What kind of player did the Minnesota Vikings get when drafting Bucky Hodges? We asked someone who watched him for years at FanSided’s Virginia Tech site.
The Minnesota Vikings lost two tight ends last year. MyCole Pruitt was picked up off the practice squad by the Chicago Bears and Rhett Ellison landed with the New York Giants during the free agency frenzy.
Entering the 2017 NFL Draft, many fans saw tight end as being a huge priority. The Vikings only had two players at the position with NFL Experience and wanted the team to draft another to add to Kyle Rudolph and David Morgan.
The Vikings did just that. In the sixth round of the draft, Minnesota chose Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges. But who is Hodges and how will he fit with the Vikings? We reached out to FanSided’s VT site Fighting Gobbler and spoke with Mike McDaniel about what fans can expect from Hodges in the future.
What are some of the positive things that Bucky Hodges will bring to the Minnesota Vikings?
“Bucky Hodges brings a ton to the table as a receiver at the next level. First and foremost, he is pushing 6’7″, 255 lbs. and runs in the mid-4.5s on his 40-yard dash. He is an absolute mammoth on the outside, and a nightmare to defend when you couple his size and speed with his soft hands and impressive athletic ability. Additionally, he has a high motor and a very good football I.Q., which should serve him well in the NFL.”
Are there any major reasons the team should be concerned about this pick, on or off the field?
“There are no major concerns about Hodges or his work ethic from his time at Virginia Tech, but if there was any concern whatsoever, it would be with his blocking ability. Sure, Hodges was listed as a tight end, but he has always been split out wide as a receiver and needs to hone in on his craft as a blocker in order to fully realize his potential. The blocking will be the key area of development to watch in the early part of his NFL career.”
Overall, what kind of player did the Vikings get in the sixth round by selecting Hodges?
“The Vikings are getting an absolute steal in Hodges in my opinion. His athletic ability, size, and speed make him a top-fledged prospect who has fallen due to deficiencies as a blocker. The notion that he was a “tweener” and not necessarily a tight end in the NFL was fair criticism at the outset, but the fact that Hodges ran a quicker 40 time than many receivers makes him undoubtedly fast enough to make the adjustment to a full-time outside the numbers player in the NFL. At the very least, Hodges will be a prime red zone threat on fade routes, which he thrived on consistently when he played at Virginia Tech.”
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What are some things about Hodges that Minnesota fans might not know, but should?
“The one major thing to know about Bucky Hodges that all Vikings fans should be aware of is that he is a converted high school quarterback. This upcoming season with the Vikings will be only his fourth season of game-action as a pass-catcher. He took a redshirt year as a freshman at Virginia Tech, and spent the last three years as a hybrid tight end. The fans must be patient with him, especially with the deficiencies in his blocking, because he is still learning the position on the fly.”
Do you feel Hodges will succeed at the professional level with the Vikings?
“I think Hodges may be the story of the draft, and should absolutely be a big-time player for the Minnesota Vikings for years to come. I will be shocked if he flames out like most late round picks do. Like I mentioned before, I firmly believe that Hodges is the steal of this year’s draft.”
Next: 5 questions about Dalvin Cook
Huge thanks go out to Mike McDaniel of Fighting Gobbler for taking the time to answer these questions for us and congratulations to the Minnesota Vikings, who may have gotten a real steal with Bucky Hodges in the 2017 NFL Draft. Check out McDaniel’s piece on Hodges’ opportunity in Minnesota HERE.