The last time the New England Patriots spent a draft pick on a Gronkowski, he turned into arguably the most dominant tight end the NFL has ever seen. Rob Gronkowski, now entering his seventh season in the league, is the prototypical modern-day tight end.
He also is the only member of his family to have a successful pro football career. This could change in 2016, though, as another Gronkowski is on his way to the NFL: Rob's youngest brother Glenn.
The 23-year old played his three-year college career with the BIG12's Kansas State Wildcats, for whom he appeared in 39 games as a fullback. While "Baby Gronk" did not post eye-popping statistics during his three years in Manhattan, he was voted to an all-conference team three times – showing that racking up stats is not the role of a fullback.
That being said, Gronkowski plays a position that has lost a lot of its importance over the last 10-15 years due to the league becoming more pass-centric. However, that does not mean that having a capable fullback on the roster has become obsolete. The Patriots, for example, have witnessed this first-hand in 2015, when James Develin went down with an injury, leaving the team without a proven lead blocker in the running game.
Will this cause the team – or one of the 31 others – to spend a draft pick on Glenn Gronkowski? Let's try to find out.
Name: FB Glenn Gronkowski
School: Kansas State
Stats: 11 rushes, 45 yards, 1 touchdown; 5 receptions, 76 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 passing touchdown
Size: 6021, 239 lbs with a 4.71 40 yard dash, 33 inch vertical, 10' broad jump, 7.10 3-cone, 17 bench press reps
Expected Round: 5th-6th
Strengths: At 6'2, 239 lbs, Gronkowski has a good, bulky frame for his position, which he knows how to utilize when blocking defenders. Because of that, he is strong at the point of attack, as he makes good use of his body. He pairs it with solid hand-placement and an ability to properly step into his blocks.
While the majority of Gronkowski's work came as a blocker – he only saw 33 touches in three seasons – he displayed an ability to gain yardage. This is particularly true in the passing game, as his career average of 24.6 yards per catch (15 receptions, 369 yards) shows.
Gronkowski has been a versatile member of the Wildcats' offense. He has the ability to work as a traditional fullback as well as a tight end: he mostly lined up as a blocking back but he was also used in the slot and as an additional on-the-line blocker at times. Furthermore, he has also seen time on special teams.
Weaknesses: Gronkowski has the tools to be a successful fullback/tight end-hybrid at the next level but still has some issues; some are more correctable than others. As a blocker, the 23-year old has been inconsistent when it comes to sustaining his blocks as well as setting his feet correctly at initial contact, at times causing him to block imbalanced. When going up against stronger, faster NFL defenders, those technique issues will get exposed if they are not corrected.
Another potential problem when watching Gronkowski is his lack of burst as a runner and receiver. While he has gained respectable yardage with the football in his hands, he has not been able to establish himself as a consistent threat in both aspects. He needs to improve when it comes to creating separation or finding soft spots in a defense.
What is their role? As he has throughout his college career, Gronkowski will see most of his snaps as a lead blocker (mostly as part of jumbo packages and/or near the goal-line). He can also be moved around the formation to be used as a tight end while also working as a classic ball carrier and pass catching option out of the backfield.
Will it change from year 1 to year 2? Probably not, as he neither plays the position nor possesses the athletic abilities that warrant giving him a bigger role within an offense. He could, however, see a little more involvement as a situational runner and receiver once he grows more comfortable.
How many downs can he play? Four, although effectively he will not be an every-down player due to him being a fullback. In 2014, when James Develin was healthy throughout the Patriots' season, he was on the field for around 23% of offensive snaps. Gronkowski will probably not see more playing time than that.
Which current player will he beat out? James Develin, Joey Iosefa, Michael Williams, A.J. Derby.
What's his ST value? "Baby Gronk" has worked as an outside protector on the Wildcats' kicking units; a role that is up for grabs in New England now that Chandler Jones has been traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
Does he have positional versatility? As noted above, while Gronkowski has spent most of his time as a traditional fullback, his game also includes tight end-elements.
Why the Patriots? The Patriots' coaching staff loves versatility and Gronkowski offers it. While he will probably never become a big-time threat as a runner or receiver, he does his job and has shown that he can catch the occasional pass and gain yards on the ground when asked to. Therefore, picking up Gronkowski would effectively add depth at the running back and tight end positions.
Furthermore, while he is far from a polished product, the majority of his issues seem correctable with the right coaching (and there is no better place for that than Foxboro, Massachusetts).
Why not the Patriots? Gronkowski has potential but as of right now would probably not win a camp competition against Develin, Michael Williams and others. There are only so many draft picks and roster spots available and the Patriots could make a better investment than spending one on a fullback with little chances to stick around.
Verdict: If not for his name and family-ties, Glenn Gronkowski would probably not be in the conversation as a potential Patriots draft pick. James Develin, despite missing all of 2015 with a fractured fibia, projects to return as one of the best fullbacks in the league, and the team has plenty of talent at tight end. While Gronkowski would offer depth at both positions, the chances of him being able to grab a spot on the roster are slim given the competition.
Could the Patriots still spend one of their draft picks – one of their five sixth rounders for example – on Rob Gronkowski's youngest brother? Of course. After all, he has talent to work with and could be groomed to become Develin's successor in case he leaves during next year's free agency. However, it is more probable than not that a) Gronkowski will be gone by the time the Patriots make their sixth round selections and b) the Patriots' brain trust simply does not find any value in taking the fullback.
As mentioned above, Glenn Gronkowski could become a solid fullback in the NFL but he likely won't get the chance in New England.