Houston Texans Positional Breakdown: Tight End
By Randy Gurzi
Jan 17, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; East tight end Khari Lee (18), of Bowie State, runs with the ball as West linebacker James Vaughters (55), of Stanford, defends during the first quarter at the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field . Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Khari Lee Bowie State 6’4″, 235 Pounds
Some Background Info;
The best season in the NCAA for Khari Lee came in 2014 when he totaled 34 receptions for 389 yards and one touchdown. 2012 was his only season with more than one touchdown catch, and that year he only had two.
What To Expect This Year;
There were some nice things said about the small-school kid on NFL.com. However, it is worth noting he never cracked the five-second mark on his 40-yard dash and he is pretty thin for the position at 235 pounds.
"Very good athlete whose background as a basketball player is obvious in his body control and positioning. Has good hands and is tough to bring down but will need time to develop against a higher level of competition, despite his potential to play in the league."
While it would be a good story for a former walk-on at Bowie State to make it in the NFL, I don’t see anything in Lee that would make me think he will be able to make the jump to the pros and become an impact player.
Sep 19, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; South Florida Bulls tight end Mike McFarland (80) and teammates celebrate after they beat the Connecticut Huskies at Raymond James Stadium. South Florida Bulls defeated the Connecticut Huskies 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mike McFarland UCF 6’5, 252 Pounds
Some Background Info;
McFarland, like Lee, doesn’t have any huge seasons against tough competition to show off. His best season was 2014 when he caught 27 passes for 315 yards, but he did show off more speed than Lee hitting 4.73 on his pro-day dash.
What To Expect This Year;
I think the statement on his draft profile says enough for McFarland;
"Doesn’t play with enough bend as a blocker and loses the leverage battle, allowing defenders to win edge battles against him. He does compete as a blocker, though. Below-average hands make him unreliable as a pass-catching target and blocking needs work in order to be able to make a practice squad."
If the belief is that McFarland’s best case scenario is to make a practice squad, I don’t see anyway that he contributes in 2015. Making the practice squad and trying to develop for the future would be a win for him.