The tight end position hasn’t been incredibly strong in the past couple drafts, outside of Florida’s Kyle Pitts. Pat Freiermuth was a solid player, but the 2020 class as a whole was weak. Things could change when the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around.
Texas A&M’s Jalen Wydermyer is very much on the radar of draft analysts everywhere, and Colorado State’s Trey McBride has earned plenty of attention as well. There is another player out west who deserves more attention, and could be in for a big season. That player is Washington Huskies tight end Cade Otton.
Huskies TE Cade Otton is a well-rounded talent that could rise in the 2022 NFL Draft class.
Like a lot of recent players on the summer scouting series at NFL Mocks, Otton played many position during his time in high school. He was the team’s long snapper for all four seasons, and was dominant as a senior, catching 39 passes for 733 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 107 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Otton was named a “red chip recruit” by the Seattle Times and was the number eight player in the state of Washington by 247Sports.
After redshirting, Otton has had solid numbers in his three seasons with the Huskies so far. He was named to the preseason Mackey Award watch list in 2019, and was a semifinalist in 2020. Otton has caught 63 passes for 776 yards and eight touchdowns so far, and had two excellent games in 2020 against Arizona (7/100/1) and Utah (8/108/2). It’s not hard to imagine that 2021 is a big year for Otton with a full season.
Let’s dive in and look at an in-depth scouting report for Cade Otton, and where his 2022 NFL Draft stock is right now.
Otton Has a Great Skill Set
The traits for Otton start with his ability to play inline. Otton is a very good blocker in both parts of the game. He can hang with some 4-3 defensive ends at the point of attack and shows off good hand placement in tight at the armpits in pass protection. Otton has good balance in pass protection as well. His explosion out of his stance and initial quicks show up in the run game, and Otton has flashed displacement of defenders off the line of scrimmage and is a good finisher.
As a receiving threat, Otton has a great understanding of finding space against zone coverage. He works well through contact in his stem with strong hands to cross the face of defenders on routes over the middle. Otton has a great pair of mitts and shields defenders well at the catch point. He also attacks the ball well in the air. Surviving big hits over the middle comes with the position, and Otton is strong in this area as well.
While he isn’t an uber-dynamic player relative to others on the field, Otton can create after the catch due to his very good balance and toughness. He routinely requires multiple defenders to bring him down and can get through first contact.
Where can Otton improve his game?
For well-rounded talents, weaknesses become few and far-between. So how can Otton raise his stock for the 2022 NFL Draft?
Production is obviously something that matters, and Otton hasn’t put up incredible numbers yet for the Huskies. Part of that could be from Hunter Bryant sitting ahead of him on the depth chart, and another from quarterback play. Still, his two games over 100 yards in 2020 should alleviate some concerns on that, and Otton could have a breakout season in 2021.
Something to watch this year for Otton is to see a more developed game as a route runner. He has a decent route tree, consisting of in/over routes, post routes up the seam, and plenty of short ins, outs, and drag routes. Seeing Otton become more technical at the top of his stems and more efficient in his breaks would be excellent for his stock.
As a blocker, there are times where he doesn’t get a good angle against the EMLOS (end man on the line of scrimmage) and they can collapse down quickly to make plays in the backfield. If Otton can get into better position right after the snap, he will prevent gap penetration and tackles for loss.
Final Thoughts/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
Cade Otton has so much to like when it comes to his game. His ability to play inline to help out the running game and to help in pass protection is important, and he’s able to produce as a receiver and find a way to win after the catch. The traits are there to fuel what should be great production in his final season in Washington.
So where is his stock right now for the 2022 NFL Draft? He should be ranked very highly among tight ends, but likely sits as a day two prospect right now. It takes special tight ends to crack the first round, particularly ones with elite athleticism. It’s hard to imagine Otton’s numbers are bad, but they likely aren’t at the level of a Kyle Pitts or a Noah Fant.
A strong 2021 campaign will put him firmly on the radar for draft analysts, and he should be able to compete somewhere in the All-Star circuit to get in front of coaches.
Can he become TE1 in this class? It’s not outside the realm of possibility, as the race seems more wide open than it was in initial viewings. The 2022 NFL Draft may bear fruit at the tight end position, and Cade Otton could be one of the reasons why it does.