Chiefs Draft: Kansas State tight finish Ben Sinnott

The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs can be searching for playmakers in all styles and sizes through the 2024 NFL Draft. A lot of their reported pre-draft visits have been with vast receivers, however on Monday, the Chiefs hosted a unique sort of move catcher of their services: Kansas State tight finish Ben Sinnott.

It was an official top-30 go to.

What’s a “top-30 go to?”

Though the time period implies that the visits are for essentially the most coveted draft prospects, NFL groups are allowed a complete of 30 in-person visits to services.

The Chiefs usually use these visits for prospects prone to be obtainable on Day 3 or as undrafted free brokers since they are going to have extra management over deciding on them than the draft’s prime gamers.

Final 12 months, Kansas Metropolis’s eventual second and fifth-round alternatives — SMU vast receiver Rashee Rice and Stephen F. Austin edge rusher B.J. Thompson — visited the group services through the pre-draft course of.

Right here’s what to find out about Sinnott:

Background

From Waterloo, Iowa, Sinnott was a no-star recruit popping out of Columbus Catholic Excessive Faculty — regardless of incomes all-state honors at tight finish, vast receiver and defensive finish. He was additionally a letter winner within the sports activities of baseball, golf, tennis, hockey and observe.

The one supply Sinnott obtained was from the College of South Dakota. He determined to stroll on at Kansas State as a substitute, efficiently doing so. As a redshirt sophomore, he burst onto the scene in 2022, incomes the coaches’ vote for All-Huge 12 first group.

That was adopted by an much more productive 2023 season, racking up 49 receptions, 676 yards, and 6 touchdowns to repeat his all-conference honors, plus earn a spot on Phil Steele’s honorable point out All-American group.

Sinnott entered the 2024 draft, attending the Senior Bowl and the NFL Mix. There, he measured just below 6 ft 4 inches tall, weighing 250 lbs. with hand measurement (9 1⁄2 inches) and arm size (32 3/8 inches) which are every within the twenty fifth percentile or beneath for tight finish prospects traditionally.

He posted a 4.68-second 40-yard sprint, together with a 1.59-second 10-yard break up that registered within the 81st percentile. On prime of the straight-ahead velocity, Sinnott recorded a 6.82-second three-cone drill that ended as a 96th percentile end result.

Then, he confirmed off within the explosive drills: He recorded a 40-inch vertical leap and a broad leap of 10 ft 6 inches, which have been 97th and 94th percentile marks, respectively.

Movie analysis

Sinnott was a featured a part of the Wildcats’ offense. He was a number one issue within the run recreation, blocking from a backfield alignment on many performs.

Nevertheless, his most impactful performs got here as a move catcher; in 2023, he led the Kansas State offense in receiving yards and touchdowns. Sinnott completed that whereas organising as a conventional in-line tight finish solely 53% of the time.

Sinnott’s athletic testing reveals up as he takes off down the sector and goes right into a route. He’s quick off the road and easy in his route turns. On this landing towards Kansas, the three-cone drill end result actually reveals up. His reduce inside was too explosive to maintain up with.

These ft translate to an environment friendly launch off the road of scrimmage. He hardly ever false steps, and has the quick-twitch muscular tissues to make refined cuts on the snap to keep away from contact as he begins his route. As soon as the ball is in his fingers, he can shortly flip upfield and be agile to skirt deal with makes an attempt.

His athleticism is barely a part of his run-after-catch potential. When he’s a ballcarrier with momentum, he’s going to be tough for any defensive again to deal with. His highly effective legs drive via contact and brush off makes an attempt to journey him up.

He also can construct up some velocity in area, as proven right here, with two large beneficial properties on display passes towards Texas in 2023. Not solely does he speed up into the stretch of inexperienced grass, he units every up with a great performing job. That’s one thing Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid could pay attention to.

On the flip facet of his athleticism is a scarcity of play energy. He merely doesn’t have the mass that others do at his place to win the higher of a one-on-one engagement off the road.

He can generate energy as a puller to make impactful blocks and has the leg drive to assist collapse a line of defense on a down block.

How he matches with the Chiefs

Within the March replace of The Athletic’s consensus large board, Sinnott was not listed among the many prime 100. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN ranked him as the highest “fullback/h-back” within the class.

Meaning Sinnott would seemingly be a goal for the Chiefs in a while Day 2, whether or not that’s utilizing decide 64, decide 95, or a mix of the 2 to navigate the board.

Instantly, Sinnott would bolster the tight finish room with playmaking. He’s an analogous prospect as Noah Grey was when he was chosen within the fifth spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft — however Sinnott is definitely larger, and recorded higher athletic-testing numbers general.

Grey has developed into a robust blocker on the level of assault, permitting Sinnott to ease in as a situational receiver for 2024.

For the long run, Sinnott has a playmaking ceiling that Grey has confirmed he lacks over his three NFL seasons. Sinnott’s fast ft and fluid turns are uncommon for the place. It makes him a tougher cowl for the protection than Grey has been, whether or not it’s man or zone protection.

If that may be constructed on with improved play energy in all aspects of his recreation, Sinnott has the pass-catching instruments to grow to be a game-changer on the tight finish place.