The Washington Redskins have Jordan Reed lining up as their starting tight end in 2016. That’s enough to give every defensive coordinator headaches when trying to figure out how to cover him.
Now let’s add Niles Paul to that mix. A former wide receiver, Paul has the footwork, explosiveness, and athleticism that makes him a nightmare for opposing defenses.
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Listed at 6’1″ and 241 pounds, he might not be the biggest tight end, but he’s got stupid speed for the position. How many tight ends return kicks in their career (via Mike Jones of the Washington Post)? That should give you a look into the unique skill set of Paul.
I made another gif because Niles Paul. pic.twitter.com/YCYXOuVH44
— RotoViz Dynasty (@RotoVizDynasty) August 10, 2015
Extremely unique skill set.
Not many tight ends will burn a defender on a route, make a nice grab, cross someone up, break a tackle, and deliver a solid stiff arm on the same play.
In 2014, Paul had a career year, recording 39 receptions for 507 yards and one touchdown (all career-highs) while appearing in all 16 games (7 starts). That’s extremely impressive considering he only had 14 receptions combined in his first three NFL seasons.
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Then there’s the ridiculously overlooked facet of his game, blocking. Paul is much better as a run blocker than people give him credit for. Add that to his receiving abilities and you’ve got a complete player.
People tend to forget that Paul was actually in place to be Washington’s first string tight end heading into 2015. Unfortunately for him and the Redskins, Paul suffered a gruesome ankle injury that caused him to miss the entire season (you guys don’t need to see it, just trust me, it was bad). That gave Reed a chance to take over as the starter and absolutely dominant the league.
Paul shouldn’t be overlooked however. The man with possibly the best beard on the Washington roster has the skills to line up as a tight end or receiver, and it looks like he may be trying his luck at fullback in the next season (via Stephen Czarda of Redskins.com). Beard, check. Versatility, check. Skills, check. Nickname? Rambo. I mean, do you want to throw down with Sylvester Stallone? I didn’t think so.
Two tight end sets can be a huge advantage if you have two athletic pass catchers in those spots, just look at the New England Patriots when they had Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. There’s no reason Reed and Paul can become the same matchup nightmare for the Redskins (without the extracurricular activities of Hernandez).
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“But Hunter, won’t they be stealing stats away from each other?”
Not at all. In fact, we’re going with the exact opposite on this one. I’m talking Fabolous and Ne-Yo “You Make Me Better”. Jordan Reed and Niles Paul, dynamic duo, Batman and Robin.