2014 NFL Draft Profile: North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron

The Eagles want to add more play-makers on offense. The talent in May's NFL Draft is littered with several outstanding prospects, but the top tight ends in the class are extremely intriguing. While the Eagles selected Zach Ertz in the second round of last year's draft and Brent Celek is likely to stay prominent in Chip Kelly's offense, adding a player like North Carolina's Eric Ebron could seriously cause mismatches against the rest of the NFL.

College Career

A top tight end in the nation, Ebron committed to North Carolina and played right away. During his freshman season in 2011, Ebron appeared in 10 games and ranked fifth on the team with 207 receiving yards on 10 catches. He also added a score during his first year as a Tar Heel.

As a sophomore, Ebron started 11 games for the Tar Heels and collected 40 receptions for 625 yards and four touchdowns. His scores and yards broke school records in those categories. His yardage was also third all-time in SEC history by a tight end. He was named to an All-ACC second team selection his efforts.

In 2013, Ebron was an All-ACC first team selection and was a Mackey Award finalist. He also passed Vernon Davis for the most receiving yards in ACC history during his junior year. The athletic tight end excelled in his final year in North Carolina with record-setting numbers. He had 62 receptions for 973 yards and three touchdowns as a junior.

Combine Numbers

Ebron was invited to the Combine in February and excelled in several categories:

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 250 lbs

Arm Length: 33 1/4"

Hands: 10"

40: 4.60 (2nd for TE)

Bench: 24 reps

Vertical Jump: 32 inches

Broad Jump: 120 inches (3rd for TE)

Strengths

Ebron has really good hands and makes highlight reel grabs. He was used on screens and can grab jump balls. He has YAC ability and has very good vision after the catch. With lower-end wide receiver speed, he can be used as a mismatch all over the field and can be interchanged with wide receivers. He does well with getting open based on his speed.

Weaknesses

Ebron is a willing blocker but offers little in that department. Essentially a "move" tight end, he is more of a one-dimensional talent (but he is very, very good at that one dimension. At times he has alligator arms going across the middle or has mental breakdowns. He is not a route runner, which could hurt him to start in the NFL.

Eagles Outlook

Ebron has all of the numbers you love but that makes him all that more desirable for other teams. He is likely to go in the 10 to 15 range in May, which means the Eagles would need to trade up in order to acquire him. He would be an awesome weapon and allow the Eagles to create mismatches anywhere on the field. He could be used as a starting wide receiver and depend on his size to get open.

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