2019 NFL Draft Prospects: Tight End - Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
A&M’s receivers coach went on a recruiting trip to a junior college for one of his teammates, but found Sternberger and ended up giving him a scholarship after watching some tape. The transfer became the first tight end to be spring MVP for Jimbo Fisher and went on to have a huge junior year.
Sternberger came out of nowhere after recording just one catch at Kansas and then spending a year Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. In his first season with Fisher and the Aggies he put up first-team All-American numbers – 48 catches for 832 yards and ten touchdowns, ranking second and first in the last two categories.
Sternberger is that modern detached slot receiver at 6’4”, 250 pounds, who stretches defenses down the seams and plays above the rim in the red-zone. He is a vertical threat off the line with easy acceleration and truly has the speed to split safeties and produce chunk plays in the passing game as a YAC-specialist. He is dangerous on drag and other types of crossing routes, where he can turn upfield and defeat angles by chasing defenders.
Sterberger ran a bunch of flat and sail routes for the Aggies as well, as he put up an average of 72 receiving yards versus SEC competition and 17.3 yards a catch overall. He had seven catches of 20+ yards last season and was open for big plays on several other occasions, where he didn’t get the ball because quarterback Kellen Mond just didn’t pull the trigger or simply took off running.
There was a reason Sternberger averaged over ten yards per target in his one year as a starter for the Aggies – he owned the seams of the field. He reduces the near-shoulder to minimize contact with defenders on his routes and linebackers can’t keep up with him down vertically. He shows soft hands to catch the ball outside his frame and tremendous effort focusing on it down the field. He also displays excellent body-control and ball-skills on several passes thrown to his backside.
Sternberger consistently gains extra yardage after the catch with his burst, stiff-arms and spinning off contact. When the ball stays on the ground, he can seal the end-man on the backside of running plays and was used to pull around from the H-back or wing spot. He will put in the effort to put hands on defenders in space once one of his teammates catches the ball.
I would not trust Sternberger to create movement at the point of attack. He is taken off balance constantly, loses his footing and slips off too many blocks. He will allow defenders to drive him backwards and doesn’t show the ability to anchor down. I have no idea why A&M even bothered to put him in pass-protection and it won’t have a future in the pros from what I’ve seen unless he kills it in the weight-room.
Sternberger has that little hitch, where he kicks back before getting into his route from a three-point stance and even to some degree from the slot. He is aksi a little late to turn his head once the underneath coverage is cleared and takes away opportunities for easier completions. Overall his ability to read coverages and adjust his routes accordingly is still being developed.
A one-year wonder who surprised everybody coming from junior college, Sternberger might be more of a big slot receiver at the next level, but those have already almost become the standard. I don’t think his problems as a blocker are an effort issue, but rather missing technique and core strength. Once you put him in an NFL workout program and teach him some of the intricacies at the position, he could be a highly productive move tight end. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go off the board early on day two.
Grade: Late Second