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Up next in my prospect profile series is a player that I loved before last year’s draft, the only problem with Beckum though is I’m not sure he’ll ever be a Coughlin/Gilbride kind of guy.

Travis Beckum is a unique athlete.

Beckum started his college career as a rush defensive end and outside linebacker. The Wisconsin coach noticed how athletic he was and thought he was physical enough to play tight end so he was converted to a TE and really shined in 2006.  In 2006, Travis Bekcum had 61 catches for 903 yards and 5 touchdowns. In 2007, not to be outdone: Beckum had 75 catches for 982 yards and 5 touchdowns. (He also absolutely dominated Ohio State with 9 cathces for a 140 yards and a touchdown).

In 2008, his senior season Beckum only managed 23 catches for 264 yards and no touchdowns, but that was because Beckum only played in 6 games on the season before injuring his leg and missing the entire rest of that season.

Before we can look at Beckum’s future, let’s take a look at what “scouts” said about Beckum before he entered the draft.

Walterfootball.com

Strengths: Average height with the room to bulk up a little more … Highly athletic with excellent body control … Deep speed to stretch a defense … Great ball skills; can adjust to poorly thrown passes … Very solid Y.A.C. … Tough when going over the middle … Good route runner … Vertical playmaker … Provides some versatility at H-Back … Very good upside.

Weaknesses: Needs to add some more strength to frame … Not going to block … Doesn’t always read soft spots in zone … Durability concerns after season-ending fractured fibula … Will not fit every scheme … Occasionally loses focus on jump balls … Should have been a more productive red-zone target … Needs to do a better job of getting off jam at LOS against linebackers.

Summary: Before the season, Beckum was in the first round of many mock drafts and the consensus No. 1 TE. I have no idea what happened other than one injury. I think he is very underrated at this point and checks in as my No. 2 tight end in the 2009 NFL Draft. He will be a better pro than college player.

Player Comparison: Owen Daniels. Daniels is one of the best vertical threats at tight end in the NFL, and I think Beckum has that type of potential.

Michael Piere (Via walterfootball.com)

NFL.com

Analysis

Positives: Rangy athlete with the top-end speed to challenge down the seam. Uses this threat and his long arms to gain separation from defenders. Lines up as an H-back with his hand down, in the slot and outside. Good lateral quickness. Shimmies to sell his route or get off press coverage at the line. Improved recognition of defenses and can recognize the soft spots in the zone. Nice body control as a receiver, flashing the ability to track over his shoulder. Able to make the acrobatic high-point catch. Secures the ball quickly and looks to head upfield. Flashes some wiggle to make defenders miss. Impressive straight-line speed. Provides an initial pop and willingness to sustain as a pass and run blocker.

Negatives: Underwent shoulder surgery after his junior season, and was still not 100 percent recovered from his leg surgery by Wisconsin’s March 4 pro day. ‘Tweener who is undersized for the traditional tight end position. Has struggled to gain weight in the past and is a narrow shouldered athlete who lacks the frame to add much bulk. Ultimately gets backed down or ripped off by larger players when blocking on the line due to his less than ideal playing strength. Does not have the straight-line speed and explosive burst out of his breaks to convert to receiver. Lacks the raw power to break tackles. Rounds off routes. Will short-arm passes when hearing footsteps. Body-catches too often.

Compares To: RANDY McMICHAEL, St. Louis — Beckum is not as bulky as McMichael, but both are superb at securing the ball and heading upfield. The Wisconsin native might be a nice fit for the Packers, who have been lacking a safety valve in their lineup since Keith Jackson’s heyday. Size issues will prevent Beckum from playing the traditional tight end position and there are serious durability concerns. If he was not so banged up last year, he could have been the king of the mountain at this position heading into the draft.

There is a common theme in these reports: Great athlete, but a tweener between a WR and TE and that he will most likely struggle to block at the next level.

There is also a high sense of optimism that he can become a force in the passing game.

Before Beckum’s injury last season he was on pace to become a first round pick, but his injuy brought about durability concerns and also negatively effected him in the pre-draft process and because of durability concerns and some concerns about his ability to block (thought that didn’t keep Dustin Keller out of the first round) the Giants got a steal in the late third round.

Let’s take a quick look at what he did with the Giants last year.

8 catches for 55 yards. According to profootballfocus.com Beckum played in only 62 snaps the entire season, which means Beckum caught a ball once every 8 (about) snaps. Beckum had zero touchdowns and only 25 yards after the catch. Beckum may also have been responsible for one INT (the game vs Philadelphia early in the game where Eli was picked off by Asante Samuel)

According to profootballfocus.com in the limited time he was on the field Beckum was not a terrible blocker, he was merely average, which is fine.

The summary of Beckums’ last year was that he did very little to impress, but why do I have high hopes?

Well because he’s an incredible athlete. He has shown, to me work ethic, by switching positions and coming back from a serious leg injury from his senior season. He also was getting on the field in basically every week (which is not the same that happens for most rookies) and because some of the catches he did make were fantastic.

Why am I worried about him?

I”m not sure how much Coughlin will use Beckum because he’s not an excellent blocker. There are many players in the N.F.L. who don’t block well, but are still on the field because the team wants their pass catching ability on the field, but Coughlin always talks about being a physical running team and Beckum doesn’t fit that mold.

What would I do?

I’ve said this a few times, but I’ll say it again. Play Beckum at Full back. He’s not a great blocker, but he can block as well as some full backs I’m sure. Let him be more of a Leonard Weaver full back who is athletic, but an O.K. blocker as opposed to Madison Hedgecock who can’t catch, can’t run the ball, and didn’t do much to help out the running game last year.

Making Beckum an H-back/FB/TE also gives the team some flexibiliy to add another player. Maybe the team can keep an Extra MLB (Micah Johnson) or DT (Nate Collins) or sign another cornerback to use. Instead of wasting space with Madison Hedgecock.

Also how great would it be to see one of those dump off passes that go off Madison Hedgecock’s hands for no gain get caught by Beckum and taken 25 yards up the field?

That’d be amazing.

Travis Bekcum has all the ability to be successful in the N.F.L. I think a lot of it will depend on philosophy. I’m worried (For Beckums’ sake) that he might have been better off getting drafted by a different team that would use him similiarily to how Chris Cooley is used in Washington. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

What are you guys thoughts on the possibility of Travis Beckum breaking out this year?

Previous Profiles:

WR Ramses Barden

Aaron Ross

Clint Sintim

LB Jonathan Goff

WR Hakeem Nicks

RB Andre Brown