FAB 4. GOOD NFL-CALIBER TIGHT ENDS AREN’T JUST AT THE SENIOR BOWL
NFL scouts are marveling over the bumper crop of tight ends available at next week’s Reese’s Senior Bowl with Alabama’s O.J. Howard, South Alabama’s Gerald Everett, Ole Miss’ Evan Engram, Arkansas’ Jeremy Sprinkle, Florida International’s Jonnu Smith and Toledo’s Michael Roberts on the rosters, but this year’s East-West Shrine Game had some real quality tight ends, too. The position is quite deep in the 2017 NFL Draft, and that’s a good thing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are looking for a big tight end that can catch and block to complement Cameron Brate.

The Bucs released tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the team’s second-round pick in 2014, before Week 3 when he was arrested for a DUI. With ASJ’s departure, Brate, an undrafted free agent from Harvard, emerged as a force in his third NFL season, setting career highs with 57 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns, which tied a franchise record for tight ends, and was tied among NFL tight ends for the most TDs in a season this year.

Tampa Bay’s other tight ends, Brandon Myers and Luke Stocker, combined to catch just 12 passes for 82 yards and one touchdown. Rookie H-back Alan Cross had six catches for 38 yards and one score as the team’s reserve blocking back. When the Bucs played the last game of the season without Brate, the team’s second-leading receiver, against Carolina he was sorely missed in the passing game.

The East-West Shrine Game featured several quality tight ends, including Drake’s Eric Sauert, Oklahoma State’s Blake Jarwin, USC’s Taylor McNamara, LSU’s Colin Jeter, Pittsburgh’s Scott Orndoff, Antony Auclair from Laval, a Canadian university, and Roberts, who decided to play in both college all-star games in back-to-back weeks. The headliner was Saubert, who was featured in PewterReport.com’s 2017 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft, and caught 190 passes for 2,253 yards and 21 touchdowns in college.

“It goes without saying that this week is pretty huge for me,” Saubert said. “I’ve never gone against this level of talent before. I knew I belonged here, but this week is just confirmation of that. It’s a huge opportunity for me.”

Drake TE Eric Sauert – Photo by: Scott Reynolds/PR

The 6-foot-4, 247-pound Saubert is a classic receiving tight end that couldn’t be covered in the East-West Shrine practices. He picked up where he left off after his final game at Drake, lighting up Stetson for 131 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long of 73 yards.

“I think I took over that Stetson game and showed what I could do athletically,” Saubert said. “That one kind of stands out. It was my last game and it was good to go out like that. That’s what I bring to the table. I can dominate a game athletically. I play bigger than DBs and I run faster than linebackers. That’s what I have to offer.

“My in-line blocking is always going to be an emphasis for me in terms of improvement, but I’m going to be aggressive every play and I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to get blown off the ball. I’m a very hard worker. With added weight that will help, and I was at 247 at the weigh-in and I hope to eventually play at 255 or 260.”

Saubert is very familiar with the Buccaneers for a lot of reasons.

“They came a couple of times up in the fall to see me,” Saubert said. “They also have a former Ivy league guy in Cameron Brate from Harvard. He’s from around my area in Naperville, Ill. and he’s from the FCS like me. Seeing guys like Cameron Brate and other guys from the FCS doing big things in the NFL makes me say, ‘Why not me?’”

Saubert is expected to run in the 4.7-range at the NFL Scouting Combine, and after a solid week in St. Petersburg, he may move up from being a sixth- or seventh-round pick. Saubert also blocked two punts and brings special teams ability to the NFL, which is always an important trait for Day 3 picks.

“I take pride in special teams and that’s how I’m going to make a roster,” Saubert said. “I’m not just going to come in and start from day one. I know the importance of special teams and I continue to hone those skills. That’s something I bring to the table. I love special teams.

“I love this Florida weather, and catching passes from Jameis Winston wouldn’t be a bad deal, either. The Bucs should pair me up with Brate.”

They just might as Saubert was catching the eye of Bucs offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Tuesday and Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter on Wednesday.

Roberts also stood out during the East-West Shrine week, playing for the West squad. The Toledo standout is an imposing figure at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds.

