Article: Could converted DE Kenny Fletcher be Rutgers football's answer at tight end?

[Knight Shift]

Chris Iseman is the best Rutgers beat writer of all the NJ newspapers.

"His experience as a wide receiver in high school – he caught 34 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns as a senior – has already helped."

“Blocking, I feel like I’m a violent football player,” Fletcher said. “So blocking, the violence in me helps me block. It’s second nature, again.”

First thought is does he have the size/measurables? Kenny is 6'3" and in the 240's lbs according to the article.

The top TEs in the B1G last season:

Colston Loveland (Michigan) 6'5" 245 lbs
Cade Stover (Ohio State) 6'4" 251 lbs
Cory Dyches (Maryland) 6'2" 215 lbs

Second thought is a chicken/egg- Have the TEs not produced receiving yards because of the offensive scheme and the need for the TEs to block, or has it been a talent/development issue?

Hope to see more receiving production this year from the TEs.

Could converted DE Kenny Fletcher be Rutgers football's answer at tight end?

Rutgers football is hoping Fletcher, a Delran product, can become a consistent weapon in the offense at tight end.

www.app.com

 

[RUPete]

This would be great to see. I forgot that he converted from DE in the offseason or I just missed it.

 

[RU at the shore]

I hope it happens. Right now, I see TE as our biggest question mark/weakness. It does seem like a long shot, though.

 

[ashokan]

Second thought is a chicken/egg- Have the TEs not produced receiving yards because of the offensive scheme and the need for the TEs to block, or has it been a talent/development issue?

TEs becoming blockers has a long tradition at RU unfortunately.

In his spring media talk Schiano said the OC made OL look better than it was because the offense schemed away from weak long pass blocking. That probably included a blocking TE

 

[RUTGERS95]

Chris Iseman is the best Rutgers beat writer of all the NJ newspapers.

"His experience as a wide receiver in high school – he caught 34 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns as a senior – has already helped."

“Blocking, I feel like I’m a violent football player,” Fletcher said. “So blocking, the violence in me helps me block. It’s second nature, again.”

First thought is does he have the size/measurables? Kenny is 6'3" and in the 240's lbs according to the article.

The top TEs in the B1G last season:

Colston Loveland (Michigan) 6'5" 245 lbs
Cade Stover (Ohio State) 6'4" 251 lbs
Cory Dyches (Maryland) 6'2" 215 lbs

Second thought is a chicken/egg- Have the TEs not produced receiving yards because of the offensive scheme and the need for the TEs to block, or has it been a talent/development issue?

Hope to see more receiving production this year from the TEs.

View embedded media

Could converted DE Kenny Fletcher be Rutgers football's answer at tight end?

Rutgers football is hoping Fletcher, a Delran product, can become a consistent weapon in the offense at tight end.

www.app.com

lol, of course he has the size

if he can block on the outside and run effective routes with reliable hands, he could be great for us

like any other TE that can do those things but more importantly, need a qb who can throw him the ball as you alluded to. the issue hasn't been the TE's when the qb can't complete a simple 5-7yd throw

 

[LeapinLou]

Second thought is a chicken/egg- Have the TEs not produced receiving yards because of the offensive scheme and the need for the TEs to block, or has it been a talent/development issue?

Just my opinion but I think, for whatever reason, Schiano and crew have not had success getting a stud TE to RU in quite a while. We've had so many good ones but since Vokolek transferred to Nebraska, it has been a bit of a black hole.

 

[ashokan]

Just my opinion but I think, for whatever reason, Schiano and crew have not had success getting a stud TE to RU in quite a while. We've had so many good ones but since Vokolek transferred to Nebraska, it has been a bit of a black hole.

RU had a great catching TE in Kroft and after his breakout year they made him a blocker.
I don't think any legit pass catching TE would go anywhere near RU the way things have been.
An opposing recruiter could talk RU right down to a TE recruit.
Invisible red zone TEs are a reason RU's red zone offenses have sucked

 

[LeapinLou]

RU had a great catching TE in Kroft and after his breakout year they made him a blocker.
I don't think any legit pass catching TE would go anywhere near RU the things have been.
An opposing recruiter could talk RU right down to a TE recruit.
Invisible red zone TEs are a reason RU's red zone offenses have sucked

Fair point. They may need to force feed the TE a bit so that they have legit film to recruit better ones. Maybe the Howard game will be good for that.

