Broncos Prospect Profile: Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland

Throughout the offseason, we’ll be profiling players who may end up in Denver when all is said and done with the 2017 NFL Draft. The Broncos clearly have plenty of holes to fill before they get back to Super-Bowl form and we’ll be examining a long list of players they may choose to help the franchise do just that.

Adam Shaheen is attempting to follow the recent trend of former basketball players converting to successful tight ends in the NFL. Shaheen started his college career as a Division II basketball player at Pittsburgh-Johnstown before transferring to Division II Ashland to pursue football.

“Coming out of high school, I was 6-foot-4, 195 pounds and Ohio State wasn’t knocking on my door to come play football,” Shaheen said at the combine. “But I was a two-sport athlete playing football and basketball, and I had an opportunity to get my school paid for at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown [to play basketball]. I thought that was the best opportunity at the time.”

“I actually went to a football game the fall of that year, and it just put a bug in me that was like…you know what, no matter what I’ve gotta do, if it’s walking on to a Division II school, that’s what I’ve gotta do,” he said. “So I got in contact with a couple small schools — Ohio Dominican and Ashland — and the rest is history, as they say.”

The move proved to be a smart one as he went on to set a Division II record for catches in a single season for a tight end with 70 and was named a two-time AFCA All-American. Although he played against a significantly lower level of competition in the Great Lakes Conference, Shaheen is currently projected to be a second-round pick in the draft due to his raw talent and past production.

Strengths

As a pure athlete, there isn’t much not to like about the prospect of Shaheen. With a massive 6-foot-6, 278-pound frame, Shaheen has great athleticism including speed, acceleration and outstanding footwork thanks to his basketball background. Additionally, Shaheen’s traits translate well to the football field, specifically as a receiving threat.

“I played pretty much this entire year at what I weighed in [at the combine]. I played the previous year at 260,” he said. “I knew probably could carry another 15 pounds and not look like it and still move the same way. I experimented with it and it helped me a lot in the blocking game and being able to move people.”

He uses his strong footwork to run precise routes and create separation against any type of defender. He can play out wide, in the slot or as an in-line tight end and is a matchup nightmare at any of those positions. Much like Rob Gronkowski, Shaheen is extremely dangerous in the red zone. He has great hand-eye coordination and can adjust to nearly any pass. Finally, he has proven to be adequate in pass protection.

Weaknesses

As would be expected with a player of Shaheen’s background, he is still a raw player. While he has the production on the field that would make him seem like a complete player, there are still aspects of his game that he needs to sharpened. One of these areas is playing against physical defenders, both on the line in press coverage and in the open field running routes. At times he gets thrown off his route by smaller defenders and he needs to learn how to play through that.

“The biggest [area of improvement] I guess is route running techniques and stuff,” he said. “It’s going to be completely different. That’s the biggest knock on me playing Division II. Am I able translate my game to the next level? I think I have the size, speed and athleticism.”

Also, he needs to improve in run blocking. For a player of his stature he is below average in the run game, especially at the second-level. He often throws himself at defenders instead of engaging them, leading to many missed blocks. The encouraging aspect of this is he has all of the physical tools to develop into at least a solid blocker.

While it isn’t his fault, Shaheen has played against a significantly lower-level of competition, which naturally draws questions about how he will adjust to the NFL.

How he fits in Denver

Even as a rookie, Shaheen would be a dangerous receiving threat, something that the Broncos desperately need. As the only team in the league to not have three 300-yard receivers last year, Shaheen would be used in a myriad of ways in Denver’s offense.

While he wouldn’t be an every down tight end to start his career — as he transitioned to the NFL and worked on his blocking abilities — he has all of the skills to develop into a dominant three-down tight end. Shaheen would immediately be the most dangerous tight end on the roster and likely receive the most playing time, even his rookie season.

As the No. 53 overall prospect, Shaheen could very well be available for the Broncos second-round pick at No. 51. Although a project, Shaheen would immediately give Denver another significant threat in the passing game.