The Steelers recently extended the contract of veteran TE Heath Miller, a sign that the organization believes Miller still has at least a few solid years left as a productive NFL tight end. The Steelers do not get into the habit of simply handing out contract extensions beyond age 30 – especially for players coming off a significant injury less than one year ago – but chose to do so with “Big Money.” The two-year extension was a reward for allowing the team to reduce his salary hit in 2014 by over $3 million. It was an unselfish move by a player who has always been considered a true professional and loyal Steeler.
While Miller came back strong after his torn ACL and MCL suffered late in the 2012 season, the injury opened the Steelers eyes to the possibility of life after Heath. Since 2005, Miller has been one of the most dependable players on either side of the ball – missing just seven games in his entire nine-year career. The Steelers currently have only Miller and David Paulson under contract, with both TE/FB David Johnson and 2013 waiver-pickup Michael Palmer set to become free agents this week. Johnson may end up re-signed, but Palmer was nothing more than a roster-fill player and he will not be back. Even still, the Steelers do not seem to be very high on Paulson, who was drafted in the 7th round of the 2012 Draft out of Oregon.
Recent trends in the NFL have seen teams utilize athletic tight ends in formations where they essentially become wide receivers. Furthermore, the new “offense du jour” in the league is the multiple-tight end set used successfully by New England a few years back and more recently by the Houston Texans. Superstar tight ends such as Jimmy Graham of New Orleans and Vernon Davis of San Francisco have changed the way teams look at the position. A great pass-catching tight end can be a huge asset to an offense, and finding one that can both catch and block in the running game can create a huge advantage over many defensive sets. The upcoming 2014 NFL Draft has a few players who could ultimately become that type of player, and the Steelers would have the pick of the litter at #15 overall.
Eric Ebron – North Carolina Tar Heels – 6-ft, 4 in 250lbs – 20 years old
The consensus top tight end available is North Carolina TE Eric Ebron. Ebron is a dynamic receiving threat who put up 122 catches for 1,805 yards in three seasons at North Carolina. He was used mainly as a down the field target, rarely seeing the ball in the red zone, which limited his touchdown production (eight in three seasons). As a blocker, Ebron could stand to improve. He is adequate blocking on the move, but will need to get bigger and stronger to match up with NFL defensive ends. In the Steelers offense, Ebron could slide in as a second tight end to offer an underneath option for Ben Roethlisberger, or could line up as a slot receiver and use his speed to force linebackers to cover him down the field (similar to how San Diego has used Antonio Gates in the past). Either way, he gives the Steelers a look they have not had in years, and immediately teams with Heath Miller to give Pittsburgh a dangerous tandem tight-end threat.
Ebron is an outstanding athlete who has been a factor at the college level since his freshman year. He played in 10 games his freshman season and finished fifth on the team in receiving yardage. By his sophomore season, he was the starter and in 11 games caught 40 passes for 625 yards and 4 touchdowns. During his 2013 junior season, he added the ability to go deep to his arsenal. He made 9 catches of over 30 yards throughout the season, and finished with 62 catches for 973 yards and 3 touchdowns. He declared for the draft, skipping his senior season.
When in motion, he catches passes well and is able to turn on the nets to pile up yards after catch. He can make the average catch as well as the impressive one-hand variety, a specialty of sorts for Ebron. Very dependable receiver who will be a mismatch in man coverage against any team. Only 21 years old, so he has the potential to become an even better athlete once he gets into an NFL program. Ebron was a 2013 John Mackey Award semifinalist and a second-team All American.
Downsides to Ebron are few, but most revolve around his blocking technique. He is a big, strong kid, but he lacks ideal bulk to block on the line of scrimmage. There have been reports that he is not “aggressive” enough on the field, and that his intensity and focus drift. These are typical of younger players and should be able to fixed once he is getting paid to play and around the ultra-competitive NFL locker rooms.
Jace Amaro – Texas Tech Red Raiders – 6-ft, 5in 265lbs. – 21-years old
A late-bloomer at Texas Tech, Jace Amaro put on quite a show in 2013. After being used sparingly in his freshman and suffering a tough game-injury that wiped out a big portion of his sophomore campaign, Amaro quickly put himself on the map in 2013.
