Evan Engram, Kaden Smith to Attend Tight End University This Summer
If one wants to be the best, they might as well take advantage and try to learn from the best, right?
That is the approach New York Giants tight ends Evan Engram and Kaden Smith have taken. Engram and Smith will join Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and the retired Greg Olsen for their inaugural Tight End University event that will take place in Nashville this summer.
Engram, who is entering his fifth NFL season, is coming off his first Pro Bowl berth. Despite having been voted to the league's annual all-star event, Engram's 61.8% reception rate over 16 games was the second-lowest of his career, just topping his rookie season's catch rate of 59.3%.
Catch rate aside, Engram also had one receiving touchdown (lowest in his career) and recorded eight dropped balls to bring his career total to 25 over four seasons.
He also finished with a career-low 19% contested catch rate. He was the target on a career-high six interceptions last year in a season that saw him struggle with some of the concepts offensive coordinator Jason Garrett asked him to run.
Smith, who finished his second season in the league last year, saw his catch rate jump from 75.6 to 85.7%, though his pass targets were cut in half from his rookie season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith, primarily a blocker, took a significant step upward in that department, who graded his 2020 effort with a 71.3 mark, a massive improvement over the 52.0 grade he earned in his rookie season.
The Giants have created some additional competition in their tight end room by adding veteran Kyle Rudolph, who was cut by the Vikings and retaining Levine Toilolo, who agreed to a pay cut.
With the Giants having added talent to their wide receiver room, there could be one less spot for a tight end to stick on the 53-man roster, so Engram, who is in a contract year, and Smith, who is far from being secured, are leaving nothing to chance in their preparation.
Thus far, the event, according to its official Twitter page, has approximately 15 NFL tight ends planning to attend.
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