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With the 2022 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on this year’s rookie class. I will try and get to all the players and some UDFAs over the next few weeks. There are obviously a million scouting profiles out there so this is just my opinion but I’ve tried to backup basically everything I have said with film clips. This is the final one for a drafted player this year, thanks for checking out these articles the past few weeks! If you have any ideas for articles over the remainder of the offseason, feel free to comment below or tweet me. (Previously: Jordan Davis and Cam Jurgens and Nakobe Dean and Kyron Johnson.)
STRENGTHS
+ Good size and very fluid athlete. Pretty quick in a straight line and fluid on in/out breaking routes
He's smooth for a tight end... Hence why I'm calling him a big slot. You can see good quickness and speed to his routes. I don't think the Eagles have a comparable player on the roster really which makes him useful. pic.twitter.com/csGa0BKgdn
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
I bet the Eagles liked this one... They run this route a ton with Goedert and Hurts loves throwing outside the numbers. Again, he's a smooth route runner and you can see he's a pretty fluid athlete. pic.twitter.com/XesXiTaYKc
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
+ Can find space against zone coverage
It's time for one final Eagles draft thread... Grant Calcaterra you are up. For a 6th round pick, he's fun to watch! I'm not sure I'd call him a tight end really, he's a big slot who can move and has some juice as a receiver from the slot or as an X. Has a good feel for zone too pic.twitter.com/orxKeThvbs
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
+ Good body control and has the ability to high point the football and make tough catches
+ A real threat in the redzone, especially on fade routes
Another lovely example of him winning down the seam and beating the split safety coverage. He's big enough to look like a tight end but I wonder if teams will treat him as a WR. You don't want him on a LB. He'll create some mismatches on offense. pic.twitter.com/GJVr0Colm3
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
Again, this is what he does well. Split him out, get him on a linebacker/safety and let him get vertical. He looks like a proper red zone threat with good control and a big frame as well as just enough juice to get some separation. pic.twitter.com/QycmjxOD5d
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
You really do see this exact same play time and time again, especially on his older tape. Hurts throws a pretty good slot fade ball too... pic.twitter.com/N4ZiCvZQrV
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
+ Can create matchup problems as a ‘big slot’
I keep saying it but this really does look like a big WR running this route. He has the ability to separate against man coverage on in/out breaking routes where he doesn't have to slow down a lot. pic.twitter.com/dRn94IhZad
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
+ Has the ability to stretch the seam and get over the top
This is his bread and butter. He can get vertical and has a big catch radius. He's useful at running these seam routes from the slot which have become really prominent recently as defenses start to play more 2high. pic.twitter.com/SDdnQqIXCB
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
+ A willing blocker, both in pass protection and as a run blocker
This play sort of sums his blocking up to me... It's a bit weak but he sort of just does enough to not kill the play. He's gonna have to bulk up to play more of a traditional TE role. pic.twitter.com/IcGl59HQ1t
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
So what about his blocking? He's not an inline blocker, doesn't have the power and isn't physical or strong enough. But as a big slot he does just enough to maintain his blocks for long enough and he is a willing blocker. You do see some good run blocks at times. pic.twitter.com/FkKnpJTb01
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
Here again, he is a willing blocker and does enough to sustain for a long enough period of time. He's not a great blocker but it's not a significant weakness considering how he will likely be used. pic.twitter.com/0ktWLsVsid
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
WEAKNESSES
- Not the best hands. Catches with his body and not his hands too much which causes him problems at the catch point
Onto some quick weaknesses... The concussion history is the big red flag obviously but there are concerns on film too. He catches way too much with his body and not his hands and it causes a few too many pretty bad drops. pic.twitter.com/cHVXlJmn7w
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
Again, a pretty tough drop but when you line up outside as a TE you will probably need to make catches with bodies around you and he could definitely improve in this area. pic.twitter.com/KZbK32s4Jc
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
- Probably never going to be a traditional inline tight end due to his lack of power when blocking
- Slow coming back to the ball which means he has to push off a lot and gets called for pass interference too much
He's pretty smooth side to side but looks pretty ugly with comeback routes where he has to stop and come back to the ball. It takes him a while and I imagine NFL DBs will be jumping this type of comeback all day... pic.twitter.com/57WLQvJygK
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) June 16, 2022
- The concussions are obviously a huge problem and a big reason why he fell to the 6th
OVERALL
Well... this was a fun one to write. I obviously didn’t have huge expectations considering Grant Calcaterra was a 6th round tight end, but the film is actually pretty fun! The Eagles seem to be shooting for high upside guys in the late round and in free agency this year and I am on board. We all know the medical history and who knows how long he plays in the league, but I would rather take a chance on a high upside guy than always taking a solid special teamer who can’t do a let else.
The most recent film is not that good if we are being honest. The concussions have obviously taken a toll on him as a player and there is absolutely no guarantee that he will ever be as good as he once was. The film under Kyler Murray is pretty impressive though. Obviously, it helps playing with an exceptional college quarterback, but he looked like a legitimate weapon who could play the role of a ‘big slot’ or split tight end. He has some good pretty reps on film.
He was consistently asked to play the ‘X’ position and college coaches would not ask a tight end to do that unless they thought he had the ability to separate and win against cornerbacks. You saw that he had good body control and the ability to go up and get it in the redzone. He is also pretty fast and will fancy his chances against linebackers if you can get him lined up on them.
He is a decent and willing blocker, but I don’t think he will ever be an inline blocker at the next level. If he has a chance to make it, he will have to be a big slot style tight who is mainly a receiver. I don’t think he will ever be a starting tight end (which is fine for a 6th round pick) but I think he has a decent shot of becoming a useful role player who can make a few catches here and there and contribute in the red zone.
I have no idea what his role on special teams will be, but I think he will have a decent shot to make the roster. Jack Stoll is much more of a blocking tight end, so I don’t think he is in direct competition with him. Tyree Jackson will not be healthy at the start of the season, due to a torn ACL in January, so he will not be competing with him either. I think he will be competing with Richard Rodgers and JJ Arcega-Whiteside and I think if he shows some upside in the summer, he should make the roster of these.
Overall, I think all modern NFL teams should simply acquire as many different skill players as possible who can create matchup issues. Adding another potential part-time weapon in the 6th round could turn out to be a great pick if his concussion issues do not cause any long-term problems.
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