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EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN'S DRAFT TRADES
HUNTER BRYANT
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
6-foot-2
250 pounds
21 years old
BIG PICTURE
Knee injuries (torn ACL/MCL/meniscus) slowed Hunter Bryant's first two seasons at Washington, even though he was explosive when healthy. Finally played 12 games as a junior, and the former four-star recruit met his potential with 825 yards and three touchdowns. He dealt with drops, but was tough to bring down with the ball in his hands. His combine performance was all over the place, but a swift 3-cone drill was encouraging. In a weak tight end class, Bryant could be the first off the board.
COMBINE NOTABLES
4.74 40-yard dash
23 bench reps (T-2nd)
32.5-inch vertical (T-3rd worst)
115-inch broad jump (T-5th worst)
7.08 3-cone drill (4th)
4.46 20-yard shuttle (T-2nd worst)
CHANCES OF BEING A VIKING
1.5 out of 10. The Vikings addressed their tight end of the future with Irv Smith Jr., a year ago. It's unlikely they'd splash for one of the draft's top tight ends, even if he drops to the third or fourth round.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: "He will get the matchup-tight-end moniker, but scouts feel like he's more of a big slot receiver in the pros. He doesn't have ideal size or determination as a blocker, but he has sticky hands with the acceleration to work past linebackers and threaten seams. He's a straight-line mover who gets bogged down in and out of breaks. He has playmaking ability but needs linear routes that allow him to keep moving on all three levels. Bryant is a scheme-dependent pass-catcher with a higher ceiling, but lower floor and a history of knee injuries that will need clearance by NFL medical staffs."
Kyle Crabbs, Draft Network: "Hunter Bryant should be a dynamic receiving threat at the NFL level. Bryant brings excellent quickness, run after catch skills and versatility to a flex tight end role. Plugging Bryant into a traditional inline role will water down his receiving skills — he's best working off the LOS or as a flexed slot receiver who can serve as a H/W/S mismatch for opposing defenders. If Bryant it put in such a flex role, look for early production and long-term starter status in the pros."
WHAT PFF SAYS
15+ yards per reception each season
10 missed tackles forced on 52 receptions in 2019 (T-5th)
5 drops last season (T-115th)
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
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