“I weigh 260 pounds and I definitely think my weight and my strength gives me an advantage in blocking,” Roberts said. “I’m a lot stronger than most tight ends.”

But Roberts wasn’t just a factor blocking for star running back Kareem Hunt, who will be featured at next week’s Senior Bowl. He was also a main weapon for the Rockets, catching a career-high 45 passes for 533 yards (11.8 avg.) and 16 touchdowns, which led all FBS tight ends.

“I knew they were going to open up the playbook and give me the ball if I put in the work, and I put in the work,” Roberts said. “I had a very blessed year. I got the chance to catch a lot of passes, but I also got to show my blocking ability. In talking with NFL teams they are pretty impressed with my blocking, but at the same time I know I have to become stronger at the point of attack and do better holding my blocks.”

One of those teams that were impressed with Roberts was Tampa Bay.

“I interviewed with the Buccaneers and it went very well,” Roberts said. “I’d love to live here in this beautiful area and catch passes from Jameis Winston.”

The Bucs liked Roberts’ versatility, and how he was used by the West coaches during the week. He lined up as a tight end on the line of scrimmage, he was split out in the slot, and he also lined up in the backfield as a blocking back. That is how Roberts was used at Toledo, and that’s how Koetter uses his tight ends – namely Stocker – in Tampa Bay.

Roberts won’t blow people away with his 40-yard dash time, which scouts expect to be in the high 4.8 range. Yet his game is similar to that of Dallas Pro Bowler Jason Whitten in that he finds a way to get open, catch the ball and move the chains. And of course, find the end zone, too. Roberts had 70 catches for 832 yards and 22 touchdowns in his three years for the Rockets.

He is one of the few players to decide to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl, which has drawn applause from NFL scouts that admire this Day 3 pick’s competitiveness and desire.

“I came from a small school in Toledo,” Roberts said. “I had a great year, but I don’t have much game film outside of this past year. So I’ll take the sacrifice of wearing down my body over these two weeks to show people what I can do. It’s a small sacrifice with hopefully a big payoff.”

The other tight end that intrigued me was Auclair, the Canadian tight end from the East team. Due to his lack of experience playing American football, Auclair figures to be an undrafted free agent. But that’s how Brate entered the league in 2014.

Auclair, who has an NFL-sized frame at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, is already on the Bucs’ radar.

“I’ve talked to a few guys from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Auclair said with a French-Canadian accent. “I played Canadian football back in Canada with CFL rules, so I just want to show I can adapt to American football this week. Even though I’m from Canada I don’t play hockey, and I don’t even know how to skate. I know it’s kind of rare, but when winter came we were always outside playing snow football. I love the game.”

The Bucs’ two most recent signings, wide receiver Derel Walker and linebacker Jeff Knox, came from the Canadian Football League, but neither is actually Canadian. Auclair is the real deal and has a bright future in the CFL if the NFL doesn’t work out.

“I think I’m kind of known up in Canada,” Auclair said. “I think I’m projected to be the second overall pick in the first round in the CFL Draft right now, which is cool.”

But Auclair wants to make it in the NFL and the East-West Shrine practices were a good place to start his transition.

“I think I’m getting better every day by being here,” Auclair said. “The major difference for me up in Canada is we have a rule where the D-line lines up one yard away from the ball. Now the D-line is much closer. On run blocks things happen much faster.”

Auclair’s size and receiving ability – he caught 29 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns, including a team-high 70 yards and a touchdown in Laval’s 2016 Vanier Cup championship victory, are intriguing to NFL teams.

“I’m a good run blocker, but think I can do both and be a combo guy in the NFL,” Auclair said. “What I need to work on is my deep route running. I truly want to make it in the NFL like Luke Wilson, the Canadian tight end for the Seattle Seahawks.”

Auclair is training in Nashville for the NFL Scouting Combine where a fast time in the 40-yard dash could get him drafted in the seventh round.

“The last time I ran it I was running a 4.84, but I’m trying to get down into the 4.7 range,” Auclair said.

Saubert, Roberts and Auclair are three interesting prospects for Tampa Bay from the East-West Shrine Game, and the team will have even more tight ends to scout and evaluate next week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. PewterReport.com will be reporting live from Mobile, Ala.