Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: TE Zach Ertz
Player Information:
Stanford TE Zach Ertz
6-5, 249 pounds
Hometown: Alamo, CA
STATS: College stats
NFL Combine:
40-yard dash: 4.76 seconds
Bench press: 24 reps
Vertical jump: 30.5 inches
Broad jump: 111 inches
3-cone drill: 7.08 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.47 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.92 seconds
News and Notes:
Ertz could have left Stanford after his redshirt sophomore season in 2011, but stuck around and was his teams top offensive weapon. … Caught a TD in five straight games to end the 2010 season and start 2011. … Missed three games in 2011 with a knee injury. … All-American in 2012 after catching 69 passes for 898 yards and six touchdowns. … Top tight end recruit in the nation out of Monte Vista High School.
What they’re saying about him:
- NEPatriotsdraft.com: “His ability to be a play-making tight end and stretch the field vertically makes him a very attractive asset to NFL teams. He has sure hands and runs routes with an easiness that is tough to cover. Ertz has the frame and agility to exploit linebackers in man coverage and can always find the soft spot in zone coverage.”
- CBSSports.com: “Weaknesses: Has done a nice job adding bulk to his frame, but needs to continue to develop his strength to sustain blocks at the line of scrimmage. Will round off some routes at times and needs to better control himself in/out of his breaks. Needs to do a better job coming down with contested throws and will drop some easy ones – seems to have at least one drop each game.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
- Hate the drop early in the film. Based on everything I’ve read about Ertz, drops were a bit of an issue for him.
- Not as explosive as he’s hyped up to be, but he’s got a knack for setting into open spots.
- A willing blocker, but he’ll need to bulk up a bit if he wants to be known for his blocking in the NFL.
- Seems most comfortable operating out of the slot where he can get some room to operate coming off the line.
- I don’t know why Notre Dame isn’t jamming him at the line in this video. Ertz seems like a nightmare if he’s allowed to just run untouched to a soft spot in the zone.
- Make sure you check out the catch at the 3:15 mark of the video.
- Is it worth dumping Jermichael Finley and drafting Ertz? I don’t know. I like what I saw from Ertz, but Finley has a lot more talent. NFL teams won’t allow Ertz to just run free like Notre Dame did in this film. Is Ertz big enough to get off jams, still find open spots in the zone and actually hang onto the ball? Finley is a terrible run blocker, but would Ertz be much better? More willing, yes, but I don’t know about better.
Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
——————
Vance McDonald next, please. Analysis, not necessarily as a draft pick.
Thomas:
What do you mean by “Analysis, not necessarily as a draft pick?”
I just meant that I would like to hear about Vance McDonald, not that I am endorsing him as a draft pick.
Adam, I gave your question a thumbs up for pointing out how terribly poorly I worded that first post.
I really like the player evaluations because I don’t watch tape on the prospects myself, and think the content is very good–just to be clear.
McDonald has some pretty impressive measurables (not quite Gronkowski, but not too far off) but I have read conflicting reports about him as an in-line TE, as well as his propensity to drop a pass or two per game.
Cool. I never quite know what people want to know in these draft profiles so I thought I’d ask.
Adam. Do a piece on DL’s named Williams, next. Maybe then one day we can seperate Jesse from Brandon from Sylvester, and even Nicholas and Meshak. More seriously, I really would love an opinion on the first three I mentioned
hopefully, we’ll get to them all…
TE is a low round pick for the Pack, if at all. J Mike will be back. No mater what McGinn or the other MJS losers say. By the way GB says – franchise Jennings? We don’t need no stinking franchise!
So much for the credibility of the MJS.
I don’t know about ruling TE out completely, regardless of whether TT deems JMF (JERMICHAEL FINLEY)worthy of his $8.5 million salary this year or not.
TT seems to draft for next year unless there is a glaring need that has to be filled right away. I would argue that the latter situation does not exist, so I would not be surprised to see a TE taken relatively early if the value is there.
After watching this ND-Stanford clip and focusing on Ertz, I thought both his blocking and receiving were Ok, but nothing spectacular. Personally, unless a TE has Vernon Davis type speed, or is an exceptional blocker, I don’t care for taking him in the first.
If the Pack are going for it this year (and I expect they are), then they’ll probably keep Finley, in which case we don’t need a TE in the first. Maybe next year, if they let Finley walk.
Pass on Ertz and TE in general in this draft. None is better than Finley maybe same at best! Move on to propects at other positions.
We need a fast physical ILB, a physical playmaking Safety and a true 34 DE, then a RB. Get Canty or Jolly on DL and draft the others IMO.
Why don’t you tell everybody how you just make up words, Stroh! Discussionary? Your just a stupid little man, that doesn’t know squat! Lets hear your explanation for making up words that don’t exist!
