Jake Butt could be a tight end matchup nightmare for the Broncos

Jake Butt isn’t just a leader of the 2017 NFL draft’s All-Name team. He also emerged as the dependable backbone of Michigan’s offense his final two collegiate seasons. Now, he’ll be called on to add a receiving threat for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos selected the former Wolverine with the 145th pick of the 2017 NFL draft — the first selection of the fifth round — despite questions about his health. Butt is rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in late December in an Orange Bowl loss to Florida State, which will limit his production this fall.

Butt finished last season as Michigan’s second-leading receiver with 46 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns. He’s a sure-handed receiver who creates windows of opportunity downfield with crisp routes and strong hands. He works hard to get to the ball at the first possible point of contact, boxing out defensive backs and linebackers to limit turnovers and maximize gains.

Though he doesn’t have elite top-end speed, he can be a threat up the seam and throughout patterns that break 10-20 yards from the line of scrimmage.

He’s not going to leave defensive backs in the dust after the catch, but he’s a powerful runner who can crash through arm tackles. He sees the field well with the ball in his hands and can turn safeties around or otherwise maximize his yardage. He’s reliable over the middle, using his 6’5, 250-pound frame to absorb contact and drive through to first downs when his team needs him.

And, he’s already raking in endorsement money. Butt signed a deal with, who else, Charmin toilet paper the week of the draft.

Butt isn’t a premier athlete, so he’s never going to be a Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham kind of presence in the NFL. He’s fast and shifty enough to break off many linebackers in college, but he may struggle against higher-profile players at the next level. His surgically repaired knee and his inability to work out at the combine or Michigan’s pro day have only heightened that concern.

He’s a solid presence on the offensive line but not the kind of standout who handled run-blocking duties so well his transition isn’t in question. He’s stiff as a runner when it comes to moving laterally, which will have repercussions as both a receiver and blocker in the NFL. He’ll be an asset chipping blitzing pass rushers as they hit the line of scrimmage, but he has plenty to prove.

Butt is an interesting pick, as his knee injury will prevent him from playing up to his full potential in 2017. As a result, his rookie year is an essential redshirt year even if he doesn’t recover quickly and see the field this fall.