NFL Draft
11/17/24
6 min read
Jackson Hawes 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets TE
Height: 6050 (unofficial)
Weight: 260 (unofficial)
Year: Sixth-Year Senior
Pro Comparison: Will Dissly
Scouting Overview
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Jackson Hawes projects as a “glue guy” for an offensive program. He thrives in a role that does not command the football. He is a willing and able participant in all the “dirty work” reps required to set dynamic talents up for success.
He’s a physical and gifted blocker who has showcased the ability to work in-line or from the backfield as a lead blocker or split-flow defender. His modest receiving profile was amplified after making the leap from Yale to Georgia Tech in 2024, which will certainly cap his valuation in the draft process. However, this is a player who has a valuable role to play for an NFL team nonetheless.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Strong in-line blocking ability as both a run blocker and a pass protector
- Showcases alignment versatility to start detached from the formation and execute shift/motions before the snap
- Functional power allows him to unroot and reset the line of scrimmage with consistency
Negatives
- Does not illustrate soft hands or the ability to receive through contact consistently at the catch point
- Does not have a dynamic open-field athletic profile to separate vs. man coverage
- Is a bit tightly wound, which shows up in lateral situations when needing to make second-reaction late adjustments to his base
Background
Jackson Hawes is from Salt Lake City, UT, and played high school football at Highland HS as a member of the recruiting class of 2019. Hawes also played basketball at Highland and was a 4-year letterman in both sports. He garnered some West Coast interest as a recruit and had offers from Air Force and Utah State in addition to Yale, where he ultimately committed ahead of 2019.
Hawes would redshirt his 2019 season as a reserve ahead of the canceled 2020 Ivy League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, setting the stage for Hawes to be a 6th-year senior. He played in 29 games across three seasons with the Bulldogs, twice being named Second-Team All-Ivy League tight end. His Yale career wrapped with one year of eligibility remaining as he entered the transfer portal as a 3-star transfer and enrolled at Georgia Tech.
Hawes would go on to earn an invitation to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl thanks to his performance on an elevated platform in 2024.
Tale Of The Tape
Jackson Hawes is a mauling blocker who will undoubtedly garner a lot of fans in coaching staffs across the league throughout the pre-draft process.
This is a player who passes all of the “for the love of the game” thresholds with his reps as a member of the core in the run game. He’s capable of whitewashing defenders on the edge or on the second level, giving him a clear role as an in-line option. Hawes plays with ferocity through the echo of the whistle. He’s a pest that will test the patience of defenders away from the football or well after the back cuts off of his block. He possesses great core strength, sufficient mobility, and heavy pads.
The variety of roles he can fulfill offers promise for fitting into any number of roles within a weekly game plan. Hawes has shown the ability to create wash with down blocks and double teams at the point of attack and also shown the ability to secure a fit on split-flow action that slices across the backfield at the snap.
Effective insert blocking to wrap and climb on linebackers and good open-field ability to secure a fitting defensive back in space or on the perimeter have been demonstrated. This variety gives Hawes the potential to be a multi-tool blocking weapon that serves as an extension of the offensive line.
In pass protection, Hawes shows active eyes, a good punch, and the required anchor to sit down on power rushes. He’s absorbed second-level free runners well and helped stave off their momentum. He shows good jurisdiction on boot action to secure a first-level defender and ensure he’s positioning for an effective season.
The athletic profile will not expand him into an impact role in the passing game, and his open-field blocking has some limitations. However, this is a role player on an offensive depth chart.
When facing smaller, twitchier players, he can struggle to flash and react against a late attempt to run underneath stalk blocks or climb up to the second level. He’s struggled to showcase the ability to separate as a route runner — most of his obvious successes have come on slide routes out of the backfield when running boot action out of inside zone.
These instances put him in an early progression where second-level flow creates added space to catch and turn upfield. I thought he had a few opportunities to make contested catches, and he did not afford a lot of wow reps in this regard, either. I’m not sure there’s a ceiling as a big-bodied red zone target or safety value.
That’s certainly a wet blanket on his valuation and the ceiling of the resume. Generally, blocking tight ends and move pieces like fullbacks or H-backs have come with a cheap price tag. However, with the variety of blocking implementations, I do believe this has a chance of being an unsung hero in the right situation.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Hawes projects best as a designated blocker for an NFL offense. His versatility in types of blocks and ability in the run and pass game leave a window for meaningful snaps — but he isn’t likely to be a valued starting option for a team because of the receiving limitations.
He should be considered a scheme-diverse TE2 or TE3 for heavy personnel packages. Hawes’ special teams background on kickoff and field goal teams warrants consideration for roster purposes, as well.
Grade: 71.50/100.00, Fifth Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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