Signing Day Scouting Report

Jake Byrne, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound, tight end, from Rogers, Ark., is already on campus in Madison. He’ll sign his Letter of Intent to play for the University of Wisconsin this morning. We’ve already shown you a few clips of Byrne’s senior season and now we break down that film and give you a scouting report…Plus more senior video.

I’ve been a Recruiting-Analyst for 13 years and I’ve seen a lot of prospects in my days. Some were great high school football players that never panned out in college and some were average high school football players that ended up being All-Americans at the next level.

Jake Byrne could be my favorite prospect in this recruiting class for the Badgers. He lines up everywhere on the field. His athletic ability for his size is unmatched. Byrne can bend and come off the edge to make plays as a defensive end and he shows the ball skills of a wide receiver on offense.

The Badgers will sign a very good crop of defensive linemen in this class and its got to give Coach Bielema piece of mind knowing that if need be, Jake Byrne could also play defensive end or defensive tackle.

Watching Byrne on film, I see a tight end that’s naturally athletic and adjusts well to poorly thrown footballs. He gets up the seams and knows how to get uncovered. Jake gets up field quickly and runs hard after the catch.

Most importantly, Byrne is a terrific blocker. He’s very good in pass protection and he can also wham block and get out on the 2nd level and take on linebackers. A year of learning under Travis Beckum is going to do Jake Byrne a world of good and he should be ready in 2009 to be a solid football player for the Badgers.

Like every Prep Star, Byrne will find the adjustment of playing college football tasking to say the least. To be an outstanding tight end at a major D-1 school, Byrne will need to show he can separate and get open. He’ll need to stick his foot in the dirt and get four yards of separation at times.

Jake Byrne Profile



#1 Jake Byrne 2007 Highlights – Watch Video

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