a Miller replacement in the least. His blocking is really subpar. I’m not even convinced he’s as good of a blocker as Golden Tate. Size notwithstanding. Miller has that girth and thickness in the trunk to provide push. When Amaro does engage, he doesn’t provide much impact. He may be 260 but he plays like he’s 230 in that regard. In space, he’s a pretty awkward blocker.
He does however look like a huge WR. Runs well in space. Smooth with good agility.
How about a 6’5″ 235 lb 4.5’s high pointer, hands catcher with long arms, great springs and ridiculous athleticism? Kelvin Benjamin is a matchup nightmare that destroys CB’s. With his insane catching radius, he is literally open on every play, because nobody else can go up that high! I think he’d be a top 5 pick if he stayed in school another year. Check out his highlights:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTkyr7Qv8mc
I am surprised there isn’t more talk about him around here. What do you all think?
Link fail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTkyr7Qv8mc
We’ve talked about him quite a lot — with several pieces on Kelvin Benjamin.
For me he’s just too unreliable as a catcher. Too many drops. Too many lousy routes. Amazing size and upside but when is that enough?
My thinking is that he is an amazing red zone and 3rd down threat on Day 1 because of his catch radius. He needs to work on his route running and catch (concentration) consistency. His potential and upside are phenomenal! Here is another clip I found that shows a bit more of his route running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk2T3FAEkCk I think our teachers, scheme and RW’s ability to throw an accurate high ball would combine to transform this raw prospect into a lethal match-up nightmare for opposing defenses!
I hope we take a gamble on Colt Lyera and PC and RW fix him. His upside is off the charts!
Scout: http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/08/05/2014-nfl-draft-colt-lyerla-scouting-report/
Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgqbrR8FOYI
He dropped out of Oregon to complete his court ordered drug rehab after his cocaine sniffing conviction. Then he was off to Las Vegas to live with his Trainer and prepare for his NFL career. Another guy that no one can cover or tackle, who likely would have been a Top 5 pick IF he had “kept his nose clean!”
I think we get a player like this every year. Character issues off the charts but a big name. Every fan of every team wants their GM and HC to take a chance on them. Lyerla has serious issues he needs to address. That needs to be his priority. I fully expect him to be n UDFA.
I dont see the downside in giving Colt Lyera an opportunity especially as a 7th-UDFA, bring him into camp kick the tires, see if it’ll work and if not you lost nothing. HOWEVER that being said if it DOES indeed work out and favors both the organization as well as serves the individual by putting him in a positive enviorment and Colt excells and develops well then you just spent very minimal resources to gain a starting TE in the NFL, one that not only compliments our team but contributes and at a ridiculously low cost, 4yrs UDFA rookie pay is peanuts. Allowing the team to spend its higher picks in the draft on other areas of need rather than put stock into a TE with our 1st or 2nd overall pick, instead we would be able to get the WR we want, that OL we need can be had utilizing our early picks. late picks and UDFAs are supposed to be somewhat of a gamble, otherwise they wouldnt still be there. Just think its smart to explore all options, no need to dismiss Lyerla without first considering what getting a player like him in the 7th-UDFA would mean.
Nobody ever does see the downside.
Every year we spend far too long talking about big name players with major character issues.
I guarantee every teams fans in the NFL are talking about taking a chance on Lyerla. And yet the vast majority of teams, if not all, won’t even have him on their draft board.
Like Vontaze Burfict.
Yeah – and the other 1000 players who didn’t succeed like Burfict.
For every Burfict there are others, UDFA players that HAVE found success
-Josh Cribbs
-Wayne Chrebet
-Tony Romo,
-Larry Little
-Jeff Saturday
-Rod Smith
-London Fletcher
-Priest Holmes
-Adam Vinatieri
-Arian Foster
-Wes Welker
-James Harrison
-John Randle
-Kurt Warner
Oh lastly I recall another TE that was grossly overlooked in 2003 by the vast majority of teams, in fact all of them, each and everyone one of them that didnt even have him on their draft board….
-Antonio Gates(just an 8-time Pro Bowler and 5-time All-Pro who was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, and he was also awarded the NFL Alumni’s Tight End of the Year Award in 2005) No big deal though cause no one really bothered to pay attention to him.
I think you’ve missed the point a little bit there Troy.
