2018 Jets Draft Prospect: WR Auden Tate

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2018 Jets Draft Prospect: WR Auden Tate

2018 Jets Draft Prospect

Name: Auden Tate

Position: WR

School: Florida State

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 225 pounds

Stats:

Hands:

Tate’s breakout 2017 with Florida State came with no surprise. His big frame, excellent hands and polished body control propelled the receiver to a 10 touchdown season. His blend of size, routes, and ability to hand catch in tight coverage has made him one of the most desirable red zone targets in this draft.

Speed:

Tate may not have elite quickness considering his size, but that does little to diminish his draft stock. Though he lacks the running speed to beat defenders deep, its Tate’s hands that shine as his speed differential. His ability to make stunning catches in tight coverage can be credited to his quick hands. This and Tate’s jumping ability make him an intriguing receiver and will likely make him a trendy name leading up to April.

Route Running:

Tate’s ability to run effective routes makes him all that more valuable. While his immense size may cause some separation issues at the pro level,  Tate has proven he is adept at finding the soft spots in zone defenses. In this aspect, Tate can be compared to an Anquan Boldin type receiver. That may not be such a bad thing.

Aggression:

Though he struggled with injury and a lack luster Florida State team, Tate’s agressive play-style allowed him to be a viable red zone target for the Seminoles. However, Tate’s size as a receiver could allow him to become a mismatch weapon, thus giving defensive backs a lot of problems. His aggressiveness to win jump balls downfield can be quite dangerous at that.

Jets Fit:

The Jets have shuffled their receiving corps over the course of the past few years. Last year was no different, and they attempted to get their feet wet with some new receivers late in the draft. However, with 2017 now in the rear-view, it’s quite clear that they didn’t exactly hit the nail on the head by picking ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen.

That being said, Tate is an aggressive, big-bodied receiver who could help diminish the Jets recent red zone struggles. While they may take a closer look at grabbing a receiver in free agency, Tate could be a solid option if he is still available in the 2nd round.

– Kyle Hirshkind is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on . . . NO!