Miami tight end David Njoku (pronounced en-JOE-koo) brings impressive athleticism to the NFL, after being selected 29th overall by the Cleveland Browns. Despite his limited experience, the 20-year-old Nigerian offers tremendous potential as a pass-catching tight end.
David Njoku can see himself as great TE with Browns
He’s new to the position, but the athletic Miami product has thrived thus far through visualization and meditation.
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Njoku played wide receiver in high school — where he was also a national high jump champion — before switching over to tight end at Miami. He played just a limited role, splitting starting duties, but Njoku became a major asset in the red zone. In his final college season, he put up 43 catches for 698 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games, averaging an impressive 16.2 yards per catch.
The secret? Visualization and meditation.
Why did Cleveland draft Njoku?
In a class full of good tight end prospects, Njoku separated himself at the NFL Combine. At 6’4, 246 pounds, he ran a 4.64 40, and recorded a 37.5-inch vertical leap and an 11’1 broad jump. Clearly, Njoku is an imposing athlete, able to line up all over the field to create mismatches.
When Njoku has the ball in his hands, defenders will be in trouble. He has astounding breakaway speed for his size, capable of turning routine plays into huge gains. Njoku’s hands aren’t perfect, but he can snatch the ball out of the air and beat defenders on jump balls. Njoku should be an end-zone threat immediately in the NFL.
And, of course, Njoku is only 20. There’s plenty of time for him to develop into a top-tier tight end.
What is the potential downside?
With so little experience at the position, some growing pains are to be expected. Sure enough, Njoku still has a ways to go in the blocking department. He puts in the effort, but his lower-body strength leaves something to be desired and he could get pushed around by NFL defenders.
He also needs work on his route-running — raw athleticism served Njoku well in college, but he’ll have to develop more polish and avoid tipping his hand. Njoku also struggled at times with drops.
Njoku has flaws in his game, but those are all coachable, especially at his age. His elite upside is a big reason why the Browns took him so high in the draft.
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