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 NFL Draft Prospect
Interview: Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
by Jared Donnelly,
4/11/08. Often
times in today’s skill position obsessed Pre-Draft world, there are
late risers up draft boards at other spots. One of those spots where
people often enjoy a meteoric rise is at tight end. This year’s class
is especially deep at that position compared to years past and I
recently had a chance to talk to a man that I believe to be the Elite
tight end in this year’s class: Martellus Bennett from Texas
A&M.
Martellus is big and fast. How big and fast? “I come in at 6-6 260
pounds right now” he said almost matter of factly. And how about that
forty time? “4.6’s consistently. I’ve been running a lot and I have
been consistently hitting those 4.6 times”. That is a lot of man
moving very quickly in today’s NFL. Also, with linebackers getting
smaller and faster, and defensive lineman getting bigger and most not
running anywhere near the 4.6’s, there are mismatches all over the
field with a guy like Bennett.
| “I feel
like I can create mismatches with my size and
speed”, said Bennett when I asked him about this point. “I played
outside some at A&M and I played in tight too so wherever anyone
wants to put me is fine with me. I can make plays and do whatever any
team needs me to, I feel like.” It is easy to see his big play making
ability when you look at his stats and see that he caught 49 balls for
a total of 587 yards and four scores. Perhaps his most impressive stat
however, is his average yards per catch which registers as a whopping
12.0 YPC. Oh, and by the way, Bennett compiled that stat line despite
having missed a game. |
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Some people
have questioned his ability or potential to
ever become an elite end-line blocker in the NFL. Don’t bring that to
his attention though. “Anyone that says that didn’t watch any of my
games at A&M. We ran the ball a lot and all we did was run it to my
side. Why would we do that if I couldn’t control things at the line of
scrimmage? I have heard more scouts talk about my route running than my
blocking skills,” Bennett retorted somewhat indignant at the question.
Confidence and self awareness are excellent attributes to have in
today’s NFL, especially for someone banging up against large men who
would love nothing more than to take his head off.
Despite being a relatively complete tight end, we all know there is no
such thing as a perfect prospect and Martellus knows this too. “I work
on everything. Blocking, route running, pass catching, coming out of my
breaks, working on my steps. Basically, whatever it takes to be the
most complete tight end is what I am doing.” In my estimation, Bennett
may well be the most complete tight end prospect that this class has to
offer and could wind up competing to be the first or second guy taken
later this month when teams look to bolster their rosters. What does
Bennett bring to the table that makes him an NFL ready tight end right
now? “My ability to get open and create yards after the catch. I block
well too. I can block and run inside; I can get open outside or over
the middle too. I also think my speed is a big strength.”
While Bennett strives to become his ideal of the complete tight end,
all of those attributes would suggest that, perhaps, he has already
achieved that status. This is precisely why I have him projected in the
first two rounds of this April’s draft. I mentioned that at one point,
I had him projected to Seattle. “That would be cool, man. They have a
great core of guys and with Hasselbeck, I can really get a chance to
catch some balls. Nothing is for sure though. I have had meetings with
some teams and some workouts and stuff, but nothing is for sure.
Anywhere I go, anywhere they put me, I will be ready to do anything.”
NFL Draft Analyst says Martellus
Bennett is the top tight end in the draft.
Michael
Abromowitz's 2008 NFL
Mock
Draft
Gregory Cox's 2008
NFL Mock Draft
Paul Eide's 2008 NFL
Mock Draft
Joey Bure's 2008 NFL Mock Draft
Jared
Donnelly's 2008 NFL Mock
Draft
2009 NFL
Mock Draft
Mock
Draft Database
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