Travis Beckum TE 6'4 235 Wisconsin

Beckum came to Wisconsin as a linebacker and spent his first season on campus as a reserve defender before moving to offense a year later. Beckum took to the offensive side of the ball very nicely. His quick learning resulted in the best year for a Badger tight end in school history, as he caught 61 passes for 903 yards and five touchdowns. He was even better as a junior, improving on all his numbers, finishing with 75 receptions for 982 yards and six touchdowns for the year.

Strengths

Beckum is a very difficult match up for defenders. He is simply too athletic for most linebackers to cover. He is a very good natural athlete that has the quickness and speed to gain separation if matched up with a linebacker, but his height and physicality as a receiver allow him to overpower defensive backs. Although he was recruited as a defensive player, Beckum has been a natural on offense and continues to get better. His ability to get open and catch the football is top notch, and as good as any tight end in this draft.

Weaknesses

Blocking simply is not a part of Beckum’s game. Many refer to him as an overgrown wide receiver, but he really isn’t even that because there are plenty of receivers with his frame in the NFL. His lack of bulk and strength at the point of attack make him a liability as a blocker, and he will have to prove his foot speed to see if he can become a wide receiver.

Future

The lack of a true position may hurt Beckum, but the kid is a playmaker and his ability should translate to the NFL. He will be categorized as a tight end, but he has the ability to line up in different positions to create mismatches. As long as a team realizes that he probably will never be a very good blocker and will use him to his strengths, he could be a big playmaker in the league. He really has nothing to prove as a receiver at the college level, but if he can add weight and improve his blocking he could skyrocket up the boards.