Burfict was used as an example of a head case who blew his college career and then went UDFA. AKA — a guy with issues. The likes of Romo, Cribbs, Fletcher, Welker… they are a totally different kettle of fish. We’re talking about guys with first round talent who put themselves in the UDFA bracket. Not players overlooked because of their size, physical limitations, small school status or because they played basketball in college.
Colt Lyerla won’t be an UDFA because anyone overlooks him. He’ll be an UDFA because he has an issue with cocaine. He’ll be an UDFA because he got kicked off his team.
That is a different stratosphere compared to why Antonio Gates was overlooked. There’s really no comparison to be made there. Ditto the other names on your list.
We’re wasting too much time discussing Lyerla. Let him get his life in order and see if he can have a NFL career. Let’s stick to players we can actually analyse, who definitely have a future in the game.
Yeah, I’m w/you on Benjamin. In a previous post I argued some similarities to Bruce Irvin’s situation when he was drafted….w/Benjamin’s special trait being crazy size and hops.he might not be the fastest, but if you can get this guy to maximize his potential he could be a terror. Boom or bust. I could get excited about our FO drafting him. I also like Hageman’s elite size/athleticism combo too and could get excited about him….more than Amaro or ASJ. I’m just not sure Hageman or Benjamin will be there with our pick.
Funny enough, I went to high school, and played on the same football team as ASJ. While he seemed like an ok guy, I literally remember him coming to practice when everyone on the team was lifting and kicking the coach out of his seat along with a casual decision that he didn’t want practice that day.
It’d be fun to have a local player on the Hawks, but Pump up Pete would have to work some magic on him if he hasn’t gotten a work ethic by 3 years into college!
Interesting insight there, appreciated. If true that is worrying.
I’m really liking what I see in moncrief. A few sources have him at 6’3″ 226 or so, with a 4.45 40 ( unofficial). More importantly, looks like he has nice moves and routes. Maybe this is that Chris Harper body type but in a guy who can actually get open.
Thoughts on him?
He seems like a guy who could drop a round because of an early run on WRs that scoops up the first crop. Hawks might benefit from such a scenario.
Very underwhelmed based on the 2013 tape. Didn’t see a guy who made the most of his physical talent. But that talent exists. I’d be willing to take a chance on him in the mid-rounds. Some have him in R1/2 which I think is too high.
Hoping someone can shed some light on this.
We say we need a big receiver who can win jump balls, run by people and can cause mismatches.
say someone 6’5, 252lbs, 4.46 – 40 time, 38in vertical
That dude is on our roster already. Luke Willson.
What makes someone like Willson a TE while someone like Coleman or Benjamin, who are the same size, but slower a first-round WR prospect?
I have a really hard time believing that those guys have drastically better route running ability, or drastically better hands than Wilson. If you took Willson and dropped him into Florida’s offense as a WR replacement for Benjamin, doesn’t he meet or surpass his stats? Or, to put it another way, if you started Willson as the 3rd WR alongside Tate and Harvin, would his production be equal to or greater than one of these tall rookie receivers?
Thoughts?
Well, Willson is 250lbs. So while he might be able to run well in a straight line, there are other issues at play when you’re +30lbs heavier than a receiver like Brandon Coleman. It’s about exploding into your break, a good first step, being able to shake a corner with agility to get downfield, the ability to stop, change direction and reach top speed quickly. I’d be interested to see the difference in vertical jumping too, and reach. All of these things are harder to do when you’re carrying an extra 30lbs.
I suspect if Willson was capable of acting in the role outside he would’ve done more of it this year. Instead they’ve predominantly used him as a move tight end on scripted plays early in drives. He’s an impressive athlete, but I suspect his future will be at TE.
Seattle needs a true #1 wide out.
Agreed. Much more than a true #1 TE (which they already have in Miller).
Unless it’s Ebron. He’s destined to be the next Vernon Davis.
Hey Rob, you’ve talked in length about how good of a receiver draft this is. From what I’ve looked at the FA class of receivers is looking very nice also. What do you think the chances are for getting a good to great WR at a cheaper deal then might first be speculated do to the draft effecting this?
I think it’ll be difficult Barry. For some reason, while other positions have shown real value recently (just look at the deal Seattle got for Michael Bennett) FA wide receivers are getting well over paid. Even middling, average players are getting relatively big money. It’s going to be difficult to keep Golden Tate, but trying to add may be ever harder. Eric Decker will get a ton of cash, Hakeem Nicks probably gets paid more than he should be.
