A player that the Eagles could target on day two of the draft is Jeremy Ruckert. The Ohio State tight end could help solidify the tight end position for years to come. A four-star recruit, Ruckert scored a combined nine touchdowns in 2019 and 2020. This past season he hauled in 26 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
Jeremy Ruckert at Ohio State
Ruckert’s numbers aren’t eye-popping at first glance. However, he played in an offense that has two of the top wide receivers in the upcoming draft and another one that will likely be the first off the board in 2023. There just weren’t enough targets to go around. He was sharing catches with potentially three first-round receivers and an elite receiving threat out of the backfield in TreVeyon Henderson. Ruckert’s stats don’t pop off the page, but he comfortably surpassed his previous career highs in catches and receiving yards. All this while being in a crowded offense.
Raw Abilities
Ruckert is pro-ready as a blocker. He is tenacious as a run blocker. Ruckert gets after defenders, creating a movement with his power and leg drive. He wants to drive defenders into the ground and bullies defensive backs with his strength.
Ruckert has soft and reliable hands. The Ohio State tight end was targeted 39 times this past season and only had one drop. He doesn’t labor in and out of his breaks. He accelerates smoothly off the line of scrimmage. With his frame and hands, Ruckert Jalen Hurt’s best friend on underneath routes. This could complement the shaky wide receiver group. He shows no issue making catches in a crowd. With his rocked-up frame, Ruckert creates yards after the catch with his toughness and is able to run through defenders.
A Large Athlete
He is an above-average athlete for a guy hosting a 6′ 5″, 252-pound frame. He can get open in space and sit in open zones. Especially over the middle of the field, he’s adept at finding space and racking up completions. He can haul in passes against talented linebackers. He also flashes excellent body control, coordination, and ball-tracking ability in close combat. Ruckert brings a lot of the necessary building blocks. Will need to work on grabbing the contested balls against the NFL elite.
Ruckert will be a force in the red zone. Of his 54 career receptions, 12 of them went for touchdowns. With his size and deceptive quickness, Ruckert could be a mismatch weapon. He is quick enough off the line to get separation fairly quickly. If you dish it up to him, he has the high-end coordination and ball tracking ability to convert. This could be perfect for Hurts who sometimes has problems threading the ball.
Fit with the Eagles
Jeremy Ruckert is a plug-and-play player with his blocking ability. He could provide Philly with a Y-tight end with his ability as a run blocker. This would make the offensive line that much more formidable. The Eagles need more young talent and this could help Dallas Goedert with him missing Zach Ertz. Ruckert would provide an immediate impact as a blocker and anything he added as a pass-catcher would be gravy. Long-term, Ruckert has all the tools in the shed to develop into a team’s top tight end. With his frame, hands, and ability as a blocker, Ruckert checks all the boxes.
Al is one of the two co-creators of Edge of Philly Sports. Al started radio and podcasting in 2012 and covering sports in 2015. A lifelong Philly sports fan since watching the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers with his grandfathers at age 7. Al always looks at the other side of the hot topics and gives his different outlook on those topics. Web and Graphic Design.
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