2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State

by Cory J. Bonini on March 12, 2013 @ 12:57:33 PDT

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San Diego State tight end Gavin Escobar decided to leave the Mountain West school for the 2013 NFL Draft after his junior season.

Natural pass catcher

Escobar redshirted in 2009 and played sparingly in 2010. His '11 production was strong (51-780-7) in limited action, but Escobar's stat line took a hit the following year. He finished his junior season with 42 grabs for 543 and six touchdowns, showing he missed current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley.

Strengths

Size (6-foot-6, 254 pounds) and athleticism combination
Amazingly reliable hand catcher
Fits the mold of the increasingly popular hybrid tight end
Can play vertically down the seam
Eats up a lot of cushion as a long strider
Jump-ball threat
Effective, although not precise, route runner - sells his routes well by making subtle movements
Considerable upside
Excellent body control

Weaknesses

Willing but flimsy blocker
Limited to a hybrid role
Lacks elusiveness in the open field
Inconsistent production
Regularly faced a lower level of competition

Expected draft placement

Escobar is battling to be the likely third tight end off the board and has an early third-round grade. The Buffalo Bills could look to add someone like Escobar to fill in for or replace Scott Chandler (knee). Escobar could go to a number of teams, especially with free agency likely to dictate many draft needs.

About Cory J. Bonini

Cory is KFFL's General Manager. In late 2002, he joined the KFFL staff as a research analyst and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1996. A member of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, as well as Fantasy Sports Writers Association, Bonini has been featured in print, on radio and on scores of websites. Bonini co-hosted Big Lead Sports on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio from 2011 to 2012.

Bonini was recognized with the 2010 Best Article in Print Award from the FSWA and was a finalist for the same award in 2011. In '11, he finished first overall in the FSWA NFL experts challenge that featured 60 of the industry's best competitors. Follow @CoryKFFL