NFL Draft Profile: UCLA Football TE Austin Roberts

Continuing our NFL Draft profiles for every draft eligible UCLA Football Bruin is a look at a player who changed positions to help not only his team but his draft stock as well.

The UCLA Football program has had a number of guys find new life with position changes in the past few years. Anthony Barr, Ainuu Taua and even Mossi Johnson changed positions to not only fill needs for their team but to also find their way onto the field more. They’ve all had varying degrees of success at this point but the fact remains, guys who know they can see more time at another position will make the move.

Austin Roberts is one of those guys. A former four star wide receiver from Indiana, Roberts was a big bodied receiver who had surprising long speed. After red-shirting as a freshman, Roberts barely saw the field as a sophomore receiver. 2016 would be a blessing though as the UCLA Football program brought back the TE position without enough players to fill the depth chart. And so a big bodied receiver got even bigger and became an H-back for the Bruins.

While he saw the field more, was a position change Roberts’ key to the NFL?

Austin Roberts/TE/6’2/230lbs

2017 Stats: 19 receptions, 220 yards, two touchdowns

Positives

As a former WR, Roberts is more athletic than your average TE. He’s a mismatch for defenses at the next level with his position flexibility and speed. He was used as a blocker, both inline and as a lead blocker from the backfield. Gives solid effort as a blocker and has improved steadily over the past two seasons in his technique. As a receiver he can run the entire route tree but makes a killing on hooks and out routes that allow him to use his skills as a WR to create separation. Drops his weight well at the top of routes allowing him to come out of breaks under control. Gets his head around quickly. Offers some surprising run after the catch ability for a man his size.

Negatives

Despite giving solid effort as a blocker he doesn’t have the bulk or upper body strength at this point to be an effective inline blocker. Because of that he’s going to have to be an H-back or a flexed out TE in the NFL. Has the frame to add another 10 pounds but will that extra bulk take away his natural speed advantage? Has played both WR and TE but doesn’t have the surest hands and will have some concentration drops. Declared early despite not having production to back it up and with an explosive offense coming to the UCLA Football program next season. Tore the ACL in his left knee during workouts before freshman season.

Projection

If I’m being completely honest I’m not sure that declaring for the NFL at this point was a great move. Roberts could have stayed another season and with his versatility he could have been a dangerous weapon in Chip Kelly‘s offense. Yes both Caleb Wilson and Jordan Wilson have seized the TE reins plus Devin Asiasi, Jimmy Jaggers and Moses Robinson-Carr waiting in the wings. Still, the Bruins probably would have found room for Roberts in the offense given the success of a guy like David Paulson in the Chip Kelly offense.

Next: What's Bruin Show 156- UCLA Football wrap up and what makes a legendary Bruin QB?

At this point in the draft process I’d be hard pressed to imagine a scenario where Roberts is taken before the sixth round. While more refined in the blocking department than former UCLA Football Bruin Thomas Duarte at this point, he’s nowhere near the receiving option. Unfortunately because Roberts isn’t a dominating blocker he needs a trump card like Duarte’s hands. Without one he’s going to be hard pressed to impress NFL scouts.