Rams select Tyler Higbee TE with #110 Overall

[T-REX]

 

[Mojo Ram]

At least we know that Higbee and Battle can defend themselves if necessary.

 

[BigRamFan]

The guy who followed them to a 2nd bar, and then into the parking lot shoved his lady accord to police reports. At that point t all bets are off, the dude deserved to be punched. Love this pick!

 

[Raminiscing]

I love this pick hopefully he becomes Goffs favorite target for years too come.

 

[GabesHorn]

The 2016 NFL Draft's Top Tight End Is Also it's best kept secret

http://draftwire.usatoday.com/2016/03/22/384442/

Sorry I'm not skilled enough to put this giant awesome article for our brothers to read. It also has 10 film clips in it at least. I promise it's more than worth it guys. Someone please dig it up for us. I got it off the original herd board that some of you post on. Please dig it up for us. Thanks.


This is the title of the very long article.

 

[DR RAM]

At least we know that Higbee and Battle can defend themselves if necessary.

We'll need it when we go against the Cowboy's in training camp.

 

[RamFan503]

6'6" 250 and can catch the damn ball. This one is going to be a beast. I get all the stuff about the incident but again, I doubt we know what the coaches know - at least I hope. Looking for him to start day 1.

 

[nighttrain]

6'6" 250 and can catch the damn ball. This one is going to be a beast. I get all the stuff about the incident but again, I doubt we know what the coaches know - at least I hope. Looking for him to start day 1.

:yess:
train

 

[DR RAM]

The 2016 NFL Draft's Top Tight End Is Also it's best kept secret

http://draftwire.usatoday.com/2016/03/22/384442/

Sorry I'm not skilled enough to put this giant awesome article for our brothers to read. It also has 10 film clips in it at least. I promise it's more than worth it guys. Someone please dig it up for us. I got it off the original herd board that some of you post on. Please dig it up for us. Thanks.


This is the title of the very long article.

Here it is bro. Click the link for full article and videos.


There may not be a position in the NFL more dearth of game-changing talent than the tight end spot, and the last few draft classes are partially to blame. After an exceptional 2013 group that gave us Tyler Eifert, Zach Ertz, Jordan Reed, and Travis Kelce, the past two classes haven’t offered much, as talents like Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jace Amaro, and even Maxx Williams have yet to make much of an impact in their brief careers. The 2014 draft’s tenth overall pick Eric Ebron started to put things together during his sophomore campaign in the NFL, but hasn’t had the two-year production you’d hope to see from a prospect selected at such a lofty spot in the order.

The 2015 class looks to continue the trend of disappointing tight ends, as none of the top pass catchers appear worthy of a first round selection. Arkansas’ Hunter Henry and Stanford’s Austin Hooper battle for the number one spot atop most draft pundits’ rankings, offering the size, hands, and Power Five experience to suggest early, albeit mostly unexciting contributions.

Both Hooper and Henry will likely be solid pros, but the honor of best tight end in the 2016 class doesn’t belong to either NFL-hopeful. That’s not to say the duo doesn’t have impressive moments on tape, in fact quite the contrary. Henry is as sure-handed as they come, showing the savvy to sit down in his routes and make tough catches in a crowd. Hooper made some fantastic contested grabs at Stanford, and like his Razorbacks counterpart, both are adequate blockers with the size and strength to continue to improve from an in-line position. Land either in the middle rounds, and as an NFL team I’d feel like I nabbed an adequate future starter at the position.

But what Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee offers to a modern-day NFL offense is more attractive than Hooper or Henry’s skill set. Higbee may hail from a small school compared to his top competitors in the 2016 class, but in the right offense, the former wide receiver’s athleticism, toughness, and sure hands have a chance to vault Higbee into an upper-tier of tight ends in the NFL.

To me, if you look at some of the best tight ends in football over the past two years, the athletic and/or cerebral ability to consistently separate from coverage is what sets that elite crew apart. Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Rob Gronkowski, and Shannon Sharpe all excel (or excelled) at creating separation within their route stem, something most tight ends lack the short-area quickness or sudden stop-start ability to do on a regular basis. While injuries and a talented rotation at tight end (pre-2015) kept Higbee from mastering route-running nuances at the collegiate level, he shows flashes of separation ability and footwork that no tight end in this class offers.


Higbee, the inside receiver at the top of your screen, explodes off the line of scrimmage, looking to get down the seam and sell vertically. Eight yards into his route, with the defender already flipping his hips to carry Higbee down the left hash, the tight end suddenly breaks off his pattern on a sharp in-cut, leaving his opponent flailing off balance while Higbee accelerates across the field on the dig.

We aren’t talking about Darren Sproles here, folks. Higbee is a 6-6, 250 pound tight end. Dudes that big and tall aren’t supposed to be able to stop on a dime and change direction like that. After watching these last three tight end classes half asleep, I think I yelled out loud when I watched this route on tape for the first time.


