So You Drafted Mike Gesicki...

The Skinny

Penn State is losing one of its top receivers as Mike Gesicki moves on to the NFL this spring. During his first two years at Penn State, the New Jersey native didn’t make much of an impact and developed a notorious reputation by dropping the football on some of the few occasions it came his way.

During his junior campaign of 2016, that turned around 180 degrees, as Gesicki used his size and strength to leap and catch the ball in traffic. Thanks in part to quarterback Trace McSorley taking control of the offense and offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead fearlessly scheduling downfield passing plays, Gesicki became one of the top tight ends in the country overnight. The success continued during his senior season, and over the past two years, Gesicki has totaled 1,242 yards and 14 touchdowns on 105 receptions.

What You’re Getting

Gesicki isn’t known for his blocking skills, so he’ll pay the most immediate dividends for a team that is willing to separate him from the line of scrimmage and let him take advantage of matchups against smaller defensive backs. Although he’s proven to be great at making big plays downfield and in the red zone, Penn State used him in a lot of misdirection passes around the line of scrimmage last year, hence the 9.9 yards-per-reception average. Gesicki’s versatility in the passing game should make him a target of NFL teams that are looking for the next Travis Kelce.

While Gesicki might have have the speed to be considered a top-tier prospect, his size and ball skills give him the potential to be very productive as a pro if he’s paired with the right offense.

NFL Draft Profile