Raiders NFL Draft: A Tight End Option In Every Round

Round 3 – Gerald Everett, South Alabama

Gerald Everett is listed as a tight end, but he certainly doesn’t have the size of one. At just 6’3″ and 239 pounds, he’ll immediately be one of the smallest tight ends in the NFL, but his game is bigger than his size.

First and foremost, Everett is an athlete. He clocked in at 4.62 seconds, with a 37 1/2″ vertical, 126″ broad jump and 6.99 3-cone drill. All are either well above average or elite numbers for the position.

What stands out the most about Everett is his ability after the catch. He picks up a ton of yards after the catch, and despite his size, he’s tough to bring down.

Everett is smooth in and out of his breaks, and looks like a natural receiver. He catches the ball cleanly and with consistency, and like Shaheen, he’s a former basketball player, which automatically puts him into the “intriguing tight end” category.

Linebackers will have a problem matching up with him, as he’ll be a mismatch nightmare due to his speed. The safeties is where he’ll have some trouble, given his frame. He’ll have a tough time boxing out bigger bodies, so he may not ever develop into an effective red zone threat in the NFL. But at South Alabama, he did demonstrate the ability to make contested catches. He’ll have to prove he can still do that in the NFL.

Everett is also a fairly weak route runner. He mostly relies on his athleticism to get open, but in the NFL, he’ll need a lot more than that to consistently create separation. But in the third round, his upside as a pass catcher makes him an attractive possibility.