Aaron Hernandez NFL Draft scouting report

Feb 5, 2010, 4:51 AM UTC

Aaron Hernandez
6’2, 250 pounds | Tight end | Florida
Acceleration: Hernandez’s burst is outstanding. He has very good short-area quickness to create space. Knows how to use his burst in and out of his cuts.
Agility: Doesn’t have a great vertical leap, but it’s good enough. Times his jumps well. Has fluid hips that he opens up over the middle to turn, catch and work up the field.
Blocking: Hernandez does a nice job of using his strength to block, but isn’t technically sound. Doesn’t stay planted to block and moves around too much. More of a seal blocker in space than a traditional tight end in-line blocker.
Body Control: Frequently showed he can adjust to badly thrown passes to make tough grabs. Very coordinated in the open field. Shrugs off hits pre-catch really nicely.
Hands: Displays elite-level hands. Showed he properly caught the ball away from his frame. Doesn’t let the ball get into his body.
Release: When lined up off the line, Hernandez didn’t have a problem with his release. He was a little slow out of his stance when he puts his hand down. Will have to work here.
Route Running: Wasn’t required to run a lot of routes at Florida. Mostly ran slants over the short middle. Didn’t run a lot of dig routes, which is a key route for NFL tight ends.
Size: This has been the biggest knock on Hernandez. He has good bulk, but he’s listed at only 6-foot-2. This leads most to say Hernandez is an H-back, but Dustin Keller of the Jets measured in at the same height.
Speed: Separation speed is good but not great. Is more of a quick, agile tight end. Doesn’t break away from defenders in a straight line, but he’s shifty.
Vision: Is a weapon after the catch, even though is speed isn’t excellent. Gets a lot of yards after the catch. Has the strength to power through tacklers. Sets up his blockers well to create more open space.

Final word: Strictly as a receiving option, Hernandez is a solid tight end. But some of the other aspects of his game knock him down. His height is below-average for the position and he needs to learn more routes and how to block. But his receiving skills are so good, he’s worth a second-round pick.

Really broke through toward the end of his sophomore year and continued to play well as a junior. In 2009, Hernandez finished with 68 catches for 850 yards and five touchdowns.