Overview
Position: Tight end
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 252 pounds
School: Penn State Nittany Lions
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.54 seconds (tied for best among tight ends)
Bench press: 22 reps (second among tight ends)
Vertical jump: 41.5 inches (best among tight ends)
Broad jump: 10 feet, 9 inches (best among tight ends)
Three-cone drill: 6.76 seconds (best among tight ends)
20-yard shuttle: 4.10 seconds (best among tight ends)
60-yard shuttle: 11.33 seconds (best among tight ends)
Mike Gesicki 2018 NFL Draft Profile
From an athletic standpoint, Mike Gesicki was a jack of all trades in high school. The native of Manahawkin, NJ lettered in football, volleyball, and basketball all four years. Not only did he set a Southern Regional school record with 1,817 receiving yards. He also finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer on the basketball court as well. But Gesicki chose the gridiron over the hardwood heading into college, committing to Penn State as a highly regarded tight end prospect.
Over his first two years in Happy Valley, Gesicki had a limited impact in Penn State’s offense. Though he did make nine starts during that time, he managed just 239 total yards and a single touchdown catch. Things changed significantly as a true junior when he started every game and led all Big Ten tight ends in yardage (679), receptions (48), and scores (5). And despite his yardage total dropping a year later, his catch volume and ability to find the end zone did not. Gesicki finished fifth in the Big Ten with 57 catches and his nine touchdown grabs were second among tight ends to only Iowa’s Noah Fant.
When all was said and done, Gesicki achieved some impressive feats while at PSU. He scored twice in a game on four separate occasions as a senior. With a catch in his team’s win over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl, Gesicki ended his college career on a 27-game reception streak. And he’s now number one among Penn State tight ends in career catches (129), touchdowns (15) and receiving yards (1,481). The yardage number is particularly noteworthy in that the previous school record holder, Ted Kwalick, set the mark in 1968.
Strengths
- basketball and volleyball background give him a rare combination of surehandedness and high-pointing ability;
- catches just about anything thrown his way;
- consistently brings the ball down in traffic;
- plus quickness off the snap and change of direction near the line of scrimmage;
- uses footwork and hand movement to jump step and separate from defenders;
- has the spatial awareness to find seams in zone coverage;
- able to effectively make would be tacklers miss in space;
Weaknesses
- tape shows little functional anchoring ability as a blocker;
- play strength doesn’t particularly jump out;
- route-running on long patterns tends to be more rounded than sharp;
- footwork tends to be a tad clunky in open space;
- bit of a feet gatherer on route cuts;
- can get put off-course by jams from good coverage linebackers and box safeties;
- inability to consistently anticipate and contain on the edge could make him a liability in pass blocking situations;
NFL Comparison: Kyle Rudolph
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Washington Redskins
Projection: Mid second round
Bottom Line
A confident pass-catcher who can make plays all over the field, Gesicki put together an impressive final two years in college and followed that up with a standout Senior Bowl week. His unique combination of positive traits is a reason he’s so highly rated among this year’s prospects at the position. Still, there are legitimate question marks surrounding his blocking ability. And it’s those concerns that could scare off teams worried about his every-down value. But Gesicki’s acumen as a receiving tight end is glaringly evident and it’s that skill set which gives him a fairly high floor at the next level.
