11-14-2022, 12:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2022, 02:48 AM by Aneeqs. Edited 1 time in total.)
When it comes to evaluating a young tight end prospect, there's always an element of the process being an inexact science. It can be argued that with the new type of role played by the modern tight end in today's football, where almost all of their worth is determined on what they can add as a pass catcher might have changed this somewhat, with strength and grit in the blocking game becoming less of a consideration when a team looks to acquire a tight end, but undoubtedly the position will always have an aspect of both roles to it and so it's important to try to understand exactly how a young player might be able to translate raw strength and ability into the game in 5 years time. Talent evaluators often look for unconventional indicators of what makes a good tight end in young prospects, ranging from things like hip movement to core strength, in order to truly find the raw tools that point to what a young player could turn into, and while there's an element of guessing to that process, teams are getting better and better at picking out great tight end prospects. So what exactly does this mean in context? It means that in the game today, teams want to make sure that spending a lot of draft, or monetary, capital on a tight end will actually result in a positive outcome and a big part of that is being able to spot it early on.
Eyes inevitably turn every season to the draft processes as an indicator of what it is that teams are thinking for their future, and as the league slowly crawls toward another round of drafts the process repeats once more. Prospects have already begun to declare for the upcoming DSFL draft, with bright collegiate talent looking at making the slow transition to playing at a professional level. One of those young players is a tight end from Ohio State named Jake Basinger. Not the flashiest name in the world, and maybe not someone who you will have seen grabbing the headlines like some others, but during his time at college Basinger slowly grew his profile to get to where he is today, going from playing for a Division III program out of high school to walking on at one of the most respected football programs in the country and securing his place as a starter in a highly competitive team. And it's this that brings us back round to our initial point and makes the first paragraph of this article (somewhat relevant); despite his slow start out of high school and potentially underwhelming returns through his early years of college, the ability that Jake looks like he possesses could see him through to being a very good performer at the ISFL level some day in the future.
For Jake Basinger, football started back in his hometown of Neptune, NJ. The son of a football family who religiously followed and played the sport, he was surrounded by it growing up and counted down the days through school where he could look to make his mark at the high school level. He initially played as a wide receiver before bulking out and filling in at the tight end spot, and the physicality he demonstrated in his new role impressed his coaches and earned him a starting spot through his junior year. Despite possessing ability however, his college recruitment process didn't go as hoped; struggling with interviews didn't help, but it was the lack of "wow factor" in Jake's game that ultimately led to a lot of the big programs losing interest in him as a player and focusing their recruitment efforts on other tight ends in the country. After missing out on a spot at one of the big programs that he so desired to be a part of, Jake was forced to reassess his options and think about what would really be the best fit for his future. Deciding that remaining around family and staying close to home, and those who had his best interests at heart, was important to Jake, and so he opted to attend nearby Kean University, where he would be a part of the Kean Cougars football program. You'd be forgiven for not being overly familiar with the team or their players, but the Division III program offered Jake the ability to play college football, stay close to home and improve his game at a pace that he was comfortable with. His first season with the team went well, with Jake showing some good ability as a young player and impressing the coaching staff at Kean with the potential that he possessed. In all honesty, Jake hadn't really thought about walking on at another team and looking to play at a better or more widely known college, but after having conversations about their being some potential there for him to become a pro player in the future, he decided that it was an avenue he could potentially look into. He entered the transfer portal and an injury in the tight end room at Ohio State University meant the Buckeyes had a spot on their roster that needed to be filled out.
The coaching staff at Ohio State University brought Jake in with very little expectation that he would play meaningful minutes for the team in any role outside of special teams, and even then it was likely to be limited what he could add. But fate was such that another injury to a starting tight end on the roster meant that Jake was bumped up the depth chart a little further, and impressive contributions during team practices led to some thought being given about his potential ability to get some meaningful reps for the team in games. His improvement and growth continued over the season, and with 4 games to go he was named as the backup tight end on the team, getting to actually play some snaps and show what it was that he was able to do in games. For Jake, the rapid change in fortune was quite hard to get his head around but he made sure to try and seize the moment as best he could, with a focus on making the most of every play that he was on the field for as he was well aware that given his situation, each chance could be his last to impress. He continued to show up and put in solid performances for the team, to the point that after his first season with them, they were happy to sign off on him as being the starter for his final season with the team.
