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Cleveland Browns draft profile: Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki

By Mike Lukas

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Tight end Mike Gesicki #88 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after making an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Tight end Mike Gesicki #88 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after making an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Browns might not be in the market for a tight end, but if they are the team should take a hard look at Penn State’s Mike Gesicki.

Modern NFL tight ends are considered exceptional if they can wear two separate helmets during the game – one as a functional blocker and the other as a dependable receiver.

These players are rare and highly valued – think Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots or Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys.

From the looks of Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki’s game film, the receiving helmet fits him extremely well, but the blocking helmet looks to be a few sizes too small.

However, that’s not an NFL deal breaker at all – think Jimmy Graham of the Green Bay Packers or Antonio Gates of the Los Angeles Chargers. Or, closer to home, the promising tight ends the Browns currently have in David Njoku and Seth DeValve.

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It just so happens the Browns receiving tight end position is already covered by Njoku, who in his 2017 rookie season made 32 receptions for 386 yards and four touchdowns. They also have DeValve, who’s no slouch when it comes to receptions either with 33 for 395 yards and a touchdown. The Browns blocking tight end position will be covered by Randall Telfer, who remains a valuable hole-opening asset for the team’s run game, or veteran Darren Fells, who was signed away from the Detroit Lions in free agency.

So given that the tight end position isn’t really on Cleveland’s drafting radar, it does not seem likely that a ‘half-full’ prospect like Gesicki – who really does catch and hang onto everything thrown his way, but who struggles uncomfortably to maintain a lot of his blocks – will merit an early glance from a Browns front office that’s just a bit busy elsewhere.

Besides, by the time general John Dorsey drafts the Browns franchise quarterback, their Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb, a solid X receiver, an offensive lineman and a few opening-day-ready cornerbacks, it’s doubtful that an NFL-sized tight end like Gesicki will still be available.

Gesicki will definitely be drafted by some team in 2018, just not by the Cleveland Browns. But it is still worth breaking down his game.

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