I love this Y-cross from Higbee, because it is an easy route to run, but he takes the time and extra effort to run it well. Watch as Higbee crosses the first down marker and acts as if he’s about to accelerate over the top. The big tight end turns upfield for just an instant, pressing the defensive back’s landmark, before bursting away to the sideline to complete the crossing pattern. Just a gorgeous route that not only showcases Higbee’s athleticism and speed, but also his impressive attention to detail.

Of course, another trait that separates top tier tight ends from the rest of the crop is the ability to use their frame and physicality to win in all phases of the game. Gates and Jimmy Graham have made a living at boxing out opponents at catch points and high-pointing the football, while Gronkowski has mastered the art of using subtle contact to create necessary space in his routes.


Just a little nudge in the defender’s back to allow Higbee to slip inside on the route, although the ball ultimately goes elsewhere. I love tight ends that play big before, during, and after the catch, and Higbee checks the box in all three areas.


Knows full well he’s gonna take a shot, still goes up in a crowd and snatches the ball away for a touchdown. Higbee’s ball skills might be the most underrated aspect of his game, as the rangy tight end consistently shows the ability to attack the ball outside his frame.


Higbee dominated the seam at Western Kentucky, adjusting to wild throws despite oncoming contact from defenders that threatened to blow the pass catcher up.


You can talk about the body control, the catch radius, and salivating 6-6 target that Higbee gives a quarterback down the field, but rare speed and acceleration for the position are what puts Higbee in position to make special plays down the field. The Hilltoppers stud simply possesses tools Henry and Hooper don’t bring to the table.

What I love about Higbee is the intensity and ferocity with which he plays the game of football. Ask anyone who has talked tight ends with me, the reason I’m not a big fan of Jimmy Graham is that I think physical, nasty teams know how to take him out of games. You won’t have that issue with Higbee, who plays with an edgy demeanor that threatens to deal out punishment as a blocker or with the ball in his hands.


Opportunity to go out of bounds? Nope, Higbee is more comfortable taking on two tacklers and spinning his way for the first down.

Even referees get it.


Higbee consistently broke tackles, eluded defenders, and picked up extra yardage on almost every grab in college. Watch Hooper, Henry, heck even Nick Vannett, and show me a YAC element. You won’t find one, at least not anywhere close to what Higbee offers. Heck, even in the NFL it is rare to find a tight end who makes magic happen after the catch. The ceiling is special for the WKU product.



But Jon, isn’t Higbee a trash blocker who lacks the bulk to play in-line in the NFL? The answer is a resounding “no” to both questions, and I’m not even sure where the second one got started. Higbee is 6-6, 250, the same weight and an inch taller than Henry, with longer arms and bigger hands. Exactly the same size as Eifert actually, if we’re looking at the NFL. Higbee can probably add five pounds at the next level if necessary, but playing with acceptable functional strength isn’t an issue. He’s got plenty of in-line experience as both a run blocker and a pass protector, filling a number of roles in a Western Kentucky offense that asked him to be versatile and line up all over the formation.

Does Higbee have a learning curve and technical development to undergo to master NFL blocking schemes? Absolutely, especially when getting to the second level and taking zone steps. Do you know who else faced the same issues when entering the league? Graham, Gates, Ebron, Eifert, Coby Fleener, Jordan Reed, heck, even Rob Gronkowski, yet it doesn’t seem like its drastically delayed their NFL success much. The reality is that almost every tight end that enters the NFL worth two cents as a receiver is typically pretty deficient as a blocker.

So if the goal is to build a complete tight end, give me Higbee every day of the week, as the Hilltoppers pass catcher possesses the nastiness, physicality, length, and power to become a fine blocker in time.


Higbee can certainly learn to get lower and play with better leverage at the contact point, but he comes through the hole with one mission – to seek and destroy. The linebacker absorbs the blow, but Higbee keeps scrapping to keep him out of the play.


Here he is going in motion to the right side of the formation, then knocking the crap out of this playside defensive end, ear holing him to the turf.

Any opportunity Higbee has to help a teammate out down the field with an extra block, he’s going to make the most of it. He hustles everywhere with a nonstop motor, constantly looking for someone to hit and playing to the echo of the whistle.


Whew.

Blocking is a skill that not only can be developed at the next level, but has been for most of the starting tight ends in the league. Few come in ready to handle an in-line NFL workload right away, but Higbee already offers the physical tools, mental smarts, and aggressive mindset needed to compete in the trenches.

Also, if you needed any more evidence that Higbee is TE1, he’ll talk trash and chirp on defensive backs all game long, which pretty much sealed the deal for me.


There is no question that an element of risk is involved in drafting Higbee, mainly due to the fact that the lanky receiver has suffered from a myriad of minor injuries during his time at Western Kentucky. A knee sprain cost him four-plus games this past year, a real bummer as Higbee was leading all FBS tight ends with 30 catches, 459 yards, and six touchdowns through the first six weeks of the 2015 season. Higbee finished the year with 38 catches, 563 yards and eight touchdowns in nine contests, but could have had eye-popping numbers if not for the injury.