Look whos calling people names!!! And I’M the little man?! What a f***ing JOKE you are. Get a damn life and get the hell outta mine! Exacly what word did I make up? Oh sorry I mis spelled prospect. I guess if you had 1/2 a brain you would be able to understand that like anyone else!
No No little man. The post on Feb.28th, Position Group: Safties. Your march 3rd post at 8:59PM. “DISCUSSIONARY” Isn’t a word!! But if you had even 2 braincells in your head, you would have known that! But go ahead and keep cussing. Because THAT really shows everybody how smart you’re NOT!
You’re all upset because you got caught trying to be smart, which we all know is impossible for you!! You start with talking down to everybody, then when you get called out for it, your little feelings get hurt! How sad you’ve become, LITTLE MAN!
Discussionary… A statement that elicits discussion. Not to hard to figure out. WHo the hell cares?! Except a freakin head case that has nothing better to do than start arguments! Go away and get a life you truly pathetic excuse of a human being!
Just keep living in your little world. That’s where you can talk down to everybody and make up all the words you want!
Your the pathetic human w no life or meaningful existence that has to start arguments. Go away and leave the rest of us to talk about Packer football! Clearly your not here for anything but a arguing!
Start arguments? You really do live in your own little world. YOU started this, and then when someone calls you on it, you whine like a little girl. Poor little stroh!
Really how did I start this? I made a comment to no one in particular and YOU responded to me and started off by immediately w/ the name calling! Seems painfully obvious to EVERYONE, except YOU, that you started this!!
Get a life and PLEASE get the hell out of mine!!
YOU made a reply on my comment! That’s how this started. As you well know. As well as everybody else who read your crap that day! And I don’t usually care about roadkill like you, but it makes you so mad that somebody called you on your BS! So go ahead and whine and complain all you want, but unless you haven’t noticed, I’m only responding to your continued garbage. You keep saying leave you alone, then an hour later you will either curse or say something else that has nothing to do with reality! All you have to do is stop responding, but apparently you can’t even do the simplest of things! Everytime you comment, it proves my point. Little man!
#4 Stroh, just a general comment to no one in particular. March 4, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Pass on Ertz and TE in general in this draft.
reply Scott “Why don’t you tell everybody how you just make up words, Stroh! Discussionary? Your just a stupid little man, that doesn’t know squat! Lets hear your explanation for making up words that don’t exist!”
LMAO
Try the feb 28th post about the Safties. The one at 9:00 PM! But you know that. But keep trying to deny it! Your nothing but a lying LITTLE MAN! You always are talking down to people. But you NEVER look at the post that started it. Because you can’t stand it. It shows that your posts since, are nothing but lies! Little Man!
Your still crying about something over a week ago? And you call me small? Lol. Bout time you man up and move on don’t you think?
Both of you need to chill out. I’m guessing there’s some history between you two, but I really don’t want to see your fight take place here.
Just so you know in both this and the other article I made a general comment to no one in particular. He took exception and went to the name calling. I even prefaced the first comment on the article w “sorry”. Both he went to name calling w/o me even commenting to scott.
Sorry about this didn’t want this but I don’t react well to these attacks.
Scott, you need to calm it down. We don’t accept those kinds of personal attacks on this site.
Chad, MY personnel attacks? I’m not the one cussing on this board! Stroh talks down to everybody, then when he gets called on it he whines and bitches and moans about being attacked!
Both of you need to chill out. I’m guessing there’s some history between you two, but I really don’t want to see your fight take place here.
Al, Even Chad has stated that stroh is always talking down to everybody! Which is what started this. I could care less, and even told stroh that I was more than happy to stop. But he wouldn’t let it go. Go back and see how this went down! All he has to do is let it go. But he won’t. And I’m not going to let him call names and cuss at me bigtime, then say that he’s being attacked.
I like Ertz a lot. I think he would be a fine pick in the second round. Finley gets all this pub for being a great athlete, but he ran in the 4.8s at his combine. A TE does not have to have elite speed. he has to be able to use his body and know how to run routes. one step to the left or right can have a huge impact when running a seam route. some guys have a natural feel for it and some dont.
Watch Ertz’ game against Oregon. He killed them. huge catches all game.
I’ve got another TE profile running soon, then I’ll hit the D-linemen.
I would like to see a D-Line piece on Cornelius “Tank” Carradine, if you were so inclined to view his tape. I hear some scouts think it is superior to Werner’s at FSU.
It’s in the works…
To: Ron LC
Some of us do like to see the available TE’s, and think that Finley will be gone—if not this year, certainly next. Why? Because they need the $$$ to re-do Rodgers, and Finley is one of the most overrated and least cost to value players on the Packers.