Brandon Beane and company at One Bills Drive drafted my favorite group of late round players this year. Those who know me and are reading this will not be surprised by my being more intrigued with late round picks and UDFAs than early round draft picks. I’m also obsessed with large men, especially large men who occupy the inside of the defensive line.
I make no apologies for my weirdness.
This particular NFL Draft was fascinating in the later rounds because the Buffalo Bills continued to draft defensive players until the second selection of the 5th round when they selected 6’4″/260 pound Georgia Tech (by way of Yale) Tight End Jackson Hawes. Many fans were surprised the Bills chose a tight end before selecting another wide receiver… especially since Buffalo already has two starting tight ends in Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid.
However, with the departure of TE Quintin Morris, the third option at tight end is now up for a grabs at Training Camp with Zach Davidson still on the roster. While it doesn’t seem like a third tight end might make a big difference on offense, drafting Jackson Hawes brings a different element to the tight end equation.
A tip of the old wyo-hat to Dean Kindig and ‘Bruce Nolan’ aka/@Bruce Exclusive for pointing out their fondness for what Hawes brings the the Bills roster. Digging into what Jackson can add for Buffalo’s offense revealed much more than just his notable blocking skills.
Check out Hawes interview with the Western New York media after he was drafted by the Bills:
https://www.buffalobills.com/video/jackson-hawes-i-have-a-lot-to-show-buffalo-bills
When you first listen to Jackson Hawes speak, you immediately envision the great relationship he will have with Josh Allen. He sounds a bit like our meathead friend Gronk at first, but his degree in economics from Yale suggests Jackson is likely a bit more intellectually gifted. Hawes admitted to playing for Georgia Tech his last year of eligibility to raise his potential draft status. It worked.
So when I read numerous reports coming out of rookie training camp last week, I expected to see more validation about Jackson’s laudable blocking skills because his pass-catching ability was basically unknown. He was used primarily as a blocking TE at Georgia Tech.
However, at Bills’ practice last week Jackson apparently caught ever pass thrown his way. Reporters were flabbergasted by Hawes’ hands and praised some difficult catches he made look easy. The more you read or watch Jackson Hawes on the field or in press conferences, the more you’re likely to be impressed by this player’s demeanor and passion for the game. He’s a football player first and foremost and Josh Allen is going to love having him on the field with him in whatever capacity necessary for success.
Editor’s babble: You can also find my blabbering on Xwitter @RobynMundyWYO or Bluesky @RobynMundyWYO.bsky.social. Blessed to podcast with my partner @teestell_BIB on “Tee Time with Robyn” at YouTube.com.
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The transfer portal makes an already inexact science even more so, but guys like Hawes and Strong spotlight just how good Brandon Beane is at Day 3.