2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Cade Otton

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Cade Otton, 6-5/247 Tight End Washington

Cade Otton Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Natural, smooth route-runner

Weapon to get open versus man or zone

Soft hands

Uses his hands late

Reliable to make catches in traffic

Good height, weight

Willing to go across the middle

Can function as an underneath receiver

Has the frame to be a blocker

Red-zone contributor

Size mismatch versus safeties

Presents a big target

Willing blocker

Three-down starting potential

Weaknesses:

Not a force as a blocker

Not strong enough to tie up defensive ends

Needs to grow stronger

Should get more aggressive as a blocker

Had some injury issues

Summary: Washington has had a nice run of tight end prospects over recent years, and Otton will continue that tradition in the 2022 NFL Draft. As a freshman in 2018, Otton had three touchdowns on only 13 catches for 174 yards. He then had his best season in 2019 with 32 receptions for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Otton played well in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season with 18 grabs for 258 yards and three touchdowns. As a senior, Otton was off to a good start before being sidelined with COVID-19 and not playing as well to close out the season. He totaled 28 catches for 250 yards and a touchdown on the year.

Otton has the potential to be a dangerous receiving tight end who contributes well to a NFL passing attack. He has a well-rounded set of tools as a receiver to beat defenses in a variety of ways. Otton has good size and is very adept at going up to make contested catches over defenders. He high points the ball well and has strong hands to control the ball while getting hit. Otton has a nose for the end zone and should be an asset in the red zone, where he was very good at producing touchdowns in college. On top of good hands, Otton has good feel as a route runner and knows how to separate. Otton gets open running down the seam, on crossing routes, and underneath. While Otton does not have elite speed or athleticism, he is effective and is a pure football player who can beat man or zone coverage.



Otton is also a willing blocker. He gives an effort and is not a tight end who shies away from engaging a defender. Otton, however, has room for improvement, as he needs to get stronger to tie up defensive ends and generate more stalemates. He also needs to grow more aggressive.

In the 2022 NFL Draft, Otton could be a second-day pick, depending on how teams evaluate him medically. Otton could become a three-down starter in the NFL if he can stay healthy.



Player Comparison: Zach Ertz. Otton’s natural receiving ability is similar to Ertz’s. Ertz was more productive in college, perhaps due to playing in better circumstances, but if Otton pans out, I could see him a tight end similar to Ertz.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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