NFL Draft results 2015: Jesse James taken by Steelers

With the No. 160 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Penn State’s Jesse James. The former Nittany Lion, who decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the draft early, leaves Penn State as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown catches by a tight end.

James was an impactful player from day one in State College and started every game for the Nittany Lions over the past two seasons. He emerged as one of the conference’s top tight ends and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2014. The Pennsylvania native finished his collegiate career with 78 receptions for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons.

The mammoth 6’7, 261-pound tight end created quite a buzz at the NFL Combine in February with his standout performance in both the testing and positional drills. He ranked in the top five among tight ends in the bench press (26 reps, second), vertical jump (37.5 inches, second), broad jump (121 inches, first) and 60-yard shuttle (12.15 seconds, fifth). Scouts also noted that his strong hands and natural ball instincts stood out during the skill workouts.

A huge target with above-average athleticism and reliable hands, James has the tools to be a tough matchup in the red zone. He has the ability to catch the ball in traffic and enough straight-line speed to be a deep threat down the seam, but often has trouble getting separation in man coverage. James’ biggest strengths are his height and reach, but he really needs to improve his technique as a run blocker if he is going to develop into an every-down tight end in the NFL.