It’s not a very loaded tight end class but Jared Pinkney is expected to play at the next level. Coming out of high school in the class of 2015, Pinkney was a three-star recruit and the 148th ranked player in the state of Georgia.
College Careers: Pinkney was expected to start as a Freshman but an injury in the opener caused him to miss the rest of the season for the Vanderbilt Commodores. During the 2016 season, he finally started to make an impact catching 22 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. As a junior. He became one of the best tight ends in the SEC catching 50 passes for 774 yards and seven scores. During the 2019 season, Pinkney’s stats took a big hit but the offense struggles as a whole.
Pros: Pinkney is a good receiving tight end but don’t overlook how good of a blocker he is too. He is good as an inline blocker but he also can get down the field and block defenders at the second level. He is also a good route runner and does a good job of finding the weak spots in the defense. He does a good job of making adjustments while the ball is in the air to catch the ball.
Cons: Pinkney is a good receiver but he isn’t all that athletic and that might hold him back at the next level. He is a good blocker, but with his lack of athleticism, he could serve a little better to get stronger for when he is going against better players in the NFL.
Projected Teams: At the next level he is going to be a tight end two, so he really is an option for most teams in the NFL.
Even with Jimmy Graham on board, the Chicago Bears are a team that could use some more talent at tight end, and Pinkney would bring that in.
The New York Jets and New England Patriots are also a couple of teams that needs tight end help and could use Pinkney on board.
AUTHOR: Shane Mickle
Mitch's Take...
