Tight Ends 1 Orson Charles School Georgia, Jr Height 6' 3" Weight 241 lbs. 40-Yard Dash NA In a nutshell: Charles embodies the modern NFL tight end. He possesses the size to be an in-line blocker while still being a quick, fluid route runner that looks the part of a wide receiver. He easily finds holes in zone-coverage and uses his speed to gain separation in man-coverage. After the catch, he is rarely taken down by first contact and has the speed to outrun defensive backs. As good off the field as he is on, this is the type of player Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy love. A team captain who does everything—plays in the slot, on the line, as an H-back, and special teams. If the Packers coaching staff could get their hands on this young tight end, they could mold him into a fantastic football player. Vs. Ranked Opponent: Sporting a fresh Georgia-red Mohawk for the game, Charles was a one-man wrecking crew against the No. 5 ranked Boise State Broncos. In both teams’ first game of the season, Charles led all receivers in receptions and yards. While Charles’ teammates may have begun the season a bit rusty, the junior tight end was in midseason form. On his way to six receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown, Charles made a statement during the first game of
Max Ginsberg
TE “the modern NFL tight end”
2 Coby Fleener School Stanford, Sr Height: 6' 6" Weight 244 lbs. 40-Yard Dash NA
his junior season. His performance catapulted him towards the 2012 NFL draft, and he should end up being the top tight end taken on draft day. Rivalry game: In the aptly named “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” rivalry game against Georgia Tech, Orson Charles was impossible to cover. He led all pass-catchers with five receptions for 95 yards against the then No 21 ranked Yellow Jackets. In the 103rd meeting between these two schools, Charles hauled in over one-third of quarterback Aaron Murray’s 252 passing yards, taking in passes on screens, crossing patterns, and seam routes on the way to a 31-17 rout over the in-state rival. NFL teams like to see college players show up in big games, and Charles’ performance against Georgia Tech gave scouts plenty to like about this 21-yearold. 2011 stats: 45 receptions, 574 yards, 5 TDs
36 | Cheesehead TV 2012 Draft Preview
34 receptions, 667 yards, 10 TDs
In a nutshell: It certainly doesn’t hurt to have Andrew Luck throwing you passes, but Fleener would shine no matter who was under center. A tall, athletically gifted athlete, Fleener led all tight ends in the nation with 10 touchdown catches this season. He seems to always find a way past his defender to gain separation and then uses his long arms and soft hands to haul in receptions. He’s a serviceable blocker, but his strengths lie in the passing game. His deceptive speed catches even the most nimble of cornerbacks off guard, and once past defenders, he uses his size to
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