At NFL Combine, Gentry Proving Himself to Be a Complete Tight End
3/2/2019 8:00:00 AM | Football, Features
By Chad Shepard
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The NFL Combine has a reputation for feeling like a bit of a meat market for participating players. There is an awkward element to taking the stage in skin-hugging apparel and letting league personnel observe and assess your anatomy, measuring height, hand size and everything in between. Oh, and each bit of data is public information, tweeted out to the masses like publicly traded stocks.
This is a nerve-wracking stage of the process for many athletes, but not for University of Michigan tight end Zach Gentry. Gentry checked in at a towering 6-foot-8 1/8 inches. He is the tallest player at his position by nearly two full inches and is one of four tight ends to check in at 6-5 or taller out of more than 20 players in attendance. He is also among the top three tight ends in arm length (34 1/8 inches) and the top six for wingspan (80 1/8 inches).
Yes, size is a decided advantage for Gentry.
But he is here to prove it is not the only thing that separates him from the pack in a crowded and talented class of tight ends. As a one-time quarterback, Gentry understands the X's and O's as well as any player on the field, and that has been a positive in the eyes of NFL scouts and executives in Indianapolis.
"It definitely helps mentally with being able to read coverages and looking at how a defense is shading, or their techniques, or how they are blitzing," Gentry said during Friday's (March 1) session with the media. "It helps in a lot of ways."
Gentry's big-play ability can be seen clearly when watching his tape. His 10 receptions of 20-plus yards last fall tied for the team lead at U-M, and 23 of his 32 total catches resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. He can be tough to cover due to his uncommon blend of size and athleticism, and teams have acknowledged as much.
"There have been some teams talking to me about my size mismatch, and they've talked about making sure I utilize that," he said. "It's something I see them trying to utilize if I'm lucky enough to be on a team."
Gentry also wants to make it known that he is not just a pass-catcher. He believes he can bring a dimension to any passing attack looking to add a downfield weapon, but he wants to be seen as a tight end who can play -- and be relied upon -- in any situation.
"I've had the opportunity to watch a little bit of film with some of the coaches," he said. "I think that's how I'll be viewed, and I would prefer to be viewed that way. I don't want to be someone who can only do one thing. I want to do everything."
He thinks the Combine is a chance for teams to get the information they need to view him the way he views himself: as a complete prospect at the tight end position.
"I think I'll be able to stretch the defense vertically," he said. "I can get in and out of my breaks better than people think. I'm more athletic than people think I am, and I think I'll add a dimension there. My blocking has really come along the last couple of years. I've done a good job with that, and I'm not afraid to get physical."
Gentry also believes he has benefited from playing in Michigan's pro-style offense.
"I think it helps a lot," he said. "It's obviously a pro-style system with a lot of the same terminology and concepts (as NFL offenses). Hopefully it'll be a much easier transition for me."
Gentry finished third among all U-M pass-catchers (and first among tight ends) with 32 receptions for 514 yards with two touchdowns in 2018. He made 24 starts over the past two seasons, splitting out, playing in-line and even blocking on extra points and field goals.
Multi-tight end sets, 12 personnel groupings and creative red zone schemes have become increasingly common at the NFL level, where matchups dictate play calls. No team can have too many options in the passing game, and Gentry sees himself as a unique weapon at a position that is becoming more and more valuable with each passing season.
"Because you're a big target, you're an option for the 50-50 ball. It's hard to play the tight end position because you are catching passes but you also have to block, so it's a high-premium position right now because a lot of guys are making plays from that spot."
Gentry, who has been training for the Combine at the XOS facility in Frisco, Texas, says he plans to spend Draft Day with his family in New Mexico. He was raised in a football family, with early and unlimited access to a legendary coach in his grandfather, Bill, and an accomplished quarterback in his father, Tom.
That football has always been in his blood has changed the way Gentry engages with the game. It has deepened his desire to be great at it.
"It adds that extra layer of being more passionate about the game," he explained. "It excites me more and makes me want to dive in deeper. It helps a little bit with X's and O's, but it's more that it keeps me more interested."
Gentry was asked to sum up what he'd bring to any team who drafted him. He made a succinct sales pitch ending in the four words that could have stood on their own as an appropriate answer to the question:
"First of all, off the field, I'm somebody who's going to do everything right -- I'll never miss a meeting or miss a lift or cause any issues," he said. "I do a good job of making the contested catch and my hands have gotten a lot better. I'm not afraid to put my face in there and block, so I'm really just working on being a complete tight end."
A work in progress, maybe, but all the tools are there for Gentry to earn that label. His goal in Indianapolis is to compel at least one NFL team to feel the same way.
2019 NFL Combine
Thursday-Monday, Feb. 28–March 4
Lucas Oil Stadium • Indianapolis, Ind.
Live coverage on NFL Network
Michigan Participants: Karan Higdon, Zach Gentry, Rashan Gary, Chase Winovich, Devin Bush, David Long
