Draft Preview: BC tight end Long has athletic upside

Apr. 20—Speaking with Sports Illustrated's BC Bulletin, Jim Mora Jr. ran through a list of NFL comparisons for Boston College tight end Hunter Long. Among them? Former Washington Football Team star Jordan Reed, long-time Tennessee Titans standout Delanie Walker and Indianapolis Colts great Dallas Clark.

"I'm excited to watch him play, see how he's used," the ESPN college football analyst and former college and pro head coach said. "I'm not thinking that he will be a Pro Bowl player initially, but I think he's got some of the traits that you're seeing in these big-time tight ends now."

That could be music to Colts head coach Frank Reich's ears.

Though left tackle and edge rusher are the two most pressing needs, Reich has spoken often this offseason about adding a field-stretching tight end. Long might not fit that description initially, but he boasts some strong athletic traits along with the kind of versatility Indianapolis craves.

Long spent two years honing his skills as a blocker in former BC head coach Steve Addazio's run-heavy offensive scheme, then broke out in 2020 under new head coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti. He finished with 57 catches for 685 yards and five touchdowns — setting career highs in all three categories and leading all Football Bowl Subdivision tight ends in receptions.

"I've kind of always prided my game on being a well-rounded tight end, a three-down tight end that could do everything," Long said after his pro day March 26. "You can flex me out, single-receiver side. You can put me in the slot. You can put me inline. I feel comfortable anywhere on the field, and I feel like I showed that versatility this past year on offense. So I feel like I'm gonna bring a lot of skills to the NFL and will be able to mesh with a lot of different offenses."

His testing numbers back that up. Long ran an acceptable 4.71-second 40-yard dash with an excellent 2.69-second 20-yard split and showcased his explosion with a 10-foot-2 broad jump. At 6-foot-5 and 254 pounds, he's also shown consistent hands and strong situational awareness.

There are flaws, of course, that could push him into the early part of Day 3 on draft weekend. He needs to be more precise and deceptive with his route running, and his agility is unimpressive.

But the upside is unmistakable, and 2020 might just be the beginning.

With Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec taking over at quarterback and the coaching change, Long blossomed as a receiver and moved further onto the NFL radar. A redshirt junior, he culminated his college career with a trip to the Senior Bowl and further burnished his reputation.

In a year with few opportunities to impress professional talent evaluators in person, Long understood the increased emphasis on the annual all-star game in Mobile, Alabama.

"The Senior Bowl, especially this year in the pandemic year, was a huge step for all the guys that went there," he said. "I felt like I had a really good week. I was able to meet all 32 teams and talk with them — the coaches. I was only able to do two of the practices because of an injury, but I felt like I showed what I can do in those two practices and showed some improvement from the season. I got really good feedback on it and thought the week went really well for me."

The next step is draft weekend in Cleveland.

Long plans to watch the annual selection meeting at home with family in New Hampshire as he realizes a childhood dream.

If he can continue the upward momentum he showed last season, Long's stay in the NFL could be memorable.

"I'm not ready to put him in the elite level yet," Mora said, "but I think he has a chance to ascend to be a really, really good, solid tight end."