Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills value tight ends who can block. They can help in the run game and, of course, provide pass protection, if need be, for quarterback Josh Allen.
When the Bills decided not to tender restricted free agent Quintin Morris after last season, it opened up a spot on the depth chart. The Bills filled that spot when they took Jackson Hawes in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hawes spent his red-shirt senior year at Georgia Tech last season after playing his first three seasons in the Ivy League for Yale University.
Hailing from Salt Lake City, Hawes was a two-time team captain in high school, All State in Utah and a three-star prospect.
Hawes played in 29 games during the Yale portion of his college football career, catching 35 passes for 371 yards and six touchdowns. He was Second-Team All-Ivy in two of his three seasons with the Bulldogs.
In his one season at Georgia Tech, the 6-foot-4, 253-pounder caught just 16 balls for 195 yards. However, he was more of a blocking tight end, and anchored the edge in the Yellow Jackets offense, which leaned on a downhill, power running game.
Pro Football Focus graded him first in the ACC and eighth nationally among tight ends in run and pass blocking.
Hawes, who will turn 25 in December, was one of the Bills' 30 pre-draft visits by prospects to their facility.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane says Hawes is known for his blocking, but he has enough athletic ability where he wouldn't just be a throw-in for the passing game. Beane added the Bills hope to make him good at both blocking and receiving.
Hawes earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Yale.
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Here is what Joe Marino from the "Locked On Bills" and "Locked on NFL Scouting" podcasts had to say about Hawes:
Positives:
Big-time impact as a blocker. Comfortably the best blocking tight end in this class. Jackson Hawes has the frame, power and technique to win in the NFL as an in-line blocker. I think that's going to help the Bills offense in a number of ways, because they like to lean into bigger players to block on the edges.
But also when you consider the special teams component, where we're anticipating more kick returns this year, I think he'll be an asset blocking for those kick returns. It'll set up Buffalo for more explosive returns. He's got over 450 career special teams snaps.
It's the blocking profile, and it's not just the mindset and tenacity. It's the size, it's the technique, he's really polished, and you could see a very clear path for him coming in and helping this team as a depth tight end.
Concerns:
You're just not getting much of a receiving profile with Hawes. You're not going to watch him and feel like you see a dynamic route runner, or that he's got really consistent hands. He's got a baseline ability to get into space and catch the football, but if you're thinking about a receiving profile here, you're going to come up wanting a whole lot more.
The name of the game with him is just a blocking piece.
The rookies will be in town for minicamp from May 9-11.