Jeremy Ruckert NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for New York Jets' TE
HEIGHT: 6'5 1/2"
WEIGHT: 252
HAND: 10 1/8"
ARM: 32 5/8"
WINGSPAN: 6'7 1/8"
40-YARD DASH: DNP
3-CONE: DNP
SHUTTLE: DNP
VERTICAL: DNP
BROAD: DNP
POSITIVES
— Good height and build to play as a true Y tight end in an NFL offense.
— Willing blocker who flashes good play strength and pop. Fights to get his head across and tries to take it to edge-defenders. Is a missile working across formation on split zone.
— Competitive and tough player. Tries to bury defenders when he gets his hands on them.
— Above-average overall athlete. Flashes ability to sink and bend on his routes and above-average speed.
— Good hands and catching range. Has the ability to make the spectacular catch away from his body.
— Above-average route-runner. Understands depth and fights to maintain leverage. Knows to stay friendly to the quarterback when working against zone coverages.
NEGATIVES
— Can play out of control and be inconsistent with his blocking technique. Will get caught playing too high.
— Limited production and route tree because of the offense he played in at Ohio State.
2021 STATISTICS
11 G, 26 REC, 309 YDS (11.9 AVG), 3 TD
OVERALL
Jeremy Ruckert aligned both in-line and split out in Ohio State's offense, and he projects as a three-down Y tight end in the NFL thanks to his blocking ability and overall athleticism.
Ruckert is a willing blocker who has good play strength to hold his own when blocking edge-defenders from in-line positions. He has a mean streak and loves to try to bury smaller defenders once he gets his hands on them, but his eagerness will cause him to lose technique with his blocks. That's especially the case on blocks working across the formation, when he will go for kill shots that will cause him to miss completely. He also shows the ability to win when asked to pass-set on play-action concepts.
Ruckert is an adequate athlete who is more solid than dynamic in the passing game. He has good hands and catching range and is more than comfortable catching the ball in a crowd or away from his body. He's capable of making spectacular catches at times.
Ruckert is not an overwhelming athlete, but he can sink and bend enough and understands how to fight for leverage on vertical routes. He also consistently stays friendly to the quarterback when working against zone coverage, knowing to not drift and stay within the throwing lane. However, his route tree is not varied at this point in time because Ohio State's offense prefers to utilize its talented wide receivers.
Overall, Ruckert projects as a Y tight end who can work from in-line positions as a blocker and receiver on running downs and stay on the field for every down. Offensive coordinators may never design plays for him, but they'll be fine if the ball does go his way as a secondary option in concepts. Ruckert's ability to hold his own as a blocker will give him a chance to see the field early in his NFL career, but he will need to continue working on consistency with his technique and play within himself.
GRADE: 7.6 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 51
POSITION RANK: TE1
PRO COMPARISON: Cameron Brate
