NFL Draft 2018 Scouting Report: TE Mark Andrews, Oklahoma

*Our TE grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, leaked Wonderlic test results, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.

**Our TE formulas had some slight changes in the offseason—an adjustment to better identify and value TE prospects that are smaller physically and are primed for the era ahead...the era of Jordan Reed and Delanie Walker-type TEs. Our historical grades will have changed some on various prospects as well, to show their grades by comparison. 

The scouting of Mark Andrews is pretty simple…he’s a ‘C’ grade talent, completely made by Baker Mayfield into a Mackey (top college TE) Award winner and into a top NFL prospect.

That’s it. I could end it here.

Andrews is not ‘fast’ for a tight end…a 4.67 40-time at the Combine. He’s not slow, but he’s not top draft pick material ‘fast’. Nor is he agile. His Combine agility times were regular tight end times. You can see on tape…he’s average/slightly above average in his movement skills. He’s not like a “bust” kind of slow but he’s not ‘wow, look how quick he is’.

He’s not a great blocker or a powerful force…a so-so 17 bench reps and a lot of scouting knocks on his blocking, or lack thereof. He lined up as a slot TE/WR most of his time at Oklahoma…he wasn’t a traditional tight end.

Andrews does have good/reliable hands. He has average/decent speed and agility for an NFL TE prospect, and he’s not all that strong/tough but he can hold his own. He has good, reliable hands and he a nice size a 6’5”/256.

People only care deeply and get overly excited about Andrews because he had a big statistical 2017 – 62 catches, 958 yards, and 8 TDs…22 TDs for his college career. Great numbers for a tight end…who really didn’t play classic tight end.

Blame all of it on Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield is such an unbelievably brilliant quarterback…just a fantastic passer – he made use of his various weapons and Andrews was a nice one of those. Andrews’s size-speed is great for college but just average for the pros. Mayfield used that to his advantage hitting Andrews all over…because Mayfield can fit throws into tight windows. He throws receivers open. He can take Andrews’s lack of separation against better coverage and hit him on the money where only the receiver can get it.

To say it another way, had Andrews played at LSU…he might not have been a top 150-200 prospect today. Paired with Baker Mayfield…he’s a universal top 50-75 prospect.

Andrews is a ‘C’ prospect, plain and simple. Likely a fringe starter or backup/passing game TE for the NFL. He goes to Jacksonville and you’ll never hear from him again. He goes to Oakland and starts in their passing game…he’ll be handy.

Andrews has good character/a solid background. He’s multiple time academic all Big-12. He’s a solid hand. He’s not a star or long-term starter…or even a superior passing game weapon. He’s fine. He’s good in the right spot. He won’t hurt you, but I don’t know that he’ll change the dynamic of your NFL offense much.

There is the upside of Andrews potentially adding a bunch of muscle, getting leaner/quicker and becoming a more prototypical NFL starting tight end but that’s betting on the come. Worth taking a chance, but I don’t know that you want to pay up just in case it happens. His ceiling isn’t that high.

Mark Andrews, Through the Lens of Our TE Scouting Algorithm:

Andrews’s numbers are very nice across the board for a college TE…granted he was more like a WR. There’s no sense picking them apart because I maintain he was handed a career gift working with Baker Mayfield. To me, you want reality or a better comparison – cut his numbers in half and then consider that + so-so Combine numbers. 

2018 NFL Combine measurables…

6’5.1”/256, 32.5” arms, 9.25” hands 

4.67 40-time, 4.38 shuttle, 7.34 three-cone

17 bench reps, 31.0” vertical, 9’5” broad jump

The Historical TE Prospects to Whom Mark Andrews Most Compares Within Our System:

Andrews compares with other fringe NFL tight end prospect through the years. What props up Andrews’ grades is his on-field performance…a luxury he was gifted, not one he created. I thought for sure Jace Amaro would be a comp, but no such luck.

*A score of 7.0+ is where we start to take a TE prospect more seriously. A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of TEs going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL TE.

All of the TE ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances.

**The ‘TE-Reed’ score is in honor of Jordan Reed’s 2015 season…looking at TEs in a different manner—the smaller, speedy receiving threats.

“Speed-Agility Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding speed, agility, physical size, mixed with some on-field performance metrics. High scorers here project to have a better YAC and show characteristics to be used as deep threats/create separation.

“Power-Strength Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding physical size profiling, bench press strength, etc.  High scorers here project to be more physical, better blockers, and less injury-prone.

“Hands Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding on-field performance in college, considering the strength of opponents played. Furthermore, this data considers some physical profiling for hand size, etc. High scorers here have a better track record of college statistical performance, and project the combination of data for receiving success at the next level.

2018 NFL Draft Outlook:

Andrews is tracking as a top 50 overall prospect, and I think he will go there because he’s a good kid/solid interview, smart, and successful on tape. Many other superior TE prospects would have done the same/better working with Mayfield their whole career. 

NFL Outlook:   

Gets drafted top 50…is forgotten about a few years later after a dull NFL career. He’ll be allowed to walk in free agency after his contract, his option won’t be picked up, he’ll be a nice hand as a backup or fringe starter. 

There is a chance he gets in better shape, adds muscle and becomes a more stable starter but there are too many athletic TEs hitting the NFL to go overboard on a moderately athletic one. 

3/15/2018