The 2025 NFL Draft is tonight, and teams will be looking to add pieces to their team as they see fit, from their biggest holes that they will look to fill in the first round, to depth pieces in the later rounds of the draft. One player that could hear his name called on day three of the draft but be able to make an immediate impact will be Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Jackson Hawes.
Hawes enters the draft after playing his first three years for the Yale Bulldogs, where he played in 29 of thirty games for the team. Hawes was named Second Team All-Ivy League his sophomore and junior seasons before transferring to finish out his college career with the Yellow Jackets.
While he did not put up great receiving numbers for the team (16 catches for 195 yards), Hawes proved himself to be one of the best blocking tight ends in the country, making running lanes for star quarterback Haynes King and star running back Jamal Haynes.
The importance of blocking as a tight end, especially in the NFL, is something that can not be stressed enough, as more NFL offenses are run heavy, relying on outside blocking to create running lanes from their tight ends.
At 6'4", Hawes is one of the bigger tight ends in the class and can use his size to win blocking battles against edge rushers from across the league. Whoever pick Hawes late in the draft will be getting a player that will not necessarily start or save a franchise, but someone that could be a big factor in the team's rushing attack.