Cade Otton TE Scouting Report

[Jets Global]

Cade Otton NFL Draft Profile Position: Tight End School: Washington Current Year: RS Senior Height: 6'5" Weight: 240 pounds
Cade Otton Scouting Report Otton’s athletic traits are most evident in the route-running phase. He definite has lateral twitch as a route runner, and he’s a smooth, natural mover who combines motions easily, sinking his hips in and out of breaks. With this mobility, Otton can also be an effective lead blocker, and his speed and length provide adequate conduits. He possesses strong short-area burst for his size, and he has the natural quickness necessary to make sharp direction changes with relative ease. He can use this short-area burst to stack blocks and build momentum as a utility player. He’s also able to build speed quickly after changing directions with above-average explosiveness. He has nice closing burst at the catch point. He also flashes quick footwork at his route stems to effectively channel his athletic traits and shift directions quickly. He actively utilizes head fakes to open spaces as a route runner. He also uses his footwork to halt his momentum and sit in open areas. He employs varying stride lengths at different stages of routes, and he understands how to use his physicality and leverage to fight through contact at the stem. Otton’s prowess as a receiver doesn’t stop there. He has the spatial awareness to stay open in the flats, and he’s willing to lower his shoulder and grind out extra yards. Otton is tough at the catch point. He uses his length and smooth contortion ability to corral passes safely, and he’s unfazed in tight spaces. He catches passes while anticipating contact. Rarely is he skittish or unfocused. Otton’s hands are supremely reliable. He guides the ball in and secures it quickly, and his hands are strong in 50-50 territory. On top of his receiving ability, Otton also shows off surprising blocking utility for his size. He brings an intense, combative attitude as a blocker, exuding effort and urgency. Furthermore, he stays true to his assignments and flashes the torso flexibility necessary to absorb power. Otton is versatile. He can line up in-line, in the slot, or outside. That flexibility only compounds his value.
Areas for Improvement Cade can improve in several areas. Most notably, his blocking ability is somewhat diluted by his size. At 240 pounds, he’s relatively slight compared to most defensive linemen. Thus, he doesn’t offer a ton of power as a blocker, and he can sometimes lack control due to strength mismatches. His extensions aren’t incredibly forceful, and he can get outmuscled easily. Additionally, his balance is also inconsistent. His lacking frame density hurts him here as well. Otton is strong but is not immune to criticism as a receiver. He sometimes rounds off his breaks, minimizing separation potential. Additionally, he can make his footwork more consistently sudden and abrupt. Otton can stand to refine his route tree a bit more, even if it’s already relatively advanced. Otton’s receiving ability, he can get better depth when sneaking behind linebackers. He can also cut down on wasted motion at times. While many of his qualms are operational, however, there’s also the issue of Otton’s upside. While he’s a good athlete, he doesn’t have elite long speed or sheer explosiveness. He isn’t a very dynamic run-after-catch threat, and his vertical athleticism remains ambiguous as well.
Cade Otton Career at Washington Cade redshirted his freshman year, remaining on the bench during that time. The Washington TE worked hard in the weight room and managed to earn starting reps as a redshirt freshman in 2018. That year, Otton started 10 of 14 games played, logging 13 catches for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2019, Otton started all 13 games for the Huskies. The Washington TE saw an uptick in production, amassing 344 yards and 2 touchdowns on 32 catches. Expectations were sky-high for the productive playmaker in 2020, but COVID-19 clouded the season’s outlook, particularly for the Pac-12. Luckily for Otton, the Pac-12 ended up instituting a shortened season, in which Washington played four games. The Huskies went 3-1, and Otton put up his most efficient season yet. In those four games, Otton had 18 catches for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 catches and 64.5 yards per game. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a result.
Cade Otton NFL Draft Player Profile Otton will weigh a bit more heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. However, as it stands, he’s already a strong tight end prospect with a scouting report that boasts plenty of positives. Otton is a good athlete with exceptional awareness and urgency, and he’s also an exceptional route runner given his experience level. He can still improve, but he has the tools to get open all across the field, and he can also convert in contested situations. On the surface, the biggest issue with Otton might revolve around his blocking. That said, even though Otton is a bit light physically, he still did enough as a blocker on tape to warrant confidence. He has the attitude and athleticism to be serviceable in that phase. And as a receiver, Otton boasts many of the necessary traits to be a solid starter at the NFL level.