2021 NFL Draft: Hunter Long is a nice sleeper tight end
Boston College tight end Hunter Long is a sleeper 2021 NFL Draft prospect to watch
Kyle Pitts out of Florida stands tall as the top tight end prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft class and Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth and Miami’s Brevin Jordan are commonly considered to be the next tight ends behind him. That being said, Boston College tight end Hunter Long has been fantastic this season and should be considered a threat to that top three.
Long is a 6-foot-5, 253-pound tight end who has been a major impact player for Boston College the last couple of seasons. He had 28 receptions for 509 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games last season and backed that up with 57 receptions for 685 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games during the 2020 season.
The Boston College product is an impact tight end prospect who is valuable to his team as both a receiver and a blocker. He is a solid route runner who can create space in the middle of the field, tracks the ball in the air well and shows soft hands.
Long is also a tough and physical ball carrier who creates well after the catch. He is never going to be mistaken for an elite athlete at the tight end position, but Long does move well enough to create space from the defense and get upfield quickly.
As a blocker, Long shows impressive natural power at the point of attack and solid natural grip strength. He can physically overwhelm some edge defenders, understands his responsibilities in blitz pickup and attack the second level at a high level. Make no mistake about it, Long can handle himself as an inline tight end at the next level.
Next. First-round 2021 NFL mock draft. dark
It is unlikely that anybody touches Pitts as the top tight end in the 2021 NFL Draft class. That being said, Long should be in the discussion for the next two or three spots after him. Make no mistake about it, this guy is a rock-solid player who will be able to come in and make an immediate impact for the team that drafts him.