We as football fans have been fairly blessed with some really talented players. But every so often we get a once in a generational player. We have one currently, and his name is Travis Kelce. Kelce, a third-round pick out of Cincinnati, has exceeded any and all expectations of a guy drafted at that position. The way he changes the game whenever he touches the ball is something to behold. Some may say the tight end position is dead, but Kelce may have something to say about that. I think that Travis Kelce is well on his way to being an all-time great.
Coming out of Cincinnati, the expectation of Kelce was he was going to come into the league and be more of a blocking tight end. He was credited with being a “good enough” pass catcher to where he could stretch the field. I think it is fair to say that he is far beyond a “good enough” pass catcher. He has two 100 reception seasons, including a career high 105 this year. Because of the volume of passes he brings in, we often forget that he still is an elite blocker at the line of scrimmage.
So what he can bring in catches, how well does he block his quarterback or help in the run game? Pro Football Focus has him graded out at 79.5 for run blocking, miles ahead of his next player Richard Rodgers at 62.4. This rating puts him up there with some of the legends of the game. Kelce has a noted nasty streak, dating back to his days in college. So we know that he loves to be in the trenches and bang with linemen.
Travis Kelce is a weapon, no matter where to choose to line him up. Because he is so versatile, coach Andy Reid will motion him out to WR, to leave him by the tackle for run support. And to take into account how sure handed he is, means you really can put him anywhere on the field. But this doesn’t mean you can sleep on him. When it is all said and done, I have a feeling Travis Kelce will be in the upper echelon of tight ends to play the game.
