Sean McDermott praises rookie TE in wake of injuries to position

Could this fifth-round pick play a key role in the offense at some point?

Bills tight end Jackson Hawes signs autographs for fans during day six of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Tuesday, July 29, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills selected Georgia Tech tight end Jackson Hawes in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he's found himself in an expanded role early on in training camp due to injuries to Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.

Before Sunday's practice, head coach Sean McDermott had some great things to say about the rookie.

"In the absence of both Dawson and at times Dalton, he hasn't blinked in terms of it being too big for him," McDermott said. "He's going out and not only blocked well, but he's performed well overall, so he's off to a good start."

Buffalo Bills tight end Jackson Hawes (85) speaks to the media after the NFL football team's rookie minicamp in Orchard Park, N.Y., Friday, May 9, 2025. | Associated Press

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Hawes was an excellent blocker with the Yellow Jackets, and even though shoulder pads have only been on since Monday, he has turned some heads.

The tight end has a mean streak when pushing defenders back on their heels in the run game, and he proved he could adjust to a change in the level of competition when he transferred from Yale in 2024. Now, he's faced with a similar challenge in the NFL.

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Hawes could force himself into some playing time early in the season if he keeps up his high performance and if either Kincaid or Knox runs into more injury trouble.

Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Tech tight end Jackson Hawes (TE11) talks with Buffalo Bills tight end coach Rob Boras during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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