Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: TE Tyler Eifert
Player Information:
Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame
6-6, 250 pounds
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
STATS: College statistics
NFL Combine:
40-yard dash: 4.68 seconds
Bench press: 22 reps
Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
Broad jump: 119 inches
3-cone drill: 6.92 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.32 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.52 seconds
News and Notes:
Production was somewhat hurt in 2012 by having a freshman QB and constant double teams. … Still led Notre Dame with 50 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns to win the Mackey Award as the nation’s top TE. … Caught 63 passes for 803 yards in 2011. … Son of former Purdue basketball player Greg Eifert.
What they’re saying about him:
- WalterFootball.com: “Eifert is an NFL-ready pass catcher. He has good speed running down the middle seam with excellent hands. Eifert is fearless leaping in the middle of the field to make tough catches despite knowing that massive hits are coming his direction. He showed real toughness for the Fighting Irish. Eifert is very good on third down to help move the chains. He gains separation on linebackers and is too big for defensive backs. Eifert should be a real contributor in the passing game early in his NFL career..”
- NFL.com: “Still growing as a blocker and needs to use better angles. Stronger linebackers will rip off his blocks and ride him off his route when he does not use his hands effectively. Allows throws into his body on occasion, will drop the ball when trying to run before securing.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
- I like what I see when Eifert blocks on the second and third levels against smaller linebackers and defensive backs. He doesn’t lunge or whiff often.
- Blocking DEs/OLBs is a different story. He doesn’t seem to have the size to hold up or the quickness to make reach blocks.
- I really like what I see on his routes. He’s fast and works well in traffic.
- I can also see Eifert doing some damage on seam routes against slower LBs and safeties, or even against small slot corners.
- Uses his height and lanky frame well. Goes up and grabs passes with his hands.
- His quickness off the line should help him get into his routes early against press coverage.
- Not very big or thick. Can he hold up over the long haul working the middle and taking shots from bigger defenders in the NFL? He was durable in college.
- What do you guys think of Eifert compared to Zach Ertz? I like Eifert more. Faster, more sure-handed, better blocker downfield, more explosive and aggressive.
If drafted by the Packers:
I can see Ted Thompson liking Eifert. Would he like him enough to take him in the first round if Jermichael Finley is still on the team? Probably not, but you never know.
Eifert appears to be an NFL-ready pass catcher. Assuming Andrew Quarless returns to form, the combination of Quarless blocking and Eifert catching passes would be interesting.
Another wrinkle that Thompson and Mike McCarthy probably like about Eifert: He looks comfortable lining up as an H-back. Imagine Randall Cobb lining up at RB and Eifert motioning into the backfield as an H-back. I’m not sure how it would work in real life, but it would be tough to stop on Madden.
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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 .
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More splash players, more 1st downs, confusing the oppossing D! What’s NOT to like?
It looks like 26 will be about who drops to the Pack. Some team will want a QB and there will be plenty of options for TT. Maybe another team will want to move up badly and trade away the house? Extra 2nd and 3rd helpings
I like the IDEA of drafting Eifert at 26. Having a player ready to step in for JMF, should his contract demands be unmanageable after this coming season, would surely be very good for the GBP’s cap situation. However, I am having a hard time seeing how it improves the team very much for this year.
I think it could be very difficult to trade down from 26 to the early-mid 2nd round this year because of the relatively flat “talent curve” in this year’s draft, so if TT is forced to draft at 26 and that pick is Eifert, I’m not going to spaz.
In such a pass-happy system, more weapons at TE or WR (especially when subtracting a Greg Jennings) is not going to hurt you, IMHO.
I agree: if there’s a player high on the board at a position of relative need (even if the rating is a little below someone like this…Eifert or anyone else), that should trump a TE.
I also agree that the nature of the draft pool this year might make trading down difficult, but with TE having become a glamor position in the NFL, there’s enough need that someone might be willing to overpay at a shot for this guy if he’s still available.
With Pack looking at Dlinemen in FA, Oline and OLB are still the focus in round #1 from my point of view. Eifert has the ND PR machine behind him and will likely go higher than he should.
The question is: who at OLB/OL (who isn’t going to be gone in the first 20) is going to merit a late first-round pick? You’re going to likely get either a project at OT or a “technician” who might not have the measureables (same can be said for OLB). Late first is almost always a reach at C…and do you really want to draft an OG at that point?
The problem with picking late in the first round is that every guy has his knocks, and those picks can easily be overanalyzed into looking like reaches. With a draft pool that favors day two of the draft and so many different opinions as to which position the Packers should be addressing, the only way the posters here will be happy with the pick is if a star slides big-time or if the Packers trade up to get an impact player.
I have to think that the GBP would be happy with selecting either Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack if they are available at 26. Both of those guys have the potential to be perennial Pro-Bowlers for the next decade.
I do agree that fans, as a whole, are unlikely to get excited about any draft pick unless there is some massive move up by TT.
Little to no chance Warmack falls. Cooper might be less than 50% chance. He would probably moved to center w Pack having Lang a d Sitton at OG. Unless the Cal WR falls or Cooper I think they go on defense at 26. Ogletree would be perfect or a safety. The DL are all better 43 fits than 34.
Don’t be surprised if they move back. It a lot of similar graded players at that point.
I doubt either of the top 2 interior OL prospects are there either, but I was just pointing out to the previous poster that I think the GBP would be happy to have either one.
As I said earlier, I think it will be tough to move back this year BECAUSE most teams will see similar values between players taken in the late first and early-mid second.
Maybe if Geno Smith falls all the way to 26 the GBP find a trade partner willing to give up something decent.
Agree it’ll be difficult to find trade down but i tbink they’ll try.
I REALLY don’t see OLB 2 yrs in a row. Your giving up on Perry after 5 games played w an injury? No way that happens IMO.
They aren’t drafting another OLB in R1. It’s almost like some automatically say OLB! every year in one.
TE: I would love to see one of these two (Ertz or Eifert) drafted to replace the Yappy Butterfingers, who makes almost as much as Rodgers.
You hear OLB every year because the Packers have only 1 consistant pass rusher. They keep searching for at least one more. It’s was obvious during the season that both lines are weak. If TT has a chance to get help for either, he should take it.
It is rare to find somone who really knows their stuff. Good job.