I’m not gonna knock a guy for being injury-prone when he’s had no serious maladies, yet has continued to be productive despite limited experience. Do I wish he’d played in more than 20 games in the past three years? Of course, but we’ve seen tight ends succeed in the NFL who never played a down of collegiate football. All the tangible and intangible traits are there for Higbee to develop into a top-tier playmaker in the NFL, and I’m not passing on that as a GM because he’s had minor nagging health concerns.

The bottom line is that no tight end in this class offers the combination of enticing athleticism, sure hands, YAC ability, and explosive route running that Higbee brings to the table. The former Hilltopper’s patterns can be more consistent, his blocking technique and angles can improve, and he can anticipate contact in his routes better, but all Higbee’s weaknesses are more than fixable, and what he offers in return is the ability to add a new dimension to an NFL offense. He’s Travis Kelce’s playing style and chippiness combined with Jordan Cameron’s physical and athletic makeup, only not as raw. You’re gonna pass up on that for the “reliability” and “safeness” that Henry and the rest bring to the table? For the next version of Kyle Rudolph?

In the late second, early third round, before any other tight end should be selected, Higbee deserves to be in the conversation for TE no. 1 in NFL war rooms. In this analyst’s assessment, it’s a spot the big pass catcher has clearly earned.

 

[StealYoGurley]

Reminds me alot of of Travis Kelce who also had some character issues coming out.

 

[OnceARam]

I called this one! Now he had better put the off the field stuff behind him and take this seriously.

 

[-X-]

View: http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Higbee-Receives-Life-Changing-Call/d2e7e381-83d1-4d6a-a253-693de00687e8

 

[-X-]

View: http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Tyler-Higbee-Highlights-4th-Round-110th-Pick/7cce4b52-499e-4b5b-bf40-b009d95514b1

 

[jetplt67]

I really like this pick. Seems like a stand up kid with some fire in his belly. Bring that to an offense that really needs it, we need toughness on the offense. We need someone who will knock you out if you mess with his crew (or GF)

 

[RamsFlash80]

I really like this pick. Seems like a stand up kid with some fire in his belly. Bring that to an offense that really needs it, we need toughness on the offense. We need someone who will knock you out if you mess with his crew (or GF)

Whats Imoan Claiborne doing these days? :mrburnsevil:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCjZWxlNyAQ

 

[JC-3]

I love this pick, we absolutely *NEED* him... but...

I'm seriously worried about his pending trial. I'm sweatin' bullets because what if he's found guilty? What if he gets jail time? ... It's scary because in my mind (admittedly, I don't know much about the situation) his fate could seriously go EITHER WAY.

Please, football gods!

 

[FarNorth]

I love this pick, we absolutely *NEED* him... but...

I'm seriously worried about his pending trial. I'm sweatin' bullets because what if he's found guilty? What if he gets jail time? ... It's scary because in my mind (admittedly, I don't know much about the situation) his fate could seriously go EITHER WAY.

Please, football gods!

We don't know the facts, however I doubt he will get much jail time. First time offenders are often more likely to get some form of probation unless their behavior was outrageous, and especially if there were mitigating circumstances. A typical outcome might be a plea to some reduced charges with an agreed sentencing recommendation to the court, maybe probation and/or counseling or community service. I suspect Snead and Fisher have some notion that the case might be resolved in this fashion.

 

[Ram_Fan]

I see some people talking about laying out the person if it were them. There are ways not to knock out your opponent, but rather control and/or subdue them until police officers come. My wife and I do Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and we feel comfortable protecting ourselves against an average person on the streets. If someone enters our personal space out in public as a threatening situation we are always told to keep our hands up in case they try to strike the face. If they strike we block/dodge and close the distance to clinch, and take them down. On the ground that's where we are most comfortable.

What's weird doing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is that it makes you more humble, and not get into those situations. I get choked, arm-barred, knee-barred, or just plain submitted when I train about 4-5 days a week. What's nice is that it's a place where my wife or I can choke each other and there's no domestic violence report. Lol!! It makes you very humbled, and if you don't lose that ego....You will not last long in this Martial Art.

My thing is that Tyler didn't have the right knowledge to diffuse the situation.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Higbee seems like a putz and probably deserves to get his teeth kicked in. I hope he just makes sure it's during the offseason so it doesn't affect his work as our #1 stud tight end.

I don't like the guy but I want him to dominate. And I have no real right to cry any which way about the character of our players. I cheered Leonard Little. So there's that.

 

[tempests]

I love this pick, we absolutely *NEED* him... but...

I'm seriously worried about his pending trial. I'm sweatin' bullets because what if he's found guilty? What if he gets jail time? ... It's scary because in my mind (admittedly, I don't know much about the situation) his fate could seriously go EITHER WAY.

Please, football gods!

I'm more worried about what happens the next time someone gets in his grill.

If he's going to frequent bars or nightclubs he's going to run into some characters and he needs to deal with those situations in a way that doesn't leave him open to litigation or team/league related discipline.