San Diego Chargers: Hunter Henry is a Future Star
By Andrew Long
The San Diego Chargers secured two players that could become cornerstones of their franchise in the first two rounds. Joey Bosa in the first round, and now Hunter Henry in round two.
The San Diego Chargers upgraded their defense in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft with their selection of defensive end Joey Bosa at third overall. The pick undoubtedly upgraded their defense, leaving them free to utilize their second round pick on an offensive player, which they did with their selection of Hunter Henry, a tight end out of Arkansas.
Related Story: San Diego Chargers: Joey Bosa is a safe, promising player
I believe that the selection is a wise one, as the team lost Ladarius Green to the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency earlier in the off-season. Green was long looked at as the replacement for Antonio Gates, but that’s no longer a possibility, meaning the Chargers must find a player to ease into the role of starting tight end as Gates finishes off his professional career. Hunter Henry can certainly be that person.
It’ll be interesting to see the amount of play time Gates and Hunter receive during the transition years, largely because I believe that Henry is already a finished product at the position. He possesses the ability to dominate in the blocking portion of the game, as well as become a fantastic weapon in the passing game for Philip Rivers.
It’s not often that young tight ends have the ability to contribute to both aspects of the game; it’s usually one or the other. However, Henry isn’t your typical rookie tight end. His blocking is on par with that of a mediocre tackle, as he sports the ability to adequately block rushers off the edge in passing and running situations. This trait will increase the amount of snaps that Hunter receives as he transitions his game to the professional level.
The fact that Henry is a capable blocker is huge because it will allow Antonio Gates to save his energy for passing situations. I foresee Hunter being San Diego’s primary blocking tight end in 2016, while Gates will likely edge him out in terms of passing plays he’s involved him. Even if that is the case, I still believe that Hunter will be heavily involved in both aspects of the game for the Chargers.
While Hunter Henry’s blocking skills are impressive, I don’t want it to overshadow his value as a pass-catcher. Standing at 6-5 and 250 pounds, the 21-year-old tight end has the size and strength to truly dominate opposing defenses. His size isn’t what defines him as a pass-catcher, though – it’s his reliable hands.
More nfl spin zone: San Diego Chargers 7-Round Mock Draft
According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Hunter Henry caught all 51 passes thrown to him in 2015, recording zero drops on the year. Those 51 catches helped the tight end accumulate 739 yards and three touchdowns, a respectable stat line for a player with his blocking ability.
I believe that Henry will develop into a star for the San Diego Chargers, immediately challenging Antonio Gates for playing time. The selection of Henry at the top of the second round, in my opinion, will pay off for the Bolts.