Overview

Position: Tight end

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 278 pounds

School: Ashland Eagles

Combine Performance Data

40-yard dash: 4.79 seconds

Bench press: 24 reps (tied for best among tight ends)

Vertical jump: 32.5 inches

Broad jump: 10 feet, 1 inch

Three-cone drill: 7.09 seconds

20-yard shuttle: 4.38 seconds

60-yard shuttle: 12.38 seconds

Adam Shaheen 2017 NFL Draft Profile

Every year, there are a handful of NFL Draft prospects who played collegiately at non-Division I schools. Last year, the New Orleans Saints picked defensive tackle David Onyemata from Manitoba in the fourth round. He became just the 12th pick in the history of the draft to come out of Canadian U Sports football. The year before, guard Ali Marpet of Division III Hobart parlayed a standout Combine into getting picked 61st overall by the Tampa Bay Bucs. Adam Shaheen hopes to continue the trend.

There was a time when such a possibility seemed far-fetched. After all, Shaheen played basketball during his first year of college at Division II Pittsburgh-Johnstown. But a year later, he transferred to Ashland in central Ohio with the intention of moving to football. Given his size and desire to play a skill position on offense, coaches naturally saw tight end as the most natural fit.

Shaheen spent his first year with the Eagles learning the ins and outs of the position and didn’t contribute much, catching just two passes for 85 yards. But he really began to come into his own the following year. As the newly minted starter, Shaheen quickly became the focal point of the offense. He finished with 803 receiving yards and ten touchdowns, with his 70 catches shattering a D-II record among tight ends. As a senior, he added 867 yards and accounted for 44.4 percent of Ashland’s 36 receiving touchdowns, tallying 16 scores.

Strengths

big-bodied player with a frame tailor made for the position at the next level;

natural pass-catcher who snatches the ball out of the air with soft hands;

regularly lined up both on the line and out wide;

saw plenty of action in pro-style sets;

explosive burst and forward lean after catch makes him tough to bring down;

has no problem coming up with balls thrown ahead of or behind him;

vertical threat with the ability to adjust to the ball in flight and win contested catches;

has the speed and athleticism to be a threat on teams who regularly incorporate Y-Iso package;

fairly reliable quick setting and redirecting defenders in pass protection;

solid base combined with upper body strength enables him to sustain blocks;

Weaknesses

level of competition may have inflated stats;

seems to run with overly stiff hips and lower body;

must improve ability to run fluid routes without getting jammed on initial release;

static in route running at times which makes it tough for him to optimize space in zone;

might have issues achieving separation against press man coverage;

will need to become a more versatile, all-around blocker;

struggles to stay square with target when blocking downfield;

NFL Comparison: Zach Miller

Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Projection: second round

Bottom Line

Shaheen possesses many attributes coveted at the next level. His size, speed, athleticism and above average pass-catching ability have him firmly on the radar of teams in need of a game-changing tight end. While there are concerns that he’s the product of a “big fish, small pond” dynamic, his Combine measurables may have assuaged such misgivings among scouts, front office executives and coaches. And even though he’ll need to improve as a blocking tight end, the potential is there for him to get into a training camp and compete for starting reps right off the bat. With tight end such an integral part of the passing game in today’s NFL, his opportunity to transition from relative obscurity to household name is there for the taking.