 

[Knight Shift]

RU had a great catching TE in Kroft and after his breakout year they made him a blocker.
I don't think any legit pass catching TE would go anywhere near RU the way things have been.
An opposing recruiter could talk RU right down to a TE recruit.
Invisible red zone TEs are a reason RU's red zone offenses have sucked

Fair point. They may need to force feed the TE a bit so that they have legit film to recruit better ones. Maybe the Howard game will be good for that.

We need to recruit QBs that we convert to TEs and then all of our problems will be solved. Oh wait, we did that too . . . . 🤣

 

[ashokan]

We need to recruit QBs that we convert to TEs and then all of our problems will be solved. Oh wait, we did that too . . . . 🤣

DC Jefferson got drafted by Cardinals because they realized he could actually catch. He got drafted and made the team but then got a DUI. His mother used to post here a lot and she was nice. Said DC was offered as a 13 yr old because he could throw 70 yds


"D.C. Jefferson wants to prove he’s more than a blocking tight end."

After the East-West game, Jefferson said he “caught [scouts] off guard” by “making catches they didn’t think I could make.”

After Jefferson’s solid performance at the Shrine game raised his draft stock, he injured himself early at the NFL Combine (according to USA Today). That injury might cancel out the bump he received in draft projections after the East-West game.

Jefferson should be a solid third-day pick. He has a lot to offer, and a team that gambles on him being more than a blocking tight end could be rewarded handsomely.

 

[RUTGERS95]

DC Jefferson got drafted by Cardinals because they realized he could actually catch. He got drafted and made the team but then got a DUI. His mother used to post here a lot and she was nice. Said DC was offered as a 13 yr old because he could throw 70 yds


"D.C. Jefferson wants to prove he’s more than a blocking tight end."

After the East-West game, Jefferson said he “caught [scouts] off guard” by “making catches they didn’t think I could make.”

After Jefferson’s solid performance at the Shrine game raised his draft stock, he injured himself early at the NFL Combine (according to USA Today). That injury might cancel out the bump he received in draft projections after the East-West game.

Jefferson should be a solid third-day pick. He has a lot to offer, and a team that gambles on him being more than a blocking tight end could be rewarded handsomely.

his mom was great and wished she continuted to post

 

[Knight Shift]

DC Jefferson got drafted by Cardinals because they realized he could actually catch. He got drafted and made the team but then got a DUI. His mother used to post here a lot and she was nice. Said DC was offered as a 13 yr old because he could throw 70 yds


"D.C. Jefferson wants to prove he’s more than a blocking tight end."

After the East-West game, Jefferson said he “caught [scouts] off guard” by “making catches they didn’t think I could make.”

After Jefferson’s solid performance at the Shrine game raised his draft stock, he injured himself early at the NFL Combine (according to USA Today). That injury might cancel out the bump he received in draft projections after the East-West game.

Jefferson should be a solid third-day pick. He has a lot to offer, and a team that gambles on him being more than a blocking tight end could be rewarded handsomely.

I remember that about DC.

 

[ashokan]

I remember that about DC.

I believe his mum said he was offered after throwing 70 yds at 12 but I put 13 just to be safe lol

 

[Knight Shift]

Another great article on Tight ends by the Targum's @Alec Crouthamel
@jonS - plenty of football threads today!!!

 

[RUBOB72]

Just my opinion but I think, for whatever reason, Schiano and crew have not had success getting a stud TE to RU in quite a while. We've had so many good ones but since Vokolek transferred to Nebraska, it has been a bit of a black hole.

From the picture of Kenny Fletcher today # 1 he is an athlete… # 2 looks like was chiseled from granite next to Ciarrocca. #3 if he can catch a football we may finally have that guy.