It has been increasingly difficult to have an effective offense without a talented, reliable tight end.
It's why former Arkansas consensus All-American Hunter Henry is expected to get consideration by several teams looking to upgrade the position.
Hunter is more valuable than the 51 catches and three touchdowns he had for the Razorbacks in 2015. NFL scouts were more impressed with his blocking skills.
It's that versatility that makes Henry among the top NFL Draft prospects.
“I'm going to bring a dual-threat tight end that's going to put his head in there in the run game,” Henry said. “I'm going to block. I did that in college consistently. And I'm going to create a mismatch in the passing game.
“I believe the tight end is a big part of the NFL. I believe I bring something that's different than a lot of guys would bring. This versatility, I'm going to be able to play every down. That's something I believe. I'm going to be able to stay on the field consistently.
“I'm not just a first-down guy. I'm not just a third-down guy. I can play all three downs. It's a big part of the NFL. That's why I believe I'm worthy.”
At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Henry is a big target in the red zone. Also, he's a powerful tight end whom Arkansas often ran behind near the goal line.
Henry, awarded the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end, skipped his senior season. He probably could have improved his pass-catching skills with another year of college, but his physical tools make him an attractive pick.
Henry has been linked to several teams, including Buffalo, Green Bay and the New York Jets. The Steelers attended his pro day.
“Really, when you're going to these meetings, they're just trying to find out what you know, first of all,” Henry said. “Just kind of a baseline, figuring out what your background is and how it compares to what they do, the terminology and how it kind of carries.”
With the retirement of tight end Heath Miller, the Steelers signed former San Diego tight end Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20 million deal. So they are unlikely to draft a tight end high. But they could make an insurance pick at the position on Day 3.
However, if they're interested in developing depth at the position, Hunter might be sitting there in the second round. There are a number of teams in need of tight end, but all three AFC North rivals are set at the position.
The Steelers, of course, will start Green with second-year tight end Jesse James as his likely backup. However, questions remain about the status of veteran Matt Spaeth, who at 32 becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2017.
“It would be great,” Henry said of possibly being taken by the Steelers. “I'd love to go there. I'd love to go anywhere, any team in any place. I'm looking forward to wherever I go.
“I've watched a lot of Jason Witten. I really try to model my game after him. He's a great one. It's kind of hard to do that, especially a Hall of Fame tight end like him. But I've watched a lot of film on him in the offseason, to try and put bits and pieces of his game and put those in my game.”
Ralph N. Paulk is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib.
