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Draft breakdown: Tight ends

Posted Apr 12, 2010

Dickerson
It would be easy to dismiss Pitt's Dorin Dickerson as a "workout warrior," but he had an outstanding senior season last year, scoring 10 touchdowns. (PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS)


DORIN DICKERSON
6-foot-4 - 226 pounds - Pittsburgh

Had a terrific Combine workout, punctuated by a 4.40 40-yard dash time that led tight ends and was faster than all but one receiver (Clemson's Jacoby Ford) ... Also had the best vertical jump among tight ends (43.5 inches) ... Emerged last season with a 49-catch, 529-yard, 10-touchdown season ... His 10 scores were a school record for tight ends ... Did not become a full-time tight end until his junior year; prior to that, he played linebacker. "I just felt so comfortable there when I moved there in the spring going into my junior year," Dickerson said at the Combine. "The coaches liked the fit; I liked the fit." ... Could be used as a H-back or fullback in addition to his primary role at tight end. "If someone asked me to do it I could become one," Dickerson said.
NFL.com bio

ED DICKSON
6-foot-4 - 249 pounds - Oregon

Steady and productive the last three years, amassing at least 35 receptions and 450 yards in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons ... Had a career-high six touchdowns last season, matching the combined total of the previous three years ... His 4.67-second 40-yard dash time was third best among Combine tight ends ... Came to Oregon as a tight end, but moved to receiver before settling back in at tight end; he also played on defense and special teams ... Was a backup to current Panthers tight end Dante Rosario as a freshman.
NFL.com bio

JIMMY GRAHAM
6-foot-6 - 260 - Miami (Fla.)

A product of Charis Prep in Goldsboro, N.C., Graham didn't start playing football for the Hurricanes until after he'd played four years for the school's basketball team. "I’d been trying to play since my sophomore year, but since I was a starter they wouldn’t [let me]," Graham said at the Combine ... Notched 17 receptions for 213 yards and five touchdowns in his only football season ... Had a solid Combine workout, logging a 4.56-second 40 time and a 10-foot broad jump; both were second-best among tight ends behind Dickerson ... "Techinque-wise, I'm (behind)," Graham admitted. "I’ve only been playing since August. I have a learning curve, but I’m willing and ready."
NFL.com bio

JERMAINE GRESHAM
6-foot-5 - 261 pounds - Oklahoma

Was able to work out at the Combine after undergoing surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee last October. "It was an injury which kept recurring," Gresham said. "It required surgery, so I got it fixed and just looked long term-wise. I mean, I missed playing with my guys at OU, but it was something that needed to be done." ... Did not play at all in 2009; he went to the sideline in summer practice when his knee "locked up" on him ... Was a second-team All-American and Mackey Award finalist in 2008, when he hauled in 66 passes for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns ... Scored on 26 of his 111 career receptions, an average of one touchdown every 4.27 catches.
NFL.com bio

ROB GRONKOWSKI
6-foot-6 - 264 pounds - Arizona

Like Gresham, Gronkowski had his senior season scuttled by injury. A lower-back problem felled the tight end after a stellar 2008 in which he grabbed 47 passes for 672 yards and 10 touchdowns. "(The procedure) was a microdisectomy," Gronkowski said at the Combine. "Basically, the doctor shaves off the disc that’s sticking out on to your spinal cord. It’s a real minimal invasive surgery, it’s a real easy process, but it takes about three to five months recovery rate." ... Was able to work out at his Pro Day last month and posted 40 times of 4.65 and 4.73 seconds.
NFL.com bio

AARON HERNANDEZ
6-foot-2 - 245 pounds - Florida

Had much to do with Tim Tebow's success at Florida, particularly last season, after snagging 68 passes for 850 yards and five touchdowns ... His reception tally last year was the most for a tight end in Florida history; he also set the school's career mark for receptions by a tight end (111) ... Turned pro with one year of eligibility remaining ... Knows he has some work to do on run blocking in the NFL. "I never had that many reps going straight up with a defensive end at the point of attack, but I feel like I always can improve at that," he said ... Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.58 and 4.63 seconds at his March pro day workout.
NFL.com bio

ANTHONY McCOY
6-foot-4 - 259 pounds - USC

Had 22 catches and a touchdown in each of the last two seasons, but nearly doubled his yardage percatch from 11.6 to 20.8 ... Arrived at USC with designs on playing wide receiver, but quickly moved to tight end ... Acknowledged the questions about his work ethic at the Combine, saying, "I feel I have a great work ethic. I show up every day to workouts; I’m always the first guy there and last one to leave. I want to be the best player I can be and I feel my work ethic is right where it needs to be right now."
NFL.com bio

DENNIS PITTA
6-foot-4 - 245 pounds - Brigham Young

Capitalized off the wide-open offense at BYU to post some prodigious numbers; he averaged 68 catches per season in each of the last three years and finished his career with 2,901 yards and 21 touchdowns on 221 receptions ... Although his background is as a pass catcher, he ranked second among all Combine tight ends with 27 bench-press repetitions ... A consensus All-America selection last year.
NFL.com bio

OTHER TIGHT ENDS OF NOTE
NAME HEIGHT WEIGHT SCHOOL
Nate Byham 6-4 268 Pittsburgh
Jim Dray 6-5 246 Stanford
Brody Eldridge 6-5 261 Oklahoma
Dedrick Epps 6-3 250 Miami
Riar Geer 6-3 256 Colorado
Garrett Graham 6-3 243 Wisconsin
Clay Harbor 6-3 252 Missouri State
Michael Hoomanawanui 6-4 264 Illinois
Jeron Mastrud 6-5 256 Kansas State
Tony Moeaki 6-3 245 Iowa
Colin Peek 6-5 254 Alabama
Andrew Quarless 6-4 254 Penn State

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