With such a good draft class this year, I’d rather save the money and bring in a rookie receiver.
I think FA WRs get paid because often times it takes 2-3 years for a rookie WR to adjust to the NFL and contribute. Golden Tate is a good example of this, a 2nd round pick who didn’t really produce until his 3rd season. If is hard to find a WR in the draft who can come in and produce year 1, unless it is someone like AJ Green.
Troy Niklas just declared and though I only watched 2 ND games this year, he popped out on the film to me. Fantastic blocker and big red zone target. He is an in-line deluxe TE. Drafting him in lower 2nd (lets trade out of the 1st) would pick up an extra pick and make him the heir-apparent to Miller. It also would allow for the continued development of Willson as the move TE and expand Miller’s role as a flex/FB TE (a role he is excellent at). I am not in favor of moving Miller, so this may be a luxury pick if we kept all 3 on the roster, but our 3-TE packages would be amazing! I am confident Niklas will shoot up everyone’s boards and be unavailable by the end of the 2nd. As to Amaro, he is a 3rd round guy to me. I just don’t see a Pro Bowl type. Could he be a Whitten? I suppose so, but he doesn’t match the Hawks’ needs as they already have Willson as the move guy.
I love Niklas. Plays very much like a Seahawk. Very beastly. If he was available in R2, I’d jump all over that. He’s a really physical dude.
He should be available later than that.
I am just not a fan of drafting a TE in round one unless it is Ebron. ASJ or Amaro just don’t seem to give us anything we don’t already have and Miller is such a proven commodity that I don’t think we should cut him in the hope that one of those two will pan out. I would, however, be fine with drafting in the later rounds a big TE who has some size and can block and catch passes. More like a new Miller than a Jimmy Graham type.
I’m far more inclined to go with a big WR in round one. However, I don’t think there will realistically be a first round talent there when the Seahawks draft. Other than height, Benjamin or Coleman just don’t look polished enough to me to warrant a first round grade.
With the continuing development of Luke Willson, I just don’t see a need for drafting a “new breed” TE. Willson also makes me think that reaching for a 6’3″+ WR in round one isn’t necessary, either. With the depth this class has at WR, I think there will be at least a viable WR prospect or two available when we draft in the second round who will present more value than anyone we can take at #28-32….. kind of like 98% of the payer at 75% of the price.
I think the FO will go with BPA in the first round. This year more than any other has shown what good depth can do for a team and if the best player available is a CB, S, DT, DE, OT, G or whatever, I don’t see how drafting one can hurt. Talented depth and competition are the two biggest reasons this team is so good. Drafting BPA makes the most sense if you want the dominance to continue.
I agree with Ebron being the only TE I would spend a 1st RD pick on. Obviously I would love to see a trade up for Mike Evans even if that means packaging up multiple picks and unless someone falls thats a “gotta have em” why not trade back gain a 3rd RD pick and target two players in the 2nd RD. I like RaShede Hageman alot but doubt he’ll be there when we pick #32, but possibly Timmy Jernigan or Will Sutton with one of the 2nd RD picks we acquire by trading back? And with the other 2nd RD pick take a WR like Brandon Coleman, Jordan Mathews, Martavis Bryant, Kelvin Benjamin, Allen Robinson, Davante Adams. After filling the voids and addressing other needs the Hawks could then take TE Colt Lyerla as a somewhat of a luxury pick in the 7th. HIGH reward LOW risk and it gives you a a guy that can basically do it all @ that position and on a very inexpensive contract to top.
Rob,
The way you describe Amaro would suggest that he may have upside in finding holes in the defense once the pocket breaks down.
Would this make Amaro a similar weapon to Tate in the offense?
If so, do you feel that losing Tate in the off-season would move Seattle into replacing that role before a physical WR?
I think Amaro is more of a route runner, rather than excelling when the pocket breaks down. But having said that, Texas Tech’s offense is very quick hitting and doesn’t contain a lot of extended plays, so it’s hard to say whether Amaro would excel here.
If they lose Tate I think they’d have to turn to Harvin, Kearse and Baldwin to pick up the slack. I think whatever happens, they need a big receiving option.
Rob- How do you feel about NDSU OT Billy Turner in Rd 2 if we secure a weapon like Coleman in 1? Physically looks the part that’s for sure.
Not spent any time looking at him so can’t comment I’m afraid.