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Tony Moeaki: The Best Blend of Blocking and Receiving in this Draft.
By TOMMarch 20th, 2009 |
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Tony Moeaki is the best blocking Tight End in this Draft. Okay, so maybe there are two 3rd-Tackle types who are better blocker. He is the best blocking TE who can actually go out and catch a pass;-) Okay, how can I put this? Tony Moeaki is the best blend of blocking and receiving in this Draft. He is a big strong kid with great hands. Blocks like a 3rd Tackle. His problem is staying healthy.
I was minding my own business one Saturday afternoon this past September. I turn on some football (I know big surprise right;-) It was the opening week, and Iowa was playing Northern Iowa (Yippee;-). I started to notice there were a lot of good prospects on the Iowa team, and they had this TE who kept catching the ball? The QBs totaled 20 Receptions in the game, and Moeaki caught 10 of them. He had 50% of the Catches for the whole team. I loved how he chips on the DE and still catches the ball (0:21). This is not Daniel Graham or Ben Watson trying to catch the ball, Moeaki has great hands. He is a hand catcher, and can reach out and snag the badly thrown ball: above, behind, and in the dirt. Great hands.
The next week he was a completely different player against Iowa ST. I DVRed the game. Instead of a pass receiving TE, he had morphed into a monster blocking Tight End. He was suddenly a powerful explosive blocker. He can bend his knees and drive Linebackers into the ground. He knocked the OLB on Moeaki's left (the ROLB) straight back on his butt twice in the 1st Half. In the Second half he knocked the Left Outside Linebacker on his butt (Right Tight End 2:00). He makes as many big plays in the running game as he does in the passing game. Iowa St was double-teaming him the whole 1st half, and he still found a way to contribute. Even when he misses a block, he can sink his hips and Wash the DE down the line past the play (Right TE 1:23 Washes).
The games just continued. I had discovered my first super sleeper. Just like last year when I watched Donald Brown from Connecticut play, and could believe what I was seeing. Against Michigan he showed some nice inline blocking (0:05). Then he gets open down field by Dragging across the middle of the field, and catches the ball deep for a 42-yard TD Catch (Left TE 0:22). Showing again he is the best blend of blocking and receiving in this Draft.
When I watched the Ohio State game, what did I see? My super secret way of judging how O-Linemen will block in the NFL, Moeaki is blocking multiple defenders on running plays. I have never seen a TE block multiple players on one play. He can consistently eliminate the OLB on running play. He can chip on the DE, and still get outside and block the LB trying to stop the Sweep. He can washed the D-End past the RB. He can stalemate the DE in run blocking. He can turn and become a defender on the badly thrown ball, and than leap up and grab the deflection (2:49 Right T-End). He can big up the blitzer and wash him out of the play (Left TE 2:04). He can test the Seam (watch him bounce off the OLB and get himself wide open 20 yards down field 4:59, of course his crappy QB doesn't throw him the ball). He stays real low in his stance and bursts of the line. Makes quick cuts to the outside. He does a good job catching the ball that is thrown before he turns. He had two drops in this game, but both drops were terrible throws that he was lucky to even get his hands on the ball. The starting QB Stanzi got injured, and they had to play a Freshman QB who simply wasn't ready.
I watched Orange Bowl and intended to avoid watch Moeaki and concentrate on Bulaga, but he just kept making plays. His first big play was a play run a lot in college. The offense play actions a sweep to the left, and I mean everybody goes to the left. The QB then Naked waggles out to the right, and the TE chips, and pretends to try and seal the Left D-End to the outside, in this case Derrick Morgan the best DE in college football. He lets Morgan shed him and then he drags out to the flat. Morgan charges the QB, and he throws the ball to Moeaki who caught and runs about 59 yards down field (Right TE 1:29).
He showed again that he is a hand catcher, and can extend his arms and catch the ball running at full speed and turn up field for more yards. He started hitting multiple defenders on running plays again, I cannot stress how impressed I am with that ability coming from a TE. Left TE 0:38! He hammers the RDE to allow Bulaga to get into position, and then hustles outside and washes the OLB out of the play! He is astonishing consistent at chipping on the DE as the OT or OG get into position, and then still slipping outside to hit the OLB (Right TE 1:40). He is a super valuable commodity, because he is an NFL caliber TE, right now. He can seal the DE (Right TE 1:12.5) He can Pass block effectively (Left TE 0:33). He get to the Second Level and block the MLB (Left TE 2:50). He can Seal the DT inside (Left TE 1:55).
He reminds me of Daniel Graham with good hands, and wouldn't you like to have a Daniel Graham on the Pats who could actually consistently catch the ball? Moeaki has legit NFL hands. He can leap up over the LB and snag the high throw with both hands. He is a clutch receiver who is counted on by his QB on 3rd Down. He can catch the deep throw on one play, and single-handedly Seal the D-End on the next. Super explosive blocker who can consistently knock the OLB backwards on Sweeps, Tosses, and Pitches. He can drive a DE backwards (Left TE 1:39). He is not the fastest guy, and a lot of pundits had him running in the 4.8 and above range, but he ran a 4.7 forty at the Combine, which is fast enough. He can spin back while running with full momentum going in the opposite direct and snag the ball thrown badly behind him. He is the only TE who could block the great Morgan Burnett One-on-One (Left TE 1:17). Excels in short patterns and always catches the ball with his hands. By the 2nd Half of the Orange Bowl GT was double teaming him on passing downs.
He has some issues. He has had repeated foot and ankle injuries over the past the five season. He is a fifth year senior, who was given a medical Redshirt after 4 games during his first Junior season. The problem is that guys who keep getting injuries in college, often keep getting injured in the NFL. However, he could also be like Curtis Martin. Martin dropped into the 3rd Round because he kept getting injured in college, and than stayed amazing healthy for ten seasons. I dropped him to the 4th Round, because nobody else seemed to have him rated high at all? But I decided to trust my eyes and trust what I remember from watching him play. Then while I was writing this article I gathered some videos of him on You Tube, and one had him as the best blocking and reciting TE (almost exactly what I called him in this article;-) Another guy had him as the best the Big Ten has ever seen. Finally, I saw the Sporting News had him as the second best TE in the Draft.
When I watched Moeaki last season, he was the best Tight End in college football just judging by last season. The only Tight End who could give him a run for the money would be Grisham two years ago. I believed my eyes when I watched Donald Brown who turned into a 1st Round pick last year, and I believe my eyes now. Moeaki will be this years super steal in the 2nd or 3rd Round, and he may even last as long as the 4th Round. Just like Ben Coates (that's right I am comparing him to Coates, deal with it;-). Coates was taken in the 5th Round at pick 124. When the Pats pick in the 4th (at about pick 120 depending on how many Compensation picks will be added to the end of the 3rd Round), he could still be on the board. I'm saying I watched him play, and I wouldn't wait until the 4th Round, I'd take Ben Coates in the 2nd Round;-)
If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me:
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