Tyler Conklin Could Be A Weapon In '18

For the past two years, the Vikings have been searching for a tight end they can flex across the field to create mismatches in the passing game. In 2017, they drafted Bucky Hodges and nearly signed Jared Cook in free agency. After neither of those options came to fruition, the team was back to the drawing board in 2018. This draft class featured several tight ends with this type of athletic profile. In the fifth-round, the Vikings selected Central Michigan tight end Tyler Conklin. A converted NAIA basketball player at Northwood University, Conklin played just two seasons of football at Central Michigan. His latest campaign was cut short due to a Jones fracture he suffered prior to the season. He missed the first five games, but managed to return and finish the year strong. Conklin closed out his collegiate career by tallying 28 catches for 406 yards and five touchdowns.

He also snatched 42 receptions for 560 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. Many analysts and scouts had Conklin low on their boards due to concerns regarding his recovery from the foot fracture. He was slowly recovering as the season progressed and dealt with lingering effects through the draft process. However, he managed to test well at combine, posting a 4.8 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical, and above average numbers in the agility measures. If he had put together a 2017 campaign similar to the prior season, his stock would have been much higher. Teams were concerned about whether he would have the same explosiveness after the injury. Nonetheless, his overall athletic testing is encouraging, especially considering he likely wasn't 100 percent at that moment in time.

Conklin has the chance to provide the Vikings with a tight end who can stretch the defense at all three levels. He can line up outside, out of the slot, or in-line because of his overall versatility. Where he can be a major asset is in the red zone because of his leaping ability, footwork, body control and hands. This is where you see his basketball background shine through. It feels like every year there are more basketball players transitioning to football in an attempt to follow the past successful trajectories of Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas and Antonio Gates. When asked about the benefits of having a basketball background, Conklin couldn't stress the importance enough.

"[From basketball] you know to judge the ball, ball skills, the way you can kind of use your body and just little stuff like that," Conklin said. "Being able to kind of react out of nowhere, I think those are things that translate perfect."

When you fire up Conklin's tape, you see a player who can make contested grabs in traffic and use his body to shield defenders in traffic. He controls his body well and will high-point the football at the catch point for a difficult grab. He was particularly tough to stop when he was split out wide and the quarterback tossed a touch fade in his direction. The clip below is just one example of his body control, hands and catch radius.