Stephen Sullivan Overview
Position: Tight End
Height: 6’-5”
Weight: 248 pounds
School: LSU
NFL Combine Performance Data
40-Yard Dash: 4.66 seconds
Vertical Jump: 36.5”
Broad Jump: 123.0”
3 Cone Drill: 7.51 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.62 seconds
Stephen Sullivan 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After four years at LSU, former wide receiver turned tight end Stephen Sullivan is looking to take his career to the next level in the 2020 NFL Draft. While the LSU Tigers had a season to remember in 2019, Sullivan didn’t play too big of a role for the team. Appearing in just 299 snaps, Sullivan ended his season with only 12 receptions on 14 targets for 130 yards and no touchdowns.
Sullivan initially entered the collegiate football ranks as a four-star prospect out of Louisiana. A physical freak in high school, most expected Sullivan to hit the ground running and immediately contribute for one of the biggest programs in the nation. However, he struggled to do much of anything as a freshman or a sophomore. In 2017, he recorded just 11 receptions on 24 targets for 219 yards and one touchdown. He converted to tight end the following season, and that partially improved his production. As a junior, Sullivan recorded 23 receptions on 44 targets for 363 yards and two touchdowns.
Strengths
- Impressive testing numbers at the NFL Combine in some areas;
- Former wide receiver with good straight-line speed;
- Build to outmuscle defenders and win contested catches;
- Has a history of playing better than he did in 2019;
- 98th percentile arm length creates a large catch radius;
Weaknesses
- Hardly saw the field and couldn’t beat out Thaddeus Moss for playing time;
- No nuance or flexibility to his routes – just goes in a straight line;
- Bad on-field lateral movement verified by his poor agility drills;
- Below-average blocker that won’t be able to contribute on running plays;
- Not good after the catch;
- Slow out of breaks and loses a lot of his speed trying to cut.
NFL Comparison: Eric Saubert
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, New York Jets
Projection: 6th/7th Round
Bottom Line on Stephen Sullivan
Stephen Sullivan is probably nothing more than just a camp body. From a production standpoint, Sullivan did nothing during his time at the collegiate level to suggest that there is a great player hidden deep within him. He spent 2019 buried behind Thaddeus Moss, and it’s not a good sign that Sullivan couldn’t beat him out. While his straight-line speed is good for a tight end, Sullivan has terrible lateral agility and he loses most of his momentum when he tries to make a cut. On top of that, he doesn’t break many tackles and typically goes down at first contact. Most tight ends that can’t make a difference in the passing game need to contribute as blockers, and Sullivan is a below-average run blocker.
That said, Sullivan has enough interesting traits to justify a late-round pick. Sullivan tested well in the broad jump, vertical jump, and 40-yard dash, which implies there is some untapped athletic potential. Additionally, his long wingspan gives him a large catch radius and helps him with contested passes. This ability, combined with his speed, gives him some potential as a threat on seam routes. Ultimately, Sullivan is an NFL longshot that will probably need to spend some time on the practice squad before he’s ready to make any meaningful NFL contributions.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
