If you’re talking New England Patriots, odds are you’re probably talking Rob Gronkowski. Fair enough considering he’s been making headlines with his non-committal answers about returning to the team next season. Given his attitude, many analysts are betting the Patriots draft a new tight end in the 2018 NFL Draft. It also seems that many are forgetting about some tight end talent the Patriots already have stock in: Jacob Hollister, last years rookie out of Wyoming.
Reviewing Jacob Hollister’s Rookie Impact on the New England Patriots
Following last year’s draft, the Patriots loaded up on rookie free agents, bringing in names such as Adam Butler (who helped patch a hemorrhaging front seven), Harvey Langi, and both Jacob and Cody Hollister. How often do two brothers get picked up by the same team?
Jacob Hollister, 23, played 30 games at Wyoming, raking in over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. For the Patriots, whose tight end lineup at that point was limited to Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen – as well as sixth-round draft pick James O’Shaughnessy – Hollister would provide some much-needed depth. After all, Gronk isn’t super reliable when it comes to injuries and Dwayne Allen is…well…Dwayne Allen. Ultimately Hollister won the third-string spot over O’Shaugnessy, who was released from the Patriots before the start of the season.
Unfortunately, when you’re playing behind NFL veterans like Gronk and Allen, there’s only so much playtime you’re going to get. That isn’t to say that Hollister didn’t show off his skills when he got the chance to, though.
The Good
Comparing preseason stats is by no means a true measure of an athlete’s ability, especially when comparing any player to an outlier like Gronkowski. However, it’s worth noting that Hollister’s rookie preseason was pretty good in comparison Gronk’s rookie preseason efforts.
In 2010, Gronkowski pulled in eight receptions for 109 total yards (13.6 average) and four touchdowns. Hollister raked in 12 total receptions for 146 yards and one touchdown – roughly 12.2 yards on average – during his rookie preseason.
Sure, that’s less than Gronk’s career average, but it’s nearly four more yards per reception than Allen’s. Hollister’s preseason highlight came against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he brought in seven receptions for 116 total yards. After dropping a pass from Jimmy Garoppolo, Hollister would proceed to catch his next six targets for 115 yards.
Hollister didn’t see much action on offense during the regular season, but he did play on nearly 40% of the kicking unit’s snaps and racked up four special teams tackles. During the postseason, Hollister saw one reception that didn’t go anywhere.
The Bad
It’s difficult to gauge exactly how useful Hollister would be if Gronkowski or Allen went down on the field. His preseason numbers were good for a rookie, and it isn’t realistic to expect him to fill a Gronk-sized hole. Hollister was able to beat out a sixth-round pick for a third-string position, but he remains untested on the Patriots offense. He has some issues tackling, but his work on special teams has helped remedy that issue.
Last Word on Jacob Hollister
Even with his lack of experience and the learning curve, Bill Belichick seems impressed with the young player. “I’m not saying he’s got it all down,” Belichick says, “But I’d say he’s picked up a lot of things at the tight end position, which as we’ve talked about, is not the easiest position in our offense to learn…”
Hollister will likely remain a reserve option for the team’s tight end rotation, but he has some competition. The Patriots recently signed former Arizona Cardinals tight end Troy Niklas. There’s also word that they could draft another tight end in this year’s draft as well. Hollister’s true test will come during this year’s off-season workouts and training camps. He’ll need to prove his mettle if he wants to stay on the depth chart next season. With Gronkowski’s future in question, Hollister’s time to shine could very well be on the horizon.
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