After going through this kind of process, it's inevitable that thoughts will turn to the next stage and what it is that someone like Jake might be able to achieve if he was to go on and push toward having a professional career in the sport. Given the fact that this was all but unfathomable 3 years previously, with Jake focused on working in physical education after college, his shift toward playing at a pro level took a lot of thinking to get his head around. Encouraged by his coaches, friends and family, Jake determined that it was not an unrealistic goal to look at playing at the top level and that a strong showing in his senior year could lead to a place in the DSFL Draft in the not too distant future. Continued development has got him from this stage to where he is now, mere months away from finding himself permanently on the roster of a DSFL team.
Having joined the waiver wire at the end of his final college season, he found himself catching a flight all the way to Australia, to join up with the Bondi Beach Buccaneers for the final weeks of the DSFL season. Being a part of the Buccaneers team should hopefully give some invaluable insight into what’s required from a player in the professional game, give Jake some useful connections in the league and really help him to elevate his position going into the upcoming DSFL draft as he’s able to show what he’s capable of as he plays against formidable opponents. It's an opportunity that Jake will be really hoping that he’s able to take advantage of in order to ensure that going forward, he’s able to accelerate his growth and show that he truly belongs at this level. Beyond the remaining weeks of the season and any playoff football that he might have the chance to be a part of, Jake hopes to begin interviews with all teams in the DSFL, to stake his claim for what he hopes to be able to achieve and show teams the commitment to success that he has used to get himself to where he is today.
So, what exactly is it that Jake feels he can offer to teams in the DSFL in the short term, and going forward, to the titans of the ISFL? A pass catching tight end who can still make solid contributions in the blocking game, he hopes to become the kind of every down footballer who makes his presence felt on every snap. He prides himself on being a great teammate to those around him, going out of the way to lift spirits in the locker room and trying to instill a sense of belief and achievement, making contributions in every part of the game and offering a mature attitude to proceedings. While his position is not likely to be considered the most premium for teams, there is undeniably value to be had by adding a tight end with real skill. It opens up a playbook in a great way, and gives an offense a feeling of unpredictability that makes life really difficult for any defenses that they're coming up against. He might not be the best tight end in his draft class, but Jake hopes that what he can bring to the table is noticed by GMs and stands him in good stead when it comes time to the big day.
It's going to be interesting to see how things play out for Jake over the next few weeks, and with there still being a fair bit of time before anything too significant happens, Jake Basinger hopes that the rest of the season gives him sufficient time to show what it is that he's really about.
Eyes inevitably turn every season to the draft processes as an indicator of what it is that teams are thinking for their future, and as the league slowly crawls toward another round of drafts the process repeats once more. Prospects have already begun to declare for the upcoming DSFL draft, with bright collegiate talent looking at making the slow transition to playing at a professional level. One of those young players is a tight end from Ohio State named Jake Basinger. Not the flashiest name in the world, and maybe not someone who you will have seen grabbing the headlines like some others, but during his time at college Basinger slowly grew his profile to get to where he is today, going from playing for a Division III program out of high school to walking on at one of the most respected football programs in the country and securing his place as a starter in a highly competitive team. And it's this that brings us back round to our initial point and makes the first paragraph of this article (somewhat relevant); despite his slow start out of high school and potentially underwhelming returns through his early years of college, the ability that Jake looks like he possesses could see him through to being a very good performer at the ISFL level some day in the future.
