Jared

Pinkney

Pinkney came into the year as one of the top TE prospects in the group, but a mediocre senior season (20-233-2) and a disappointing combine (4.96 second 40-yard dash) saw his stock diminish. Still, he’s just a year removed from a 50-774-7 line for the Commodores, and the Falcons will hope to see that version show up whenever football can be played again.

Pinkney (6'4/257) did not run particularly well at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking in at 4.96 seconds in the 40. Given the lack of on-field production in 2019 -- which can be blamed in part on Vanderbilt’s inconsistent quarterback play -- he needed to perform well in Indianapolis. That being said, the belief is that Pinkney can be an effective H-back in the NFL. “He can add yardage after the catch, but needs to fine-tune his route-running and play with better physicality against clingy coverage,” Zierlein wrote in his analysis. “He can handle move-blocking duties in space, but doesn’t appear to have enough grit and strength to help in-line.”

Oh dear. Pinkney (6'4/257) is coming off an unimpressive 2019 campaign statistically -- though we blame that mostly on Vanderbilt’s black hole at quarterback -- and could have used a nice run to get that taste out of the mouth. Instead he ran with a parachute on. We could easily see a few offensive linemen turn in faster sprints this weekend. Athletic testing is not the be all, end all of an evaluation, but this one stings.

Pinkney (6'4/255) suffered the injury in practice as the Commodores were preparing for Saturday’s season finale. As a result the senior tight end, who is one of the top draft-eligible tight ends in college football, will not be able to play in what would have been the final game of his career. Pinkney caught 20 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns this season, and now his focus will turn towards the NFL Draft process.

Pinkney (6'4/255) had been blanked in the touchdown column all season before he finally broke the seal on Saturday via a 31-yard scoring grab in the first quarter. And then, seal broken, he found pay dirt a second time late in the third quarter, on a seven-yard grab. While the senior owns a paltry 20-233-2 receiving line on the year, those numbers are not indicative of his talent, more indicative of Vanderbilt’s painful passing offense. Pinkney has NFL talent removed from this whole mess.

Ole Miss put the clamps on one of the best TEs in the 2020 draft class. Granted, part of the issue is Pinkney’s QB situation is much worse this year than last, but this is the third game he has been held to fewer than 20 yards. The lack of production may not necessarily be his fault, but it will hurt his draft stock if it continues for the rest of the season. Maybe next week’s game against UNLV will finally be the game Pinkney (6'4/255) puts up numbers.

Pinkney (6'4/255) looked to be in pain on the field, but was able to get up under his own power. Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm was speculating on Twitter that the senior may have just gotten the wind knocked out of him. If there is anything more seriously in the offing, here, we will update as information becomes available.

Pinkney (6'4/255) certainly doesn’t lack for fans, as some draft analysts project him to have a shot at going in the first round next spring. And while there are those who don’t rate the tight end that highly, there’s certainly the possibility that Pinkney moves up those draft boards with a standout senior campaign. “Pinkney can split the seam as well as make the tough catch in the middle of a crowd,” Pauline wrote in his analysis. “He gets solid results as a blocker and comes with upside.”

Pinkney (6'4/255) arguably is the top tight end in this 2020 draft class given his athleticism and production. The senior “enough speed to get vertical” and has the body type to win contested balls. Last year, Pinkney had the most receiving yards (770), the second-most receiving touchdowns (7), and the third-most receptions (50) in 2018 among returning FBS tight ends. Expect another big season before receiving a Senior Bowl and Combine invite.

Pinkney (6'4/255) excelled both by the advanced analytics and the traditional stats last season. On the former front, PFF graded his 2018 season as the best among returning SEC tight ends. On the latter front, he caught 50 passes for 774 yards and seven touchdowns. All three of those marks were the best of his career. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Pinkney as his top senior tight end prospect back in May. He, WR Kalaija Lipscomb and RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn make for a dynamic trio of skill weapons heading into the fall.