2nd Round (43rd overall) - TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame | Bears 2020 Draft

[dll2000]

9 hours ago, Superman(DH23) said:

This is the honest to goodness Iowa secret, Kirk Ferentz goes around to the position groups that are deep and everybody cant play, finds the biggest TE and makes him an OT, he then will find the best bigger athlete somewhere else, and make him a TE.  Nobody anywhere in football coaches OL and TEs as well as the Ferentz family

That is a great way to get talent at position.  But my point is their fundamentals and technique are a step above too.  And it also seems that some players actually regress in pros in terms of tech as they get away from them.  Which is incredible because you are talking about less time and younger players.  

[soulman]

22 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

Player comps for Kmet are Tyler Higbee (NFL.com) and Kyle Rudolph (TDN-Marino). If Kmet becomes what Higbee is or what Rudolph was before he got old then we will have landed a pretty damn solid player. Anyone who wouldn’t take that at TE for us? 

Kyle Rudolph is who I most see Kmet as.  He's a tough kid whose a willing blocker with enough size, speed, and catch radius to threaten the seams but I also believe those who may expect another Kelce will be disappointed.  He's not at that level or at least not now.

But as Windy pointed out if what we get is an above average all around "Y" TE we can then pair with a more dynamic and slippery "U" TE maybe we've finally turned a corner.  Graham will fill that "U" role for now but I did like what I saw in Horsted last year and hope to see more of him this year if he continues to develop.

Nagy quite obviously loves the kid and the fact that he's a local product and big time Bears fan playing for his hometown team may be an advantage in so far as how it motivates him to be "that guy" who solves our woes at TE.  It's a reach but it is one of those intangibles that may or may not pay off.  Kind of a bonus "X" factor.

[ba_ba_ba_BOOM]

It's taken me a while, but I think I have finally overcome my initial reaction to this pick. Kid looks like a freight train and I hope we see some more physicality and nastiness from him. Helps that he's a local kid - cool to see the videos of the community lining the block to welcome him!

Unfortunately, I will always judge him against the players picked 44-49 and there are some STUDS in that range. 

[WindyCity]

I also do not get where this "rookie TEs take time" thing comes from. Recently highly drafted TEs have not struggled to at least contribute as rookies. The last one who flat out could not get on the field was Travis Kelce.

Most rookie TEs over the last couple of season, who were drafted high, produce somewhere around 50 targets, 36-37 catches, 400-500 yards, 3-5 TDs

[WindyCity]

Gronk

 

6'6"

264lbs.

34 1/4" arms

10 3/4" hands

 

4.68 [40]

33.5" vert

9'11" broad

DNP 3 cone

4.47 shuttle

 

Kmet

 

6'6"
262lbs.

33" arms

10.5" hands

 

4.7 [40]

37" vert

10'3" broad

7.44 3 cone

4.41 shuttle

 

He is a huge athlete.

[dll2000]

9 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Gronk

 

6'6"

264lbs.

34 1/4" arms

10 3/4" hands

 

4.68 [40]

33.5" vert

9'11" broad

DNP 3 cone

4.47 shuttle

 

Kmet

 

6'6"
262lbs.

33" arms

10.5" hands

 

4.7 [40]

37" vert

10'3" broad

7.44 3 cone

4.41 shuttle

 

He is a huge athlete.

Compare two in RAC

[dll2000]

Just now, dll2000 said:

Compare two in RAC

And blocking technique. 

[dll2000]

He has raw clay to be good.  He has to become good. 

[WindyCity]

23 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

And blocking technique. 

Do you want me to compare 10 year vet All Pro Gronk to Kmet or college prospect Gronk to him?

[WindyCity]

Gronk Scouting Report

Does not have a great top-end speed and may not be able to stretch the field at the next level. Lacks the elusiveness to make people miss after catch.

 

Turned out a 6’6” 260lbs guy running 4.7 was hard to tackle.

Edited April 26, 2020 by WindyCity

[abstract_thought]

36 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Do you want me to compare 10 year vet All Pro Gronk to Kmet or college prospect Gronk to him?

I’m sorry but Kmet plays nothing like this. Gronk was fast and bullied people in college. He was a man amongst boys.

 

[WindyCity]

Not sure I see a massive difference in college highlight tapes. Physically they are very similar as prospects. 

Obviously, he needs to develop like Gronk did.

Edited April 26, 2020 by WindyCity

[WindyCity]

I  do not think he will be Gronk. That is a rare player.

Physically, you are starting with a similar skills set right down to the limited experience and physical upside

I think you are staring with a similar mound of clay.

Edited April 26, 2020 by WindyCity

[Madmike90]

2 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

I  do not think he will be Gronk. That is a rare player.

Physically, you are starting with a similar skills set right down to the limited experience and physical upside

I think you are staring with a similar mound of clay.

Agreed...Gronk is IMO the greatest all round TE to ever play the game...let's not think he is going to be Gronk...

In terms of physicality I agree that Kmet has moments where he is just as physical as Gronk in college...those Georgia DBs were getting fed up trying to tackle him because he was so tough to take down...even in the video above you can see twice in that game 4 or 5 defenders trying to take him to the ground and he just won't go down...

He is a very good ball of clay to be working with.

[Damikeeeee]

Blocking aside I see a little Martellus Bennett in him. Great size and lower body strength. Can run after the catch. He might not be elusive but at 260 which can be 270 he's gonna make you feel him when you tackle him. I also like pass catchers with big hands. He has all the tools to be a pro bowl caliber TE. He may never make it cause he isn't the sexy flex TE but he's gonna be help our run game now with better 2 TE sets and we have him in year 2 when we can get rid of Graham's contract.