CSU tight end Dallin Holker declares for the 2024 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is never too far from my mind. I’m trudging through the grind of December, and the NFL regular season does burn me out about this time of year. However, I’m looking forward to January when I’ll be back on the road covering the NFL draft.

I love the draft, and I love talking to scouts, coaches, and general managers when I’m at the Shrine Bowl, Senior Bowl, pro days, or any other event where us in the scouting community get to hang out and talk ball.

On Monday, one of my favorite tight ends in this class declared for the 2024 NFL draft. Colorado State Rams TE Dallin Holker took to Twitter to declare his intentions, and I’m super excited to scout him in person early in 2024 – whether it’s at an All-Star Game or CSU’s pro day (or both).

Thank you💚 @CSUFootball pic.twitter.com/xfksxvUTDG

— Dallin Holker✖️ (@D_HOLKER) December 12, 2023

I ramp up my film study in December, and I truly dive in (I call it going underwater) in the new year. My scouting profiles are not finished right now, but I do have some thoughts on many players – especially my favorites in the upcoming class (like Holker). Here are some of my early notes on Holker’s game.

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Strengths

Holker is a big-bodied slot receiver who plays tight end. I like the way he’s shaped, with broad shoulders to box out defenders and long arms to reach out for passes. Holker has upper body strength, and he can rip passes away from defenders regularly.

He’s comfortable playing in traffic, and Holker can take a big hit to make the catch. Holker has insane concentration (see the ‘Holy Holker’ to beat Boise State), and he can make crazy catches seem routine. In addition to his concentration, I like Holker’s body control and ability to adjust to passes that aren’t exactly on the mark.

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Weaknesses

I’d like to see Holker add more strength in a pro weight room. He could do some work on his strength in the pre-draft process, but there will be questions about his ability to hold up – even for a little bit – as a blocker in the NFL.

While not a burner, I do like Holker’s stride and long speed. He won’t blow by defenders as a seam ripper, but he’s faster than he seems on film. As an older prospect (BYU transfer who also went on a 2-year mission) some may hold that against him. I won’t do that, because guys like Hayden Hurst (who played in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system) worked into the first round even though they were older prospects.

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Summary

Holker is well known in the scouting community, and I’m not the only one excited about his prospects in the NFL. He’ll have a chance to increase his draft stock in the pre-draft process. A good performance at an All-Star Game, Scouting Combine, and the Rams’ pro day could elevate him higher than some think. Right now, I think he’s a Day 2 pick (second or third round) in a talented group of tight ends entering the league in 2024.

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