tell me about Bucky Hodges,Va Tech TE

[Paintballr]

As a hokie and a tech fan. I'd pass on him. He's a big dude 6'7 with pass catching ability but you'd have to question how consistently you'd get it out of him. For a big guy he doesn't always fight for and outgrab over DBs and doesn't really always use his frame to his advantage. He manages to play smaller than his frame if that's even possible... and if you guys have been frustrated with Benjamin.. he's not gonna make you feel any better. He's gotten increasing yards in the past year mainly because of the change in offensive philosophy rather than his improved talent. If we're getting anyone from Tech in the third it better be Isaiah Ford tbh. But yeah, Teams will prob draft Hodges after he goes off at the combine and think they can coach him into a Jimmy Graham. 

Agree with this 100%

As a hokie fan there is a reason they "moved" him from TE to WR this year. Sure the scheme changed, but as a TE he would get pushed around a good bit by larger LBs and fail to get separation at times. So when they moved him to WR this past year (or just lined him up as one) he was able to use his size to bully smaller college DBs...no way he is able to do that just on his size in the NFL.

He is like Logan Thomas from a few years ago except he just stuck with TE. He has the size that you want, but he just isn't consistent and doesn't know how to use his body (love Beamer but he doesn't teach that/not his forte)


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[SOJA]

Been at VT for a few years now- Isaiah Ford is the player that's both a better fit for us and a better player. 

Ford has speed, toughness and big play ability. He's an athletic beast too, could have gone to Louisville for basketball. 

Bucky is a tweener TE/WR. He's a poor man's KB. He is not a good blocker- so much so that VT pretty much exclusively used him at WR this past season. 

HARD PASS on Bucky- you can never be 100% sure about a prospect but this guy looks like a bust- never got the feeling of a great work ethic but definitely a sense of entitlement 

[chbright]

OK, so agreed with the other hokie fans, guy is not the 2nd or 3rd round gamble you want to make. Too raw and inconsistent. Played TE for 3 years. That said in the last 2 months his stock has steadily dropped. His film has circulated and shows he has some real flaws at this point as others mentioned months ago. Rounds off routes, body catcher, poor inline blocker, routes can be disrupted at the line. Personally, I didn't really see him grow as expected and have questions about maturity (God's Gift, looked for $ by going to advisory board last year). He had more to work in in NCAA IMO, unlike say his team mate Ford.

 

That said, this report (pff)https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-pff-scouting-report-bucky-hodges-te-virginia-tech/

kind of sums it up for me. Otherworldly #2 pass catching potential, high risk that will need a year or two. If his short comings pushed him down to where he likely belongs, 5th round or later, I'd be game for him. He has potential.

 

A fantasy football forecast but, his comps to other ncca grads as a receiving threat it still rings true:

http://rotoviz.com/2017/03/bucky-hodges-a-stud-in-a-tight-end-class-of-studs/?hvid=4tSe5B

 

Even taking out 2016 where he was a at WR, his 2 year numbers at TE are ridiculous. 25 games, 85 receptions, 1056 yards (12.4 average) 13 TDs. All with qbs that will never play pro anywhere. On a running team. As the 2nd or 3rd option. 

He could also go the way of Funchess and be a WR only as a pro, just like 2016 at VT (where 28% of his catches were for 20+yards). If that's the case, I think he washes out. 

If a team stick him as #2 or #3 TE to learn, he has the 2nd highest potential, behind Howard and tied with Njoku. If he us drafted in the 1st 4 rounds, so be it, I would be hesitant to sign up for that risk, but in the 5th...... I'll take backup redzone TE/WR (who has ST experience) floor for 2 to 3 years, with the potential to be really special.

[LinvilleGorge]

On 1/17/2017 at 8:56 AM, top dawg said:

Highly athletic TE with oodles of potential as far as pass catching. As good as a pass catcher that he may become, as big of a liability as a blocker.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/bucky-hodges-te-virginia-tech-2017-nfl-draft-scouting-report-011617

 

On 1/17/2017 at 10:28 AM, Seamonk said:

As a hokie and a tech fan. I'd pass on him. He's a big dude 6'7 with pass catching ability but you'd have to question how consistently you'd get it out of him. For a big guy he doesn't always fight for and outgrab over DBs and doesn't really always use his frame to his advantage. He manages to play smaller than his frame if that's even possible... and if you guys have been frustrated with Benjamin.. he's not gonna make you feel any better. He's gotten increasing yards in the past year mainly because of the change in offensive philosophy rather than his improved talent. If we're getting anyone from Tech in the third it better be Isaiah Ford tbh. But yeah, Teams will prob draft Hodges after he goes off at the combine and think they can coach him into a Jimmy Graham. 

Both of these are very fair.

oops, just realized this was an old thread and I'd already +1'd one of these posts

[Shocker]

Workout Weekend Warrior (given the drinkie drinkie issue)

[Oldschool Leroy]

Confused. I thought I was God's gift..didn't you?

[chbright]

6 minutes ago, Shocker said:

Workout Weekend Warrior (given the drinkie drinkie issue)

So in 2015, as a kid, getting a public intoxication is a disqualified OK..... Workout warrior, so his production was a fluke? Yeah great combine but it helps explain the production over 3 years.

 

Old thread yes, but as his stock dropped to reasonable levels, thought it was worth a bump pre draft. Plus PFF and rotoviz help put a bit of historical prospective on his production and combine where most other fluff pieces out there are about "speed, height, size OMG" levels.

[LinvilleGorge]

If you didn't get a public intoxication or underage drinking citation at some point in your youth then you didn't have enough fun. 

I was quite fortunate that the local magistrate was a good family friend. More than one indiscretion from my youth got "lost".

[Ace_Aladdin]

On 1/17/2017 at 10:47 AM, Captain Morgan said:

several guys giving him day 2 grades and I know nothing about him

Not good fit for Panther , since he is just another oversized WR

we need a "Y" mold TE

OJ Howard > Jordan Leggett > Jermey Sprinkle 

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, sanjay_rajput said:

Not good fit for Panther , since he is just another oversized WR

OJ Howard > Jordan Leggett > Jermey Sprinkle 

We've had a visit with Evan Engram, another guy who's basically just an oversized WR at this point.

[SOJA]

I'm telling you guys right now that if we draft Bucky we will be disappointed 

Ford is a much better prospect from VT

[Zaximus]

35 minutes ago, SOJA said:

I'm telling you guys right now that if we draft Bucky we will be disappointed 

Ford is a much better prospect from VT

I'd love Ford in middle rounds.    

[SOJA]

Just now, Promethean Forerunner said:

I'm saying the same about Howard. 

The only TEs I'd be comfortable with are Njoku, Butt and Leggett.

Howard's production does scare me

[chbright]

1 minute ago, SOJA said:

Howard's production does scare me

Then why does Hodges? He has the production, plus the combine numbers that backup a potential stud. His concentration lapses and seaming readiness to get paid worry me a lot more than his ability. 5th round would hopefully motivate him to get a nice 2nd contract. 

 

I like Ford before Hodges too. If both on the table, Ford every time.  Ford has a higher floor. I think a realistic comp is Cotchery. High floor but not a #1. Hodges could be a complete washout or a pro bowler in the current NFL.