Jake Butt NFL Draft 2017: Scouting Report for Denver Broncos' Pick

Combine Results

Height	Weight	40 Time	3-Cone	Short Shuttle
6'5 1/2"	246 lbs	INJ	INJ	INJ

 

POSITIVES

One of Michigan's team captains, Jake Butt has great hands with only seven career drops on 164 targets over last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. He's a big red-zone target who displays a large catch radius and the ability to go up and win at the catch point. Butt is a quarterback's best friend with a 72 career completion percentage when targeted. He lives over the middle of the field to move the chains. He's a fearless, selfless player who can be a reliable safety valve for an NFL offense quickly when fully recovered from ACL surgery he had in January. He understands timing and leverage as a route-runner and has a knack for creating space to fit the football into. As a route-runner, he’s not particularly fast or sharp, but he does a great job of boxing out defenders to create space. He has big, natural hands to make plays in traffic. 

 

NEGATIVES

Butt tore his ACL in the Michigan bowl game—the second tear on that same knee. How well he can recover his movement skills will be questioned even though he was never known for his speed and agility. Butt is a mediocre athlete that must win with size and technique over speed and agility. Lack of strength shows in poor blocking, where he loses at the point of attack and struggles to gain leverage. Butt is a throwback to the days of big, strong tight ends that weren't super-athletes. He'll be a chain-mover but not a game-changer. 
 

 

PRO COMPARISON: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys

FINAL GRADE: 6.40/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 3)

 

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