Jace Sternberger | Tight End | Texas A&M | 6'4" - 251 lbs.

 


Overview
Despite his experience in-line and willingness to block in Jimbo Fisher's offense, he has neither the size nor strength to handle those duties as a pro. Sternberger is athletic with above-average ball skills, catch radius and route breaks that help him undercover on the second and third level. His paychecks will be tied to his pass-catching so he'll need to play stronger through route contact and with better focus when contested. He has eventual starter potential as a move tight-end who can function as a big WR3/4 from the slot.


Strengths
[list]

Talented route-runner with no wasted steps

Maintains pressure with good route speed

Sets off-man coverage up before accelerating past

Excellent hand-eye for smooth grabs on the run without breaking stride

Runs his routes like a big receiver

Keeps the same energy in and out of breaks

Slick outside-in breaks to cross-face coverage

Above-average hands

Plus in-air adjustments and grab radius

Athleticism and route savvy could create matchup issues

Runs with vision after the catch

Able to be shuffled around the field with various groupings[/list]

Weaknesses
[list]

Slightly undersized

Run blocking isn't where it needs to be

Gets caved into the run lane by edge strength

Initial block engagement lacks necessary leverage

Allows backside leakage due poor angles

Needs longer sustain as blocker in space

Route bullies throw his timing and focus off

Inconsistent finishing catches through contact

Can improve body positioning to protect catch space[/list]

Sources Tell Us
"You wish he was a little bit faster but he makes up for it with his routes. You feed him, get him stronger and you'll have an NFL starter who gets you 50 to 60 catches a year." -- AFC tight ends coach

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Reports on his blocking varied. Couldn't find a ton of film on him. I was sick too. lol

The rap is, he's developing. He's a "second year jump" type of guy. Can do the basics in the passing game.

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He wasn't on my radar but I know so little about college kids in general and typically TE isn't a very deep position. 4.75 speed isn't very exciting but a solid route runner is.

#4 on Walter's board.

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Another tight end who isn't a great blocker. I wonder if Gutekunst will be in the market for a fullback or a halfback who's solid in pass protection.

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Was Orlovsky's tweet meant as a positive or a negative? Did he mean he will be a problem for LaFleur and Rodgers or a problem for defenses. I didn't think Daniels was a problem TE in Houston.

It was a positive

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For what its worth:

Tight end Jace Sternberger — taken in 3rd round of NFL Draft — was a two-year Jayhawk

By Jesse Newell
April 26, 2019

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article229750904.html#storylink=cpy 

A former Kansas football player was taken in the third round of Friday’s 2019 NFL Draft ... though he didn’t end his career with the Jayhawks.

Tight end Jace Sternberger, who was an All-America selection last year for Texas A&M, was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round as the 75th overall selection.

Sternberger spent half his college career at KU. He was part of former coach David Beaty’s 2015 recruiting class, signing with the Jayhawks as a 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end.

Though Sternberger transitioned to tight end in Lawrence, he never moved his way up the depth chart. He redshirted in 2015 then caught one pass for five yards with some special teams work in 2016 before announcing after that season he would transfer.

Sternberger had immediate success elsewhere. At Northeastern Oklahoma, he had 21 catches for 336 yards with six touchdowns, and after committing to Texas A&M, Sternberger was a consensus first-team All-America selection with 47 receptions, 804 yards and 10 touchdowns. He declared for this year’s NFL Draft with one year of eligibility remaining.

Beaty was asked in October whether he knew what he had with Sternberger at KU.

“Man, I’ll tell you this. We absolutely knew he was talented,” Beaty said. “He knew he could run. We knew that he was going to be a playmaker, because when he caught the ball on tape in high school, he scored. He was hard to tackle. He did the same thing for us in practice.

“I think he was younger when he was here. It was good to see him mature and step up, but he’s turned into one of the best playmakers in the country.”

Beaty, who said he’d reached out to Sternberger during his breakout year at Texas A&M to congratulate him on his success, also was asked why he thought Sternberger had left KU’s program.

“I think just a new start for him,” Beaty said in October. “I think all guys go through things in their own career, and they feel they might know what is best for them at the time, and at that point, I think he felt like it was better for him to get a fresh start, and it’s worked out good for him. I know where he’s at, and it’s a good place, and they’re using him really well. He is a tight end that really plays like a wideout. He can run, really run.”

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article229750904.html#storylink=cpy 

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Very positive. Get matched up vs lbs over the middle and bust Ds along the seams. Put a more athletic lb to cover and open up stuff underneath to Jones and Williams Squared. Put a S on him and you're taking away help over the top

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Here's hoping Justin Outten can teach him (and Graham) how to block.

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