The 2021 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Pat Freiermuth 2021 NFL Draft Profile.
Pat Freiermuth Background
Position: Tight End
Size: 6-foot-5, 258 pounds
Class: Junior
2020 stats: 23 receptions, 310 receiving yards, 1 touchdown catch, 13.5 yards per reception
Freiermuth was a player with a lot of buzz surrounding him his last two years on Penn State’s campus. He has decided that after three seasons, he is heading to the 2021 NFL Draft.
He played his high school football in Massachusetts, where he was a four-star prospect who chose to play for the Nittany Lions. He made an impact as a freshman with 26 receptions for 368 yards and eight touchdowns. Penn State finished the year 9-4, but lost to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl. As a sophomore, Freiermuth got better with 43 receptions for 507 yards and seven touchdowns. Penn State went 11-2 and beat Memphis in the Cotton Bowl to end the year. Freiermuth was only able to play in four games for the 2020 season, but had 23 receptions for 310 yards and a touchdown. The Nittany Lions went below .500 with a 4-5 record.
Freiermuth had a very good career for Penn State and is ready for the pros. He is a projected first or second round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths
Freiermuth has a good build for an NFL tight end. He stands at 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, which is more than good enough for the pros. His size allows him to lineup on the line of scrimmage or split out wide. It also helps him have a big catch radius and makes him a matchup problem because he is bigger than most guarding him.
He runs decent routes and can create separation. Freiermuth won’t have the crispest cuts in his routes, but he does run them decently well. He shows the ability to separate from safeties and linebackers down the field. Against zone coverage, he is able to find the soft spot in the zone. He will provide a good security blanket for a quarterback to utilize.
His hands are also solid. His catch radius has already been mentioned, but he catches a lot of passes that are thrown in his general direction, even if they are off-target. In addition, his focus-drops are limited and he has the ability to make contested catches. He will battle for the football and it’s part of the reason why he is such a good red zone target.
Weaknesses
As a run blocker, Freiermuth has improved in his college career, but he still has a long way to go. He is good on the backside, but he needs to show more aggression to push a man backwards on the frontside of the play. In space, defenders can dodge him to go and make the play. Freiermuth shows great effort and should be able to improve more as time goes on.
Freiermuth isn’t an explosive athlete. He has decent athleticism, but doesn’t really pop when he is on tape. This doesn’t mean he can’t be a good tight end, but it does mean that his ceiling may be limited. He may be able to be a little more explosive if he drops weight, but at his current size he just doesn’t have that extra burst.
While his hands are great, the rest of his game could be better. NFL teams draft players based on traits and Freiermuth isn’t elite at any trait other than his ability to catch the ball. He can still develop into a good NFL tight end, but he could also be a master of none in the NFL.
Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick
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