2016 NFL Combine Wrap-Up: Stanford Cardinal

Austin Hooper, Tight End

Measurables:

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 254 lbs.
Arm Length: 33-3/4″
Hand Size: 10-5/8″

Austin Hooper, entering after his junior season, has great size for a tight end, with about average height and weighing five pounds above the average. His arms are above average in length, and his hands are huge, the biggest among tight ends and the second-biggest when included with the wide receivers.

Drills (position ranking):

Bench Press (225 lbs): 19 (4/12)
40-Yard Dash: 4.72 (3/9)
Vertical Leap: 33″ (6/12)
Broad Jump: 117″ (6/12)
3-Cone Drill: 7.00 (5/10)
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.32 (7/10)
60-Yard Shuttle: 11.93 (7/8)

Hooper was mostly middle of the road in nearly all drills, but was in the top-third of tight ends in the bench press and 40-yard dash. Other than that, he was right in the middle in the vertical leap, broad jump, and three-cone drill. He struggled in the shuttle drills.

That good speed and strength combination from the bench press and 40-yard dash should translate nicely to the next level, but he will need some polishing. Like most tight ends coming out this year, Hooper needs some work playing on the line, and his blocking was pedestrian. That’s not really a knock on him as a player, but more on the offensive system that most colleges run as it was apparent that most tight ends in the Combine showed poor technique when blocking. Hooper is athletic enough to become a very serviceable tight end with the proper technique coaching.

Next: Devon Cajuste