SI All-American Candidate Mason Brotherton Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Mason Brotherton
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 242 pounds
Position: Tight End
School: Mena (Ark.)
Committed to: Kansas
Projected Position: Tight End
Frame: Thick chested with long arms and solid shoulder width. Above-average lower half with big thighs.
Athleticism: Above-average release quickness when working from in-line/attached position. Urgent into stems and displays good route-running discipline for position and big man. Has some suddenness at junctions and can separate. Also uses shoulders and body to put smaller defenders in an external position out of passing lanes to win at catch points. Strong at the point as an in-line blocker with solid leg drive post contact.
Instincts: Can alter his stem subtly while collecting coverage leverage information. Aware to decrease pad level at junctions both from in-line and flex alignments. Gets a good bam step to cut quickly and can surprisingly get his head and shoulders out of his framework to maximize secondary release. Accurate punch with proper hand-placement when asked to block and can sustain at the point.
Polish: Works both as a traditional, in-line Y and flexed to slot in 2x2 sets. Route tree consists of swings, corners, corner-posts and traditional posts, among others. Short-strider whose hands are fairly soft, yet needs to improve high-pointing and become more consistent at attacking and plucking with his mitts.
Bottom Line: Brotherton is a good tight end prospect who can play in-line/attached and flexed out. He is a surprisingly good route-runner for his position and does not shy away from contributing as a blocker in the run game. Brotherton should become a solid starting Y-tight end at the next level.