Prospect Watch: TE Evan Engram

We are getting closer to the NFL Draft as it is only 6 weeks away as teams are starting to finalize their draft boards. Pro days and private workouts will be the focus now as teams will make sure their top 150 board is set. Of course the Bucs draft board is already set according to Bucs Gm Jason Licht who has the board set by January. With that being said it is time for another prospect watch as I take a deeper look into TE/Hybrid Evan Engram out of Ole Miss. Engram has been rising up draft boards ever since his ridiculous workout at the combine in which he got the attention of coaches and scouts.

The best combine performance nobody is talking about... Evan Engram TE Ole Miss. Ran a 4.42, jumped 36', and is 6'3 235lbs. Thats incredible

— NFL Draft Center (@NFLdraftcenter) March 9, 2017

After putting up those kind of numbers, Engram is being projected as a late first/early 2nd round pick. There was even a mock draft that Engram to the Bucs at 19th overall, I don't see the Bucs doing that but more on that later. Let's now breakdown what Engram can bring to a NFL team.

Evan Engram-TE 6'3 235lbs  65 receptions 926 yds 8 tds

Strengths: Matchup nightmare, can line up anywhere whether it is outside,slot, or even in line. Shows good explosion coming off the snap, gets into his route quickly. Works all three levels of the defense. Decent route runner and has the speed to exploit the seem and can be a vertical threat. Has shown ability to win jump balls and can make contested catches. Solid hands and has good catch radius. Shows good body control and is quick with his steps.

Weaknesses: Willing blocker, but needs work on his technique. Lacking field awareness at times as not sure when to sit vs zone coverage. Decent route runner but needs work on getting to the top of his route, tendency to show his hand too early. Needs to work back to the ball more instead of letting the ball eat him up. This causes pass breakups and drops.

Overall: Engram is a versatile chess piece that can really excel in a matchup based passing offense. He is very similar to Redskins TE Jordan Reed and can be used very similar to him. Engram has good intangibles as he was a two time captain with Ole Miss and truly loves the game of football. He has improved every year during his time with Ole Miss which is a great sign. Defenses will have to put a corner on him as he will be a mismatch for a linebacker or safety. Engram is the modern tight end as more move type tight ends are becoming bigger in the league. He would be a great fit for the Bucs but I think he is too similar to what Cam Brate already brings to the table. I don't see the Bucs taking him in the first and they would have to trade up in the second to most likely secure him. Now with that being said, the Bucs want playmakers and adding a player like Engram to pair with Brate would be a nice tight end duo.