Broncos Draft Prospect: Jean Sifrin, TE, UMass
Replacing Julius Thomas isn’t going to be easy for the Denver Broncos, but by adding Owen Daniels and re-signing Virgil Green, they’re off to a decent start.
The 2015 NFL Draft should provide at least something in the form of a new tight end for this Denver roster, which also features Dominique Jones and Jeremy Kelley along with Joe Don Duncan as guys battling it out for roster spots.
One player that could intrigue the Broncos in the later portion of the draft is UMass tight end Jean Sifrin, who is a 27-year old rookie but has a really intriguing set of skills.
Born with an outstanding frame, Sifrin looks more like a small forward on the football field than he does a tight end. He has huge, 11-inch hands and a wide catch radius, and while his speed left something to be desired in the 4.8 range at the scouting combine, he allegedly shaved a tenth of a second off that time at his pro day at UMass, which the Broncos were present for.
This guy’s story of getting into a college football program is absolutely one-of-a-kind. He was noticed by a recruiter who was looking at a quarterback prospect playing in a flag football game. At the time, Sifrin was 23 and working a job for $25 an hour trying to support his then three-year-old son, who is now seven.
Sifrin’s invitation to play college ball at a community college ended up with him playing one year for UMass, where he put up good enough numbers to be an All-MAC selection (42-642-6).
His emergence caught the eye of NFL scouts. Oh, and everyone in the country saw this…
Measurables
Strengths
Sifrin is a big, long, athletic tight end prospect who has plenty of catch radius. He is a nightmare for defenses to try and have to cover in the passing game, and can move around the formation.
He has strong hands, can go up and high point the ball, and shield defenders in order to gain position in jump ball situations.
Weaknesses
Limited experience in college football. Not a polished blocker. Speed a question after combine 40-yard dash time. Needs to learn nuances of NFL route running. Very raw player.
Overall
The risk of taking Sifrin in the later rounds is worth the potential reward. With proper coaching and technique, he can be a stud for some team for a few years. He is older, but he doesn’t have the wear and tear on his body that other guys his age otherwise would. He is an older rookie, but Sifrin’s story is so great, and he deserves a shot moving forward.
The Broncos could be the team to give it to him.