Round 6
Just because the Cardinals signed Charles Clay doesn’t mean the team will stop adding talent to the tight end room.
A former quarterback turned tight-end, Zach Gentry was one of Shea Patterson’s favorite targets while at Michigan, and it might have something to do with being 6-8 and 265-lbs. While Gentry didn’t perform particularly well at the combine (4.9 40-yard-dash, 11 bench-press reps, 7.4-second three-cone-drill), he’s an exciting prospect, and it’s not just because of his stature.
Gentry showed an ability to get himself open during his final year in Ann Arbor and was a willing blocker. While he does need to work on developing as a receiver and adding muscle to his frame, he has a high ceiling. The sixth round is a perfect time to take a developmental prospect like Gentry, who should be red-shirted during his freshman NFL year (something Keim isn’t afraid to do).
Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s draft stock took a nose dive at the NFL Combine when he ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.75 seconds, worst among all wide receivers at the event.
But, if you’ve seen him play, you’ll know his game never revolved around his speed. At 6-4 and 225-lbs, it’s hard to believe Humphrey was once a running back recruit for the Texas Longhorns. It took two years to do so, but by 2018, his development as a wide receiver took the next step as he was productive both outside and in the slot, and caught 86 passes for 1,176 yards and nine touchdowns.
Humphrey’s route-running is best in the short to intermediate range. He’s a natural pass-catcher and can win the contested catch battle more often than not. But what sets Humphrey apart from other possession receivers is his vision after the catch. Despite not be a particularly fast or quick player, Humphrey is a hard player to get a hold of when the ball is in hands.
However, if Steve Keim does draft Humphrey, he might have to ask Kingsbury for permission. After all, Humphrey caught a game-winning touchdown to beat Kliff Kingsbury in his second to last home game at Texas Tech.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey gets his Crabtree moment in Lubbock. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/OwKcB22BcH
— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) November 11, 2018
Udoh has all the building blocks teams love to see out of a right tackle. He has a solid build at 6-5, 323-lbs, big 10-inch hands, and the length that offensive line coaches dream of with 35-3/8-inch arms. But, he finds himself at the end of the sixth round due to his mediocre combine performance and lack of quality opposition in the CAA conference.
Udoh is a developmental prospect with the upside of a good starter. He has the mean streak that offensive lines need, and the power to be a mauler while run-blocking. But, his pass-protection will require work, and he hadn’t seen many NFL talents while facing CAA foes.
Steve Keim has been willing to pick up tackles with high upside and a low floor throughout the years, and Udo is that in every sense of the phrase. If the Cardinals see Udoh fall into their laps, taking a flyer pick on him wouldn’t be a bad idea as a way to add depth to the tackle position.