NCAA Scouting - Player Profile:
Rob Gronkowski - Tight End - Arizona
by Jody Jamieson
15/3/2010
 
Rob Gronkowski
Tight End
Arizona
6-5, 263
Born: 14th May 1989
Junior
 
Strengths: A perfect blend of speed, size and skill. Gronkowski might be the best balanced tight end available in this draft. He has been making a contribution since his freshman year and showed good development and growth between years one and two. He has excellent hands and route running skills but his best asset is his ability once the football is in his hands as he is extremely tough to bring down after the catch and he will make tacklers bounce off of him. He shows an understanding of body control and will shield defenders away from the ball making it impossible for them to make a play on the ball whilst making his job of catching it easier. He will secure the ball well when he sees the hit coming. Has natural power and pop as a blocker.
 
Weaknesses: He is currently recovering from back surgery which ended his junior season before it got started and he may not be able to participate fully at the upcoming scouting combine. At Arizona he was never a focal point of the spread offense the team run so whilst involved, he was not a natural fit and this also means he has to adjust his role in the pros where as a starter he would see more snaps and more blocking duties. His blocking skills require better technique. Durability is a concern after missing all of last year and time as a sophomore.
 
Where I think he'll be drafted: Gronkowski has great natural talent and potential but has come out a year too soon in my opinion and that could see him drop out of the top two rounds. I think he goes the top of round three.
 
Where I think he should be drafted: I think talent wise he is as good a tight end as there is in this draft and is deserving of been picked in round two.
 
Summary: Gronkowski is an intriguing prospect who has as much natural talent and ability as anyone in this year's draft but has put himself in a position to raise doubts about him which could harm his stock. His brother Dan was drafted in the seventh round last season by the Detroit Lions and his younger brother Chris is in the Wildcats football program. At high school he was a football and basketball star and when he moved into the college game he was an instant contributor as a freshman, recording 28 receptions at an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. Despite missing three games to start his sophomore season he hauled in 47 receptions and a team leading 10 touchdowns – including five in the team's first two games - and was twice named John Mackay Tight End of the Week. Since then he has not seen the football field so to help his stock he needs to try and do as much as possible to the best of his ability at the combine. He draws a comparison to Steelers tight end Heath Miller in that he has a good all round game but isn't yet a focal point of the offense. It may take a year because of his injury history and youth (he will still be 20 on draft day) but once he is ready to go his ability to break tackles after the catch is going to get him noticed. A guy with massive potential but a certain amount of bust factor to stop teams reaching for him.