2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Vance McDonald, TE, Rice

by Cory J. Bonini on March 14, 2013 @ 16:24:28 PDT

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Rice senior tight end Vance McDonald takes his game to the next level as a prospect in the 2013 NFL Draft.

McDonald racked up 1,513 receiving yards, on 120 catches, in his time at Rice. He scored 15 times in his collegiate career.

Underrated target

Strengths

Great size at 6-foot-4, 267 pounds
Huge hands (10 1/8 inches) and wingspan (34 3/8-inch arms)
Above-average hands
Moves well in the open field
Lined up all over the field, including the slot
Good speed (4.69-second 40-yard dash)
Aggressive blocker, even if most of his work game out of the slot
Moderate upside because of the way NFL teams are using the position

Weaknesses

Suspect inline blocker
Doesn't play as strong as his frame suggests he should be
Injury concerns (missed three games in 2012)
Concentration lapses - generally a good receiver but occasionally allows the easy one through
Faced inferior level of competition

Expected draft placement

McDonald has some Todd Heap qualities about his style of play, perhaps including the durability concerns. Look for a second- or third-round selection of McDonald in April's NFL Draft.

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