For Jake Basinger, football started back in his hometown of Neptune, NJ. The son of a football family who religiously followed and played the sport, he was surrounded by it growing up and counted down the days through school where he could look to make his mark at the high school level. He initially played as a wide receiver before bulking out and filling in at the tight end spot, and the physicality he demonstrated in his new role impressed his coaches and earned him a starting spot through his junior year. Despite possessing ability however, his college recruitment process didn't go as hoped; struggling with interviews didn't help, but it was the lack of "wow factor" in Jake's game that ultimately led to a lot of the big programs losing interest in him as a player and focusing their recruitment efforts on other tight ends in the country. After missing out on a spot at one of the big programs that he so desired to be a part of, Jake was forced to reassess his options and think about what would really be the best fit for his future. Deciding that remaining around family and staying close to home, and those who had his best interests at heart, was important to Jake, and so he opted to attend nearby Kean University, where he would be a part of the Kean Cougars football program. You'd be forgiven for not being overly familiar with the team or their players, but the Division III program offered Jake the ability to play college football, stay close to home and improve his game at a pace that he was comfortable with. His first season with the team went well, with Jake showing some good ability as a young player and impressing the coaching staff at Kean with the potential that he possessed. In all honesty, Jake hadn't really thought about walking on at another team and looking to play at a better or more widely known college, but after having conversations about their being some potential there for him to become a pro player in the future, he decided that it was an avenue he could potentially look into. He entered the transfer portal and an injury in the tight end room at Ohio State University meant the Buckeyes had a spot on their roster that needed to be filled out.
The coaching staff at Ohio State University brought Jake in with very little expectation that he would play meaningful minutes for the team in any role outside of special teams, and even then it was likely to be limited what he could add. But fate was such that another injury to a starting tight end on the roster meant that Jake was bumped up the depth chart a little further, and impressive contributions during team practices led to some thought being given about his potential ability to get some meaningful reps for the team in games. His improvement and growth continued over the season, and with 4 games to go he was named as the backup tight end on the team, getting to actually play some snaps and show what it was that he was able to do in games. For Jake, the rapid change in fortune was quite hard to get his head around but he made sure to try and seize the moment as best he could, with a focus on making the most of every play that he was on the field for as he was well aware that given his situation, each chance could be his last to impress. He continued to show up and put in solid performances for the team, to the point that after his first season with them, they were happy to sign off on him as being the starter for his final season with the team.
After going through this kind of process, it's inevitable that thoughts will turn to the next stage and what it is that someone like Jake might be able to achieve if he was to go on and push toward having a professional career in the sport. Given the fact that this was all but unfathomable 3 years previously, with Jake focused on working in physical education after college, his shift toward playing at a pro level took a lot of thinking to get his head around. Encouraged by his coaches, friends and family, Jake determined that it was not an unrealistic goal to look at playing at the top level and that a strong showing in his senior year could lead to a place in the DSFL Draft in the not too distant future. Continued development has got him from this stage to where he is now, mere months away from finding himself permanently on the roster of a DSFL team.
Having joined the waiver wire at the end of his final college season, he found himself catching a flight all the way to Australia, to join up with the Bondi Beach Buccaneers for the final weeks of the DSFL season. Being a part of the Buccaneers team should hopefully give some invaluable insight into what’s required from a player in the professional game, give Jake some useful connections in the league and really help him to elevate his position going into the upcoming DSFL draft as he’s able to show what he’s capable of as he plays against formidable opponents. It's an opportunity that Jake will be really hoping that he’s able to take advantage of in order to ensure that going forward, he’s able to accelerate his growth and show that he truly belongs at this level. Beyond the remaining weeks of the season and any playoff football that he might have the chance to be a part of, Jake hopes to begin interviews with all teams in the DSFL, to stake his claim for what he hopes to be able to achieve and show teams the commitment to success that he has used to get himself to where he is today.
So, what exactly is it that Jake feels he can offer to teams in the DSFL in the short term, and going forward, to the titans of the ISFL? A pass catching tight end who can still make solid contributions in the blocking game, he hopes to become the kind of every down footballer who makes his presence felt on every snap. He prides himself on being a great teammate to those around him, going out of the way to lift spirits in the locker room and trying to instill a sense of belief and achievement, making contributions in every part of the game and offering a mature attitude to proceedings. While his position is not likely to be considered the most premium for teams, there is undeniably value to be had by adding a tight end with real skill. It opens up a playbook in a great way, and gives an offense a feeling of unpredictability that makes life really difficult for any defenses that they're coming up against. He might not be the best tight end in his draft class, but Jake hopes that what he can bring to the table is noticed by GMs and stands him in good stead when it comes time to the big day.
It's going to be interesting to see how things play out for Jake over the next few weeks, and with there still being a fair bit of time before anything too significant happens, Jake Basinger hopes that the rest of the season gives him sufficient time to show what it is that he's really about.
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