2nd Round Pick: Drew Sample, TE, Washington

[AMPHAR]

Back in 2014 Hewitt and Gresh really established nasty edge run blocking.  Hill benefitted.

Hue changed emphasis in 2015 then we lost those players responsible for that and it’s been a hole ever since. 

Yes there can be debate about how far this guy last but it’s pick 52.  Going off some media scouts ranking and pretending you for sure know the difference between the 52nd and 102nd player is a fools errand. 

[redsbengalsbucks]

5 hours ago, AMPHAR said:

From the huddle report (whatever that is) 

 

Drew Sample TE Washington
by Drew Boylhart • April 10, 2019 
STRENGTHS
Drew is a complete Tight End who can block and catch. His talents are similar to the Cowboys Jason Witten. Drew is an excellent in line blocker and does a solid job running routes but his ability to catch the ball with a big catch radius is accomplished because of the effort he gives to make the catch in any situation. Drew is a Tight Ends, Tight End. He shows excellent balance to make his blocks and good run “after the catch” skills because of his size and compact style of running, making it difficult for smaller LB’s, CB’s and Safeties to tackle him. Drew really showed his route running skills and Velcro like hands to catch the ball at the Senior Bowl practices but as it is his style, not many noticed. 
CONCERNS
I do wish he was a little faster but as long as the team that selects him keeps him to the normal Tight End routes and doesn’t try to make him into a wide receiver, Drew will impact. 
TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.00 
Do you really want to know why no one but me…is talking about Drew Sample? It’s because his quarterback couldn’t identify an 8 ft tall, open tight end receiver, standing in the middle of the field, waving his arms with Kim Kardashian standing next to him. I cannot tell how many times I saw on film, Drew wide open and his QB throw the ball to a covered receiver down the field. To be honest…I don’t know how Drew didn’t come back to the huddle and smack that QB in the back of the head. It shows what kind of teammate and the type of character Drew has, that he never got upset and just went back to work trying to block for him. This kid has the potential to start for the team that selects him for the next ten years and have a career that will make fans fall in love with him. He will be a fan favorite and a core player for the team the selects him. Believe it. If he was faster and flashier, and if his QB only would have passed the ball to him, someone else, other than me might have taken notice…you can bet the scouts did.

Man, I hope he is this kind of player.  A possession type TE can be a devastating weapon to grind down the clock.

[kingwilly]

3 hours ago, membengal said:

I’ve seen comparisons to Todd Heap - he can catch and has a good feel for soft spots in zone. You may want to dream higher.

If he gets that good we’ll all be smiling. 

[Scottishbengal]

In one review he was likened to Jason Witten - hope he can fulfil his potential and realise somewhere near that level of play

[ShulaSteakhouse]

3 hours ago, redsbengalsbucks said:

Man, I hope he is this kind of player.  A possession type TE can be a devastating weapon to grind down the clock.

That's a heck of a write-up, we can only hope he was an under-the-radar guy that does exactly what they drafted him for, and stays healthy.  Don't get a lot of those here (Atkins is the only one that comes to mind). 

All we can do is hope it works out.

 

[ShulaSteakhouse]

1 hour ago, Scottishbengal said:

In one review he was likened to Jason Witten - hope he can fulfil his potential and realise somewhere near that level of play

Can't remember the last complete TE we've had here, if he turns into a 3-down TE anywhere near Witten or Heap's ability, then they hit the jackpot.  We'll see.

[redsbengalsbucks]

26 minutes ago, ShulaSteakhouse said:

Can't remember the last complete TE we've had here, if he turns into a 3-down TE anywhere near Witten or Heap's ability, then they hit the jackpot.  We'll see.

Got to be Kelly, he could catch and his blocking was very good

[AMPHAR]

Reggie Kelly was heck of a blocker.  

Really Greshman was the last complete TE they had.  He could block very good. 

Just fumble a bunch. 

[redsbengalsbucks]

Reggie used to have some big catches in big situations if Sample can equal Kelly I'd be ecstatic.

[AMPHAR]

Yeah Reggie Kelly was an unknown MVP against the Rex Ryan Ravens  and Pittsburgh defenses during that time.

Reggie Kelly was a 2nd rounder  from Atl and a nice FA pick up for us.

We get that from Sample?  It’s a win. 

[cincyhokie]

Really warming up to this guy. Still not sure I'm ok with how high he was taken. But it's all a lot easier to swallow once the draft is over and you've seen the entire process unfold. 

[redsbengalsbucks]

35 minutes ago, cincyhokie said:

Really warming up to this guy. Still not sure I'm ok with how high he was taken. But it's all a lot easier to swallow once the draft is over and you've seen the entire process unfold. 

I didn't know anything about this kid going into the draft, but this is the hole that needed to be filled at TE.

Eifert and Uzoma (SP) can be receiving TE's, even though both can block neither does it as well as Sample.  Sample can also play blocking back for Mixon and Gio.  

