In the interest of full and frank disclosure, Hunter Bryant is not a prototypical NFL tight end. In no way. This doesn’t mean he can’t be a viable performer in the NFL, but he cannot be viewed through the same lens as others in the same position. The shot just isn’t on. Bryant’s path to NFL production is as a move tight end, to be utilized in the passing game. His college production tells us this tale. In his first two seasons with Washington, he reeled in 33 of his 39 targets (84.6-percent) for 569 yards and two touchdowns. In his breakout 2019 season, at the age of 20 (82nd-percentile among qualified tight ends), he showed that he can handle a larger workload and be productive. Although his efficiency did dip a tad, as evidenced by his 63.4 percent Catch Rate.
Bryant had a mixed time at the NFL Scouting Combine. It was, I’m struggling to put it into words, fine. Not great, not terrible. It was…fine. Eight tight ends posted a faster 40-yard dash, with Bryant’s 4.74 only enough to earn him a spot in the 62nd-percentile. Ten players outdid his performance in the vertical jump, but only Josiah Deguara put out more reps on the bench, while Bryant also finished top four in the 3-cone. It was OK but, all told, it doesn’t paint the picture of an outstanding athletic specimen.
Hunter Bryant Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile w/ College Stats
Bryant checked in at 6-2 and 248-pounds. As a tight end. Even among move tight ends, this isn’t a great look. Even with impressive college production, there is not a whole host of positive comps to find for him using our Data Analysis tool. His closest comp is Jacob Hollister, who did enjoy a small amount of fantasy success in 2019 with two top-12 weeks. His next closest comps are Reggie Jordan and Brandon Dillon. History is still waiting patiently for these two players to take the NFL by storm.
Check out Hunter Bryant on PlayerProfiler’s Updated Rookie Rankings:
Any NFL front office drafting Bryant to be an impact player as a blocker deserves our pity. And our ridicule in equal measure. He may well be a willing blocker, but that’s not his best job. He can find a niche as a fantasy performer in the Evan Engram role, i.e. a slightly bulked up slot receiver, but move tight ends don’t generally command a great deal of red-zone work. Bryant may find his way onto an offense that looks to him between the 20-yard lines. It would still be surprising to see him command a large workload near the goal line.
Bryant is one of the younger players in this draft class. Research has told us that tight ends who play their rookie season at 21-years old have a high chance of producing as top-12 fantasy performers in their careers. He’s a player that may well be worth a late-round rookie selection or free agent pick up. Unless your league awards fantasy points for run blocking clearly, in which case, steer clear.
