Faust
MVP
Move The Sticks notebook: Two potential Senior Bowl risers
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Draft buzz legit for TE prospect: When my podcast partner released his initial Top 50 list this week, there were plenty of surprises within the rankings but the insertion of Miami TE David Njoku among the top 15 prospects caught many by surprise. I must admit that I even gazed at the list with a raised eyebrow when I noticed the Hurricanes pass-catcher ranked ahead of some of the more notable names at the position, particularly Alabama's O.J. Howard. However, there are several scouts in the Southeast region who believe DJ nailed his assessment on the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder.
"He's a more athletic Bubba Franks," said an AFC scout. "He's big and athletic. He can run routes and block at the point of attack. Plus, he has some dog (nastiness/aggressiveness) in him. ... I would take him high. I love the kid!"
When I sat down and looked a Njoku's tape while compiling my positional top-5 list, I was impressed with his size, athleticism and movement skills. You rarely see a big tight end move with that kind of suddenness, which makes him a rare find at the position.
As a pass-catcher, Njoku displayed strong hands and outstanding tracking ability. He easily adjusted to off-target tosses and expanded the strike zone for quarterbacks with his length and leaping ability. Njoku excelled as a blocker at the point of attack. He effectively seals the edge and finishes blocks with his relentless effort. Overall, I thought Njoku was a quality prospect with the potential to blossom into a Martellus Bennett-like playmaker as a "Y" tight end.
Considering how valuable tight ends are in today's passing game, the thought of nabbing a big, athletic "Y" with legitimate blocking skills could help the Hurricanes standout go from relative anonymity to household name by draft day. -- Bucky Brooks
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