If his Twitter is any indication, Colorado State Rams head coach Mike Bobo loves fishing. And today, he landed a big one in Griffin Hammer.
https://twitter.com/G_hammer8/status/741724403851923456
Bobo tweeted this shortly after, with the emoji and everything!
We're building something special in Fort Collins! 🔨 #RAMPAGE17
— Coach Mike Bobo (@CoachMikeBobo) June 11, 2016
Hammer is a 3-star tight end who plays for St. Charles North in St. Charles, Illi. He’s a beast, standing at 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds while running a 4.7 40-yard dash. Per Rivals, Hammer was offered by Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Illinios, Miami (OH), Toledo, Western Michigan and Wyoming, but he went with Colorado State. (Rivals also lists him at 220 pounds.)
Looking at his junior year highlight tape, from 2015, he’s a versatile pass-catcher whom his team utilized as a receiver basically all the time. On the first play, he’s lined up wide and runs a fade route into the end zone, catching a touchdown one-handed. The second play he’s again out wide, runs a go route and then goes up to get the ball between two defenders, nearly dragging them both into the end zone. While he doesn’t have a ton of speed, his lateral quickness is solid and his team uses Hammer on multiple comeback routes and even on some bubble screens with success.
The kid has soft hands, catching anything near him. His long strides help him get up the field more quickly than defenders are expecting, and his height gives him an advantage as Hammer attacks the ball out of the air with ease. When running crossing routes, his quarterback knows he can just deliver the ball high to Hammer and he’ll snatch it above defenders. Hammer also showed off some blocking skills on his Hudl highlight tape, pancaking one cornerback and then on another play, he sealed the corner for a touchdown. Definitely shows nastiness as a blocker, which translates well as he’s moving to tight end. At least, that’s what his Twitter profile says.
What also translates is his ability, first, to follow the quarterback as he rolls out if pressured. Second, Hammer knows how to find a soft spot in the zone, sitting down and allowing the quarterback to find him.
Check out the highlights for yourself, Ram Nation, and get excited for this soon-to-be playmaking tight end:
