2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: TE Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M

With the Giants needing more tight end help, what can Aggies tight end Jalen Wydermyer bring to the table?

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 27, 2022 10:26 AM EDT

In this story:

Texas A&M Aggies

Jalen Wydermyer, TE

Height: 6’4
Weight: 255 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Texas A&M
Arm length: 33 ⅛”
Hand size: 9 ¾”

A former four-star recruit out of Dickinson, Texas, where he attended Dickinson High School near the Houston area, Wydermyer was the 15th tight end prospect and the 45th ranked Texan in the 2019 recruiting cycle.

Notables

Wydermyer is a three-time All-SEC second-team selection who started in 33 games for the Aggies. Wydermyer was targeted 70 times in 2021, with 40 catches for 515-yards and four touchdowns.

He also dropped the football eight times, with three of those drops coming against Auburn. Wydermyer finished his Aggie career with 118 catches on 181 targets for 1,468-yards and 16 touchdowns; he had 12 drops in his college career.

The young tight end showed his versatility; he aligned 32.7 percent of his time in college as a big slot with 60.9 percent coming inline; he also aligned 6.4 percent outside on the boundary.

He was often used as the flat option off RPO action, as a seam stretcher, on seven routes in smash, deep digs over the middle, and quick spot type of concepts. Wydermyer will interest the Giants somewhere in the third round into Day 3.

Strengths

Excellent size, weight, length - has potential to be a “Y” TE
Big body target with wide catch radius
Has the ability to make important plays
A viable target at all three levels of the field
Accelerates due to his long strides - can eat into off-leverage adequately and get vertical
Has displayed subtle fakes at break points to deceive defenders
Smart player - understands how to adjust routes when QB extemporizes
Understands how to avoid contact when running routes
Despite frustrating drops, has shown ability to make acrobatic catches away from his frame
Can high point footballs with excellent body adjustment/control
Is solid in contested catch situations
Can make tough catches and hold onto the football through contact
Provides good elusiveness for someone of his size in space - can create YAC
Will fall forward through contact - very tough
Gives effort as a blocker
Drives his feet through contact when blocking
Displays solid hips when blocking and hinging
Is capable enough to block as a TE in the NFL, albeit there will be growing pains

Want to check out more NFL Draft profiles by Nick Falato?

Click here to see those already posted.

Gallery

1 Images

Can Improve

Pad level gets him in trouble as a blocker
Isn’t very sudden or explosive
Isn’t very fast and can be lumbering
Had maddening concentration drops in 2021, specifically in the Auburn game
Long strider that takes a while to throttle down into breaks
Route breaks are rounded
Doesn’t get low enough to lower his pads on people - ankles and torso are often easy targets in space
Punch isn’t commanding when blocking
Can lean a bit too much while moving laterally and blocking
Isn’t going to drive defenders off the ball (not many TEs do)

Summary

Overall, Jalen Wydermyer has the potential to be a three-down tight end in the NFL. He’s not the most sudden or athletic tight end, but he is a big target who uses his length/frame well over the middle of the field. He’s a solid overall receiver, albeit the concentration drops in 2021 were troublesome.

He tries as a blocker and does enough to be a nuisance; he can hold up as a backside inline tight end vs. the run. I didn’t see many reps of him fully pass blocking; he chipped and released well. Wydermyer will be selected near the top of Day 3/end of Day 2 in a cluster of the second-tier tight ends. The Giants should consider him early on day three if he’s still available.

GRADE: 6.14