Overview
Position: Tight End
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 257 pounds
School: Ohio State Buckeyes
Combine Performance Data
Bench press (225 pounds): 17 reps
Vertical jump: 30.5 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 3 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.05 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.20 seconds (tied for second best among tight ends)
60-yard shuttle: 11.50 seconds (tied for second best among tight ends)
Nick Vannett 2016 NFL Draft Profile
The 2011 Ohio State recruiting class was unique if anything because it was the last one Jim Tressel brought to Columbus. Nick Vannett was a fairly early commit to that class, giving his pledge to the Buckeyes in June of 2010. The four-star recruit redshirted during that tumultuous 2011 campaign where Luke Fickell was forced to take over as interim coach after Tressel resigned amid the “Tattoo-gate” scandal.
His first two seasons under new head coach Urban Meyer saw Vannett used sparingly. Senior Jake Stoneburner received a majority of the reps during Vannett’s freshman campaign. A year later, it was Jeff Heuerman. Vannett would combine for just 203 yards and a single receiving touchdown during that span.
But in 2014, his role began to expand. He played in every game, totaling over 600 snaps. And he made a few catches that proved crucial in Ohio State’s run to the national championship. Against arch-rival Michigan, he had the first touchdown catch of the game in OSU’s 42-28 win. And in the title game against Oregon, his first quarter reception for a score gave OSU its first lead, one that the Buckeyes wouldn’t relinquish. All in all, Vannett would finish with five touchdown catches that year.
The Westerville, OH native had a fairly quiet senior season. This was the case despite being the feature tight end after Heuerman departed the previous season. He finished with 19 catches for 162 yards and no touchdowns. That said, he was still named honorable mention all-Big Ten. And it should be noted that he is part of an Ohio State senior class that won 50 games, more than any other in program history.
Vannett will look to join both Heuerman and Stoneburner as former Buckeye tight ends plying their trade in the NFL. Stoneburner went undrafted but is now with the Miami Dolphins where he caught two touchdown passes in 2015. And Heuerman was drafted in the third round by the Denver Broncos last year.
Strengths
- has the frame and overall build well-suited to the position in the NFL.
- upper body has good width which can give him an edge on contested catches.
- versatile player that can line up in a variety of pass-oriented positions on the field.
- athleticism is evident in his route-running abilities.
- able and willing blocker that doesn’t shy away from contact.
- can effectively pull towards the strong side of the defense to block when needed.
- very capable of finding space in zone coverage.
Weaknesses
- needs to do a better job at separating from defenders in man coverage.
- significant drop-off in production from junior to senior year.
- could improve his ability as a yards after catch threat.
- footwork tends to get sloppy when blocking downfield.
- bull-rushing defensive ends and outside linebackers could overpower him.
NFL Comparison: Zach Ertz
Teams with Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams
Projection: Late third to early fourth round
Bottom Line
Nick Vannett has proven himself to be a versatile, athletic pass catcher during his collegiate career. His skill set as a multi-faceted tight end that can play the position in a traditional sense while also lining up out wide makes him a good fit in today’s NFL. Though he’ll need to become a more physical blocker, Vannett checks all the boxes in terms of size and playmaking ability at the position. Though it’s possible he could fall into the early fourth round, don’t be surprised if he’s a late day two selection.
