Cole Kmet - Notre Dame TE - No. 46 SI Big Board

The Redskins need a tight end. It's not a great draft class so value can be in the eye of the beholder. How will the Skins address it? No. 46?

The Redskins have signed two tight ends in free agency to this point: Logan Thomas and Richard Rodgers. Both have a good chance to make the Redskins roster but both are not considered No. 1 types. 

We continue our Top-50 look with the first tight end of the class. 

No. 50: Antoine Winfield Jr.

No. 49: Ashtyn Davis

No. 48: Clyde Edwards-Helaire

No. 47: Cesar Ruiz

Facts and Stats: 

1. At 6'5 (6052) and 250 pounds, Kmet provides a taller, athletic target for jump balls, fades & back shoulder routes in the red zone. He had six touchdowns at Notre Dame in 2019 but that's his career total too. 

2. Kmet as you would figure by looking at his lean-ish frame is not a great blocker. Per The SIS Football Rookie Handbook , he graded a '5' in run blocking and a '4' in pass blocking with 1.1% blown block percentage in the passing game, more than double his run game score. 

3. A broken collarbone in August 2019 cost him a couple of games to start the year and perhaps affected his blocking ability. He played in 35 career games with the Irish, starting 18 but only had a total of 60 catches in his career. 

4. Kmet's production jumped however last year and he can line up in the split tight end alignments that teams are looking for, especially if Logan Thomas is going to be used in tight to help block. Kmet ran 281 passing routes in 2019 as opposed to 103 in 2018 and have a positive play % mark of 64% vs. zone but only 44% vs. man coverage. That tells me he is good on choice and option routes and finding holes in a softer defense, but not always when things get compressed in the red zone. 

How does he fit the Redskins? (Scheme, Position need) :

It's very simple. The Redskins don't have a proven pass catcher that is healthy at the position. If Richard Rodgers can stay on the field, he's the closest to that and he does have ability. Can he stay on the field after two injury filled years in Philadelphia? The Redskins should be targeting a tight end in round three at No. 66 overall unless they acquire a second round pick and attack it earlier. 

Video Analysis:

From what I can see, Kmet has soft, strong hands and can use his frame to shield upon contact. Because of his height and reach, he can be a reliable red zone target in short area situations, probably much better inside the five-yard line as opposed to the whole red area. 

SI.com/EDS Football's Kevin Hanson's spin:

"A two-sport athlete (with baseball) at Notre Dame, Kmet initially planned to return to South Bend, but he could be the TE1 in a relatively weak class. Kmet has reliable hands, runs good routes and tested well at the combine."

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.