[AMPHAR]

I really don’t give much thought about where he was selected.   Every year there are a bunch of players off 50+ spots based off the media lists.

Just a reality of the coverage.    When you grab a “Billings” that was off about 80-100 spots those fans celebrate. 

Just doesn’t work that way.   If Sample was in the draft last year or next and he’s projected 2nd?   Does that change it?  No.  Just changes your perception. 

I know it was a hole that I’ve said for a while.  The top 3 picks probably see the field quickly.  

[redsbengalsbucks]

 Just for fun

 

Sample combine #'s

6'5" 255 lbs. arms 33 3/8" hands 95/8" 40 time 4.71 3-cone 7.15

Eifert combine #'s

6'5" 250 lbs. arms 33 1/8" hands 9 1/8" 40 time 4.68 3-cone 6.92

 

I don't see a lot of difference in the measurables, so may be they can teach the kid how to become a receiving TE.  Sample is a little bigger/longer, Eifert is a little faster/quicker.  

 

[ArmyBengal]

I'm really hopeful Sample turns out to be the next great TE, but I really hated that pick when I first heard it.
My first response was "WHO?"

[Stripes]

If I have any concern here, it's that a tight end of this style may not be as effective in the modern NFL as someone like Reggie Kelly was even 12 years ago.  I don't get the impression he is the feature guy though, and he could make a very sensible complement to Eifert if the latter can stay in one piece for ten consecutive minutes.

[COB]

Still can’t believe we spent a 2nd round pick on a blocking tight end.  That is all.

[TJJackson]

Hopefully the huddle report (quoted earlier on this page) has it right that he is a 3 down TE with skills comparable to Jason Witten

(3 down TE is most definitely a need at this time)

But I am not optimistic

 

[AMPHAR]

2 hours ago, COB said:

Still can’t believe we spent a 2nd round pick on a blocking tight end.  That is all.

Why?   When the Free Agency comes for this class look at Picks 1-51 there will be a bunch forgotten about. 

People act like there’s HOFers a plenty. 

If this guy comes in and carves out a role with decent amount of snaps played well worth the selection. 

[ArmyBengal]

The more I look into Sample, it appears he's labeled as a "blocking" TE simply due to his lack of use in the passing game.
Not because he wasn't capable, but a combination of scheme and QB suckage.

I'm willing to back off the pick a little, but there's a group of guys that I initially thought would have been a better pick.
I thought at the moment having either Parris Campbell or DK Metcalf would have provided better competition at the WR spot, which I think is lacking.

All that being said, I did mock them taking a TE in the 2nd round.  It just wasn't Sample.  It was Irv Smith, who went two picks earlier.

 

[Scottishbengal]

18 hours ago, COB said:

Still can’t believe we spent a 2nd round pick on a blocking tight end.  That is all.

Imagine a two tight ends set, with Eifert (or Uzomah) as the pass catching TE and then Sample blocking for Mixon to run - throw in AJ and Ross and boy am I loving the thought of that offence

[ArmyBengal]

I can't see them taking this dude out of nowhere in the 2nd round without any real idea of how they plan on using him in the offense.

I don't know what that is, but I'm much more comfortable with this pick than I was draft day when the pick was made.

[redsbengalsbucks]

2 hours ago, Scottishbengal said:

Imagine a two tight ends set, with Eifert (or Uzomah) as the pass catching TE and then Sample blocking for Mixon to run - throw in AJ and Ross and boy am I loving the thought of that offence

I like the idea of three TE sets, for the running game and a power/big target sub package for play action short yardage passing.  Eat the clock!!

WHO-DEY

[AMPHAR]

Look at it from the opposite.

2015 they drafted Eric Fisher in the 50s.

Everyone runs around going nuts. Steal!  Because the draft pundits had him first round.

Rookie contract over, he can’t find a job as NFL tackle and barely played as a starter.

I just don’t get the treating of pick 52 as if it were a top 5 pick.  

A lot depends on the depth of the draft for that year. 

Catch 25 balls, block your ass off and improve offense and I don’t care if it was the 52nd pick.   Sure as hell a bunch of players taken before will have flames out. 

[membengal]

From Albert Breer's MMQB column:

Quote

Speaking of tight ends, another guy who stood out at rookie minicamp was Cincinnati second-round pick Drew Sample. Tight end is an important position in the Bengals’ offense, so it would be huge in Zac Taylor’s first year if the team nailed that pick. The staff sees Sample, an outstanding blocker with good receiver skills, playing the role as the traditional ‘Y’ tight end, the same role that Tyler Higbee did in that offense for the Rams. If he’s healthy, Tyler Eifert would then slide into the ‘F’ role as the move tight end, to generate mismatches. And the good news here is that Sample has already shown a pretty good ability to pick up what’s being taught and apply it, which is obviously key to contributing as a rookie.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/05/13/vikings-cap-space-kyle-rudolph-browns-odell-beckham-jr-rookie-minicamps-dahale-warring-drew-sample