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

[abstract_thought]

14 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

The Bears need a complete TE. The Eagles and Chiefs have complete TEs and while I do not think that Kmet is ever going to have the athletic tools of Kelce, but he can do block and threaten in the passing game.

Before Kmet the Bears were always going to have a tell on offense,

-When Graham is on the field the defense knows you are passing or you are running with a liability on the field because Graham cannot block.

-When Harris is on the field the offense knows you are running the ball or you are passing with a liability on the field because Harris is not a great reciever.

 

Kmet is there best chance at a complete TE that does not tip the defense to what is happening.

It’s nice in theory but his blocking seems like more of a developmental skill than something he’s already good at.

[dll2000]

22 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

As I said earlier this week, I do not love Kmet, but I understand the thought process.

The Chiefs and Eagles run a lot of 2 TE sets

-Eagles over 2018 and 2019 averaged close to 50% of snaps running 2 TEs.

-The Chiefs ran 2 TEs close to 40% of the time and they did not really have a good TE2.

-The Bears ran it less than 20% over the last 2 years.

 

Nagy has not been able to run the offense as it is designed because of the lack of TE talent.

It’s funny for a short time the NFL was trending away from TEs all together and the Patriots drafted Gronk and Hernandez and used them well. After that season everyone went back to using them again.  

[AZBearsFan]

1 minute ago, abstract_thought said:

It’s nice in theory but his blocking seems like more of a developmental skill than something he’s already good at.

His blocking issues are more technique than effort, which can be taught. The desire to do it is where most TEs fall short. He’s not a bad blocker now - it’s just something at which he can (and probably will) improve. 

[WindyCity]

9 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

It’s nice in theory but his blocking seems like more of a developmental skill than something he’s already good at.

He is probably the best blocker of the team as of today. That says more about the Bears than Kmet, but I would not say he is deficient.

[dll2000]

 Now I realize Hockenson struggled some last year, and I realize Daniels struggled some last year as well.  

But watch Daniels rookie year for a lot of reps and watch their college tape.  Also watch Kittle college and pro.  They are as fundamentally sound as it gets.   There is a giant difference between what they looked like blocking and what Kmet looks like - fundamentally speaking.  

Its like when Bobby Knight left Indiana and a lot of the same players regressed defensively after a couple years.  

If I was a NFL owner I would either hire one of those guys or have my guys down there learning what they do and how they are doing it.  

[WindyCity]

I would expect a rather large dip in the snaps and targets of the #3 WR.

If we look at Philly as an example when they draft Goddert

-Goddert played 48% of offensive snaps

-He was targeted 44 times.

 

In 2018 when the Bears had a more stable TE situation

-No TE2 played more than 18% of snaps

-No TE was targeted more than 6 times for a total 15 targets

 

That likely comes out of WR3.

[AZBearsFan]

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? 

[dll2000]

1 minute ago, dll2000 said:

 Now I realize Hockenson struggled some last year, and I realize Daniels struggled some last year as well.  

But watch Daniels rookie year for a lot of reps and watch their college tape.  Also watch Kittle college and pro.  They are as fundamentally sound as it gets.   There is a giant difference between what they looked like blocking and what Kmet looks like - fundamentally speaking.  

Its like when Bobby Knight left Indiana and a lot of the same players regressed defensively after a couple years.  

If I was a NFL owner I would either hire one of those guys or have my guys down there learning what they do and how they are doing it.  

Also 49ers are much more sound in technique than Bears.   Not just talent. 

[AZBearsFan]

Just now, dll2000 said:

Also 49ers are much more sound in technique than Bears.   Not just talent. 

That’s where Castillo is supposed to come in, presumably. 

[G08]

1 minute 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? 

As a Y, absolutely. I wanted a God damned athlete at the U, though.

[dll2000]

5 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

 Now I realize Hockenson struggled some last year, and I realize Daniels struggled some last year as well.  

But watch Daniels rookie year for a lot of reps and watch their college tape.  Also watch Kittle college and pro.  They are as fundamentally sound as it gets.   There is a giant difference between what they looked like blocking and what Kmet looks like - fundamentally speaking.  

Its like when Bobby Knight left Indiana and a lot of the same players regressed defensively after a couple years.  

If I was a NFL owner I would either hire one of those guys or have my guys down there learning what they do and how they are doing it.  

Talking about Iowa in case anybody missed the connection.  

[CBears019]

4 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

 Now I realize Hockenson struggled some last year, and I realize Daniels struggled some last year as well.  

But watch Daniels rookie year for a lot of reps and watch their college tape.  Also watch Kittle college and pro.  They are as fundamentally sound as it gets.   There is a giant difference between what they looked like blocking and what Kmet looks like - fundamentally speaking.  

Its like when Bobby Knight left Indiana and a lot of the same players regressed defensively after a couple years.  

If I was a NFL owner I would either hire one of those guys or have my guys down there learning what they do and how they are doing it.  

[CBears019]

1 minute ago, dll2000 said:

Talking about Iowa in case anybody missed the connection.  

Oh trust me, i caught that.  I’ve been trying for like the past ten minutes to post a picture of Kirk Ferentz.

[Sugashane]

10 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

His blocking issues are more technique than effort, which can be taught. The desire to do it is where most TEs fall short. He’s not a bad blocker now - it’s just something at which he can (and probably will) improve. 

IDK. I know he is listed around 260 but I don't believe he is anywhere near as strong as his size should indicate. I'm not expecting an athletic TE to be a drive blocker but as of right now I'm not sure he can consistently even get in the way of defenders. 

IMO Y TEs are easier to find adequate players at than good U TEs. Graham is a band aid and shouldn't deter your draft philosophy. Claypool could move between the U and the Z as needed so we could still play 2 TE sets regularly and get Miller on the field too, and he is absolutely a better blocker at only 20 pounds less. 

 

I hope Pace proves me wrong but Knet seems like a high floor pick rather than a high ceiling pick. Maybe Kmet finds a calling as a great redzone target, and if he is good at that then he will be well worth the 2nd round pick. 

[Madmike90]

1 minute ago, Sugashane said:

IDK. I know he is listed around 260 but I don't believe he is anywhere near as strong as his size should indicate. I'm not expecting an athletic TE to be a drive blocker but as of right now I'm not sure he can consistently even get in the way of defenders. 

IMO Y TEs are easier to find adequate players at than good U TEs. Graham is a band aid and shouldn't deter your draft philosophy. Claypool could move between the U and the Z as needed so we could still play 2 TE sets regularly and get Miller on the field too, and he is absolutely a better blocker at only 20 pounds less. 

 

I hope Pace proves me wrong but Knet seems like a high floor pick rather than a high ceiling pick. Maybe Kmet finds a calling as a great redzone target, and if he is good at that then he will be well worth the 2nd round pick. 

I would agree with that but you look at his frame and honestly I reckon with dedication, diet and the weight room this guy could play at around 270lbs-275lbs and still be athletic...he is only 21 years old and has been playing baseball alongside football...get him focused and in the weight room and he can easily add really good weight and strength to that frame...he does that and he could be special.