He played in all 13 games for Texas Tech and caught 106 passes for 1,352 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the Big 12 in both receptions and receiving yardage, and was a semi-finalist for both the John Mackey and Fred Biletnikoff Awards, the first player to accomplish that feat since Chase Coffman of Missouri in 2008. Amaro is the NCAA Division I record holder for most receiving yards and yards per game by a tight end in a single season (2013). Amaro is a lanky receiver with good bulk and athletic ability, who has learned to run crisp routes. He is a solid receiver both in underneath patterns and downfield. He reminds many scouts of an oversized wide receiver. His speed is typical for a tight end (4.74 40-yard dash) but his game speed is good enough to outrun linebackers and safeties in coverage. His blocking is coming along, and he should improve greatly one he hits the pro level. Tight ends are not required to block very much in the Texas Tech offense.
Downsides are that most of his production and thus his draft stock came from one season. Similar to Ebron, he lacks the size to match up in blocking with NFL defensive ends. His running style is considered more “straight-forward” than able to make moves to miss contact. He is also the victim of a college offense at Texas Tech that many believe inflated his production. While Amaro is not a home run type of pick, he does possess the athletic ability and hands to work his way into a solid NFL starting tight end. Amaro is looking like a 2nd-3rd round pick.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins – Washington Huskies – 6ft, 5in 262lbs. – 21-years old
The 2013 John Mackey Award winner, after being a finalist for the award in 2012, Seferian-Jenkins may be the best overall NFL-ready tight end in the 2014 Draft. A three-year starter for the Washington Huskies of the PAC-12, the massive Seferian-Jenkins also played on the University of Washington basketball team, showing the athletic ability to follow in the footsteps of another two-sport TE, Antonio Gates.
In three seasons (38 games), Seferian-Jenkins totaled 146 catches for 1,840 yards and 21 touchdowns. He missed one game in the 2013 season after being cited for driving under the influence and being suspended by the team for the opener against Boise State.
Seferian-Jenkins is a massive target in the passing game. He towers over most defenders and can stretch the field with good speed and agility. He is a prime red zone target as well, using his basketball background to post up in the end zone. He is considered to have soft hands, and makes catches that most tight ends are unable to grab. He is an effective blocker, both on the line and in motion, and was lauded as the best blocking tight end in the PAC-12 the past two seasons. He has limited elusiveness, however, and will not avoid contact with the ball. Ultimately, he would be a player very similar to Heath Miller. Once he gets into an NFL camp, he will look to improve on his bulk and learn to run better in the open field. Overall, he is an intriguing 2nd-3rd round prospect who could be an immediate starter for many tight-end needy teams.
CJ Fiedorowicz (6-foot, 5 265lbs) of Iowa is a highly-rated TE prospect who is slated to be drafted between the 2nd-4th rounds. He is a massive receiver who can make the most of underneath passes, but lacks the speed to go downfield. His best asset is as a blocker, as he is a dynamic on-line blocker who can grade holes for ballcarriers. A very smart, tough, and durable player who will find a home with a team that needs a reliable backup TE for two-tight end sets and a player who can develop into an eventual No. 1 TE in the NFL.
Troy Niklas (6-foot, 6 270lbs.) of Notre Dame is a player who has only been playing offense for two seasons, after transitioning from outside linebacker. He comes from the NFL Matthews pedigree, as Bruce Matthews is his uncle. A massive player who is still learning the nuances of the position but has shown enough to gander being drafted anywhere between the late 2nd round through the early 4th round. He has shown good hands (32 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns in 2013) and an ability to be a vicious blocker. Brings a linebackers mentality to the tight end position and is not afraid to take on tackles with the ball. Many draft experts consider Niklas the best overall athlete in this year’s tight end class.
While tight end may not be at the top of the Steelers immediate needs, picking one of these players could set their depth chart at an important offensive position for the next five to seven years. There is a lot of diversity here among these prospects, and it will be interesting to see if Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin feel any are worth bringing into Pittsburgh this spring.
