2015 NFL Draft Profile: TE Nick O’Leary, FSU
Nick O’Leary is not a Rob Gronkowski or a Jimmy Graham like tight end but he is a quality player. O’Leary was a clutch player for the great Florida State Seminoles teams of the past four seasons.
O’Leary’s role got larger every year with the Seminoles. As a freshman he only had 12 receptions. By his senior season he was a crucial part of the offense, catching 48 passes for 618 yards and 6 touchdowns. O’Leary is surely on the radar of the New York Giants.
GMENHQ Big Board 1.0 Ranking: 88th Overall Prospect
Strengths:
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- Good hands: O’Leary has consistent hands and can make the difficult catches routinely
- Good blocking tight end
- Good vertical ability: he can go up and get the ball at its highest point, making him a decent option in the red zone
- Can play tight end, or in the backfield as an H-back
Concerns:
- Average speed for a tight end
- Not ideal size
- Limited to short and intermediate routes, not a big play tight end
He is a decent athlete though he is not an exceptional one. One thing that I do like from O’Leary is the ability to catch balls in awkward positions in the air.
He kind of reminds me of Kyle Juszczyk, the fullback for the Baltimore Ravens. He is the playmaker nobody thinks about. Like O’Leary he is a skilled option to go to in the passing game but is not a traditional tight end or fullback.
O’Leary is a high effort player who blocks hard and doesn’t make mental mistakes. There are creative ways to make O’Leary a weapon but he is not an elite tight end at the next level. He will have to contribute on special teams and be a blocking tight end to make it in the NFL.