2014 NFL Draft: Tight End Prospects You Should Know
Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Colt Lyerla – 6’5 250lbs – Oregon
Colt Lyerla is a product of the now infamous Oregon offense, but that isn’t to say that he’s not talented in his own right. If you try and read up on Lyerla right now, one story you can’t avoid is the circumstances surrounding why he missed the Sept. 14th game against Tennessee. Lyerla had missed most of the practices that week and did not suit up for the game that Saturday. When coach Helfrich was asked why Lyerla was not there, he said only “Circumstances”, which led to a barrage of unwarranted speculation and scrutiny. It turns out that Lyerla only had a stomach virus and was told to stay home and recover. Both player and coach have discussed it and moved on but I assure you, it will be addressed by NFL teams during the interview process and it will be interesting to see what comes out of said interviews. In 2012, Lyerla was the Duck’s third leading receiver hauling in 25 catches for 392 yards and six touchdowns. Statistically, Lyerla’s production hasn’t been staggering but in any other organization, I believe he would have been utilized more often. Some draft analysts have Lyerla ranked ahead of Seferian-Jenkins, but I’m not one of those analysts. While I do believe he will be the second tight end off the board, I don’t think any tight end is going ahead of Seferian-Jenkins.