Oldfaithful
Hall of Famer
2017 Scouting Report
This is a series of articles about players I have been personally scouting. Since I have no life I enjoy watching the tapes of several prospects. Would I consider myself an expert or a guru? Nope. I’m not applying for jobs with other teams. Would I say I’ve had more hits than misses? Yes, especially over the past three years.
Maxx Williams has been a disappointment. Not because he can’t play, but he just can’t stay healthy for some reason. So it’s time to scout a prospect I was introduced to recently. Mark Andrews. The Tight End out of Oklahoma.
Positives:
Mark Andrews is one of the best TE’s ever the catch I have scouted in recent memory. He’s not nearly as nimble as a WR, but for a TE his ability to make quick cuts in the open field is elite and Wide receiver-esq. In the pros, even with faster linebackers this ability will benefit him greatly. He can make cornerbacks and linebackers miss with his ability to make small, subtle, cuts in the open field. As displayed by the gif above, he’s also got well above average speed for a TE. Meaning he fits the role of a tight end who is “too fast for most linebackers, but too big for corners to cover”.
Andrews also has nice, soft hands, and has proven to be a very reliable receiver for Baker Mayfield. Throughout my watching’s of his tape I came across a maximum of maybe two drops total. He also knows how to high point the ball and take advantage of his height.
Although Andrews does not play a lot on the inline, I find him to be a very underrated blocker, who is good at sealing off plays for a running back. Which makes sense, Oklahoma tends to put a few backs in the pros on occasion. He’s not perfect, but he has the tools to become a very good
Finally, Andrews is a polished route runner. Like Jason Witten he has an uncanny ability to find the soft spots in the defense and exploit defenses for this. This alone would make him a major asset, but this combined with his above average athleticism, this could make him a force to be reckoned with in the pros. Again, he is not perfect, but he has the tools to become an elite route runner. ‘
Negatives.
Ultimately, not much. His negatives on tape are more from what he doesn’t show. And it’s not necessarily his fault. He does not get into a lot of contested situations against players, so we do not know if he is going to excel or not in those.
Pro Comparison: Jason Witten… With the athleticism of Tyler Eifert.
Some people have compared him to Travis Kelce. He doesn’t play inline enough for us to know that he’s going to be a great blocker. As a receiver, he clearly reminds me of Jason Witten. Good, reliable hands, tough guy. Knows how to exploit the soft spots in the defense. In the open field, he can make smart cuts to make defenders miss and has good acceleration to get extra yards. But he’s not the same kind of athlete as Witten. He’s more of the same kind as Eifert. Fast for his size, and strong. Overall, Andrews looks like a very safe prospect. Thing is, he might not be the best Tight End in this class. But overall, I think his ceiling is very high. And if he turns out to be more like Jason Witten than Eifert, fine by me.
This is a series of articles about players I have been personally scouting. Since I have no life I enjoy watching the tapes of several prospects. Would I consider myself an expert or a guru? Nope. I’m not applying for jobs with other teams. Would I say I’ve had more hits than misses? Yes, especially over the past three years.
Maxx Williams has been a disappointment. Not because he can’t play, but he just can’t stay healthy for some reason. So it’s time to scout a prospect I was introduced to recently. Mark Andrews. The Tight End out of Oklahoma.
Positives:
Mark Andrews is one of the best TE’s ever the catch I have scouted in recent memory. He’s not nearly as nimble as a WR, but for a TE his ability to make quick cuts in the open field is elite and Wide receiver-esq. In the pros, even with faster linebackers this ability will benefit him greatly. He can make cornerbacks and linebackers miss with his ability to make small, subtle, cuts in the open field. As displayed by the gif above, he’s also got well above average speed for a TE. Meaning he fits the role of a tight end who is “too fast for most linebackers, but too big for corners to cover”.
Andrews also has nice, soft hands, and has proven to be a very reliable receiver for Baker Mayfield. Throughout my watching’s of his tape I came across a maximum of maybe two drops total. He also knows how to high point the ball and take advantage of his height.
Although Andrews does not play a lot on the inline, I find him to be a very underrated blocker, who is good at sealing off plays for a running back. Which makes sense, Oklahoma tends to put a few backs in the pros on occasion. He’s not perfect, but he has the tools to become a very good
Finally, Andrews is a polished route runner. Like Jason Witten he has an uncanny ability to find the soft spots in the defense and exploit defenses for this. This alone would make him a major asset, but this combined with his above average athleticism, this could make him a force to be reckoned with in the pros. Again, he is not perfect, but he has the tools to become an elite route runner. ‘
Negatives.
Ultimately, not much. His negatives on tape are more from what he doesn’t show. And it’s not necessarily his fault. He does not get into a lot of contested situations against players, so we do not know if he is going to excel or not in those.
Pro Comparison: Jason Witten… With the athleticism of Tyler Eifert.
Some people have compared him to Travis Kelce. He doesn’t play inline enough for us to know that he’s going to be a great blocker. As a receiver, he clearly reminds me of Jason Witten. Good, reliable hands, tough guy. Knows how to exploit the soft spots in the defense. In the open field, he can make smart cuts to make defenders miss and has good acceleration to get extra yards. But he’s not the same kind of athlete as Witten. He’s more of the same kind as Eifert. Fast for his size, and strong. Overall, Andrews looks like a very safe prospect. Thing is, he might not be the best Tight End in this class. But overall, I think his ceiling is very high. And if he turns out to be more like Jason Witten than Eifert, fine by me.
