2026 NFL Draft Thread

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#109      
Draft Projection
Round 3

NFL Comparison
Dawson Knox

Overview

In a draft landscape full of pass-catching tight ends, Roush stands out as one of the few plug-and-play “Y” tight ends (in-line blocking TE) available. He can make cut-off blocks in zone and combo blocks in gap schemes. He holds his own in pass protection, too. As a receiver, he’s not stiff, but he lacks elusiveness underneath. He needs to apply more of his tough playing style to win combat catches and expand his role beyond run blocker/zone beater. While his catch production might draw questions, his size, toughness and pro-ready blocking profile could push him into Day 2 consideration.

Strengths

  • Long line of collegiate/pro athletes in his family.
  • Relied on as an extension of the offensive line at Stanford.
  • Comes off the ball with good knee bend, pad level and inside hands.
  • Runs through initial contact to pop opponents and establish the tone.
  • Footwork and positioning to help seal the edge on wide runs.
  • Well-schooled in working up to the linebacker on combo blocks.
  • Gets in and out of breaks/stems with good efficiency.
  • Runs behind his pads after the catch and is tough to bring down.

Weaknesses

  • Outside arm will reach and hook defender when he misses positioning.
  • Fails to disguise route intentions and elude man coverage.
  • Can be crossed up by throws that are outside his frame.
  • Needs to play bigger when contested.
  • Must do a better job of using size/strength to carve out catch space.
  • Holding penalties were an issue for him in 2024.
 
#120      
From what I've been reading about Roush, he's the blocking TE replacement for Durham Smythe.
A replacement for a blocking TE in third round pick? Keep in mind, they traded out of the 2nd round for this. Is the defensive line not an issue in their minds? They had the worst pass rush and run stuffing unit in the league last year and they're trading back for a blocking TE replacement?
 
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