Athleticism:

A very thick and strong build for a tight end. Is an above average athlete who has the speed to get vertical in the NFL. Won’t time too well but has the burst and suddenness needed to create separation. Has an above average burst but lacks great lateral agility.

Grade: 3.0

Hands:

Has a big pair of hands and shows natural receiving ability. Soft hands. Does a good job of extending his arms and not allowing balls into his body too often. Can make the tough catch in traffic and with defenders draped all over him. Possess great body control and can high point the football consistently. Has some lapses in concentration and will drop passes, but doesn’t make a habit of it.

Grade: 4.0

Route Running:

Not overly fast but can create separation. Has an above average burst and gets up to speed quickly. Shows the ability to dip his hips, cut, and accelerate out of his breaks. Won’t separate on athleticism alone but will set defenders up with head fakes. Will push off on defenders occasionally and could get called for pass interference.

Grade: 3.0

Blocking:

Has great natural strength that helps him out a lot as a blocker. Used in a variety of ways at Clemson. Generates a good pop through contact and does a good job of staying engaged on blocks. Pumps his feet and looks to drive defenders out of the way. Struggles with leverage. Will almost always lose the leverage battle off the snap, however is strong enough to anchor and recover. Lack of great lateral agility hurts him when trying to block in space as quicker defenders can elude him.

Grade: 3.0

Intangibles:

A 2 year starter who saw action as a sophomore catching 3 touchdowns. A durable player who has not missed a game in college. Has no known off-field issues. Regarded as a high character player and hard worker. Very versatile and was used in many ways at Clemson (TE, H-Back, slot receiver). Was a star basketball player in high school.

Grade: 5.0

Outlook:

There’s a lot of talk about who will be the best tight end in this draft class. Dwayne Allen is an excellent receiver and a solid blocker and should be able to contribute right away. However, Orson Charles has more upside due to his athleticism. Not to take anything away from Allen, he’s still a great player. He reminds me so much of Alge Crumpler back when he used to play for the Falcons. He won’t wow you with his speed but he’ll find a way to get open and make the tough catches.