|
|
Trey McBride NFL Draft Profile
|
Trey McBride Scouting ReportMcBride plays this role with a nasty and physical demeanor. While some tight ends accept contact, he instigates and embraces it. He seems to love nothing more than going into battle in the trenches. This is perhaps a result of his early exposure to wrestling and high school experience of playing on the defensive side of the ball. McBride is technically astute as well. He plays the role with low pad level, incredible grip strength, and impressive leg drive. The Colorado State TE also showcases active hands and feet, enabling him to mirror his opponent. He’s routinely able to lock out his opponent, and there were many reps in the games studied where he drove his man to the ground. He’s also adept at carrying out blocking assignments at the second and third levels. This showcases not only a degree of athletic ability but also football intelligence. McBride routinely plays with his head on a swivel, looking to pick up extra work. McBride poses an after-the-catch threat. While he possesses the ball-tracking ability and catch-point combativeness to be impactful, it’s his ability to create yardage after the catch that is truly impressive. He acts like a bulldozer with the ball in his hands. McBride routinely lowers his shoulder to instigate contact, and his thickness of frame allows him to absorb tackles and keep on plowing on. The Rams star can act as a three-level threat with above-average speed as a seam threat and decent route-running ability. In the middle of the field, his physicality and impressive hand strength make him a reliable target. He is adept at plucking the ball out of the sky in stride in these situations. McBride possesses all the attributes and traits to be a successful starting tight end in the NFL. His next-level blocking ability should make him highly sought after come draft day. He’s incredibly versatile, having lined up in a multitude of alignments for Colorado State. As a result, it would be a surprise to see McBride last beyond Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. There is genuine potential for him to be the first tight end off the board. |
Areas for ImprovementHe possesses a lot of the requisite attributes and traits to be successful in the NFL. Furthermore, with the opportunity to prove himself against a higher caliber of competition at the Senior Bowl, he’s only likely to ascend in the class. While he possesses excellent pass-catching ability, his route running is a work in progress. He doesn’t routinely run crisp routes, rounding off rather than moving with suddenness or twitchiness. McBride has excellent straight-line ability, and he’s shown that he can use head fakes and physicality to create separation. Yet, he doesn’t possess elite change-of-direction ability. As a blocker, there are some minor technical improvements he could make. There were several examples of him being manipulated with a push-pull move. Regardless, that is nit-picking for a player whose technical ability would actually embarrass some offensive linemen. |
Trey McBride Career at SchoolElder brother Toby McBride was a defensive lineman at Colorado State, helping a smooth transition from Fort Morgan to Fort Collins. While some true freshmen struggle to find their feet early in their college careers, McBride was able to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact for the Rams. During his freshman season in 2018, he appeared in 12 games and made five starts at TE for Colorado State. Although his numbers might not leap off the page — 7 receptions, 89 yards, 12.7 yards per catch — he introduced himself to the college football world with a 48-yard touchdown reception against Florida. McBride’s production ramped up a gear during his second season for the Rams. He secured his first 100-yard game against Boise State and added a career-long 69-yard touchdown against Fresno State. On his way to first-team All-Mountain West honors, the Colorado State TE tallied 560 receiving yards on 45 receptions while totaling 4 TDs. The scene was set for the ascending tight end prospect to make a run at the NFL Draft with another jump in his junior season. However, the global situation made for uncertain circumstances. With the Mountain West conference initially opting to cancel fall football in 2020, McBride made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal. It was, however, short-lived. He returned to Colorado State as a team captain for new head coach Steve Addazio. Although he was limited to four games of action, he tallied 22 receptions for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns. In doing so, he became the first Colorado State TE to lead the team in receiving yards. It was just a precursor for what would become a standout senior campaign. Despite having the option to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft, McBride returned to Colorado State for his senior season. In the season-opening loss to South Dakota State, he set career-highs with 13 receptions for 116 yards. Later in the season, he’d break his personal yardage record again with 135 yards on just 7 receptions against New Mexico. |
Trey McBride NFL Draft Player Profile2021 would prove to be a record-setting season for the Colorado State product. McBride became the first Rams tight end to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He was awarded the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in the nation, in addition to first-team All-Mountain West honors. Moreover, he became the first offensive player from Colorado State to be named a unanimous All-American. With 86 receptions, 1,017 receiving yards, and six 100-yard receiving yard games during his final season, McBride now features in the program’s top 10 for all three statistical categories. He went out in style by equalling his career-high 69-yard touchdown on a fake punt play against Nevada. With a Reese’s Senior Bowl invite in his grasp, McBride has the opportunity to wow scouts in Mobile. Yet, he already projects to be one of the best tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft class. There are precious few better blockers, and his receiving ability isn’t too far behind. It wouldn’t be a surprise to hear McBride’s name called as the TE1 of the 2022 NFL Draft class. While his receiving capability receives a lot of attention, his physicality is actually best demonstrated as a blocker. There may not be a better blocking TE in this 2022 NFL Draft class than McBride. |
 |