2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ben Sinnott

Sinnott participated in every test at the NFL Combine except for the bench press. His size is slightly below average with adequate length, elite explosive traits, and great speed, resulting in a Relative Athletic Score of 9.49 out of 10. That number can change as official 10-yard split numbers are released. The Big 12 pro day is scheduled for March 27 through March 30 in Frisco, Texas.

Background

Coming out of Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa, Ben Sinnott was an unranked recruit, per 247Sports. He may have gone under the radar because of how active he was in high school athletics, lettering in football, baseball, golf, tennis, track, and hockey. Sinnott received one scholarship offer from South Dakota and garnered interest from Iowa and Kansas State. After initially committing to South Dakota, Sinnott decided to de-commit and enroll at Kansas State, where he walked on to the football team.

In his four years at Kansas State, Sinnott played in 38 games (28 starts) with 123 receptions for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns. Additionally, he won the Lowman Trophy in 2023, awarded to the best fullback in college football (despite primarily playing tight end). He was also named a John Mackey Award semifinalist, an honor given to the nation's most outstanding tight end. In each of the last two seasons, Sinnott was named first-team All-Big 12. He earned academic All-American honors in 2023 and first-team academic All-Big 12 honors in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

According to PFF, Sinnott played in-line on 66% of snaps while playing out of the slot at a rate of 20% during his college career. Among 81 FBS tight ends with at least 30 targets in 2023, Sinnott ranked fifth in overall PFF grade, ninth in receiving grade, and 22nd in hands grade. He averaged 13.9 yards per catch (20th) and 2.02 yards per route run (ninth) with two drops on the season (4% drop rate; 28th best). He was Kansas State's second-most targeted player with a target rate of 18.8%. The next closest player had a target rate of 11.1%. As a run blocker, his grade ranked third among 131 qualifying tight ends with 200+ run-blocking snaps.

Strengths

• Fast, explosive, and agile athlete in a big enough frame to be used all over the formation
• Senior Bowl standout in blocking AND receiving one-on-one reps
• Does well to disguise routes, making defenders guess whether it's a reach block or route
• Highly effective blocker with an impressive amount of pancakes for a tight end
• Natural hands catcher
• Snags the football out of the air and away from his body
• Agility and stopping ability are highlighted on comeback routes
• Aggressive at the catch point with excellent leaping ability and a competitive nature
• Ideal blocking demeanor; likes contact and wants to put opponents in the dirt

Weaknesses

• Mostly ran simple routes in a run-heavy offense
• Would benefit from more nuance at the route stem
• Defers to physicality over nuance at the route stem, which can stall his route and limit his impact
• Blocking technique can be inconsistent with too much forward lean and whiffs
• Misses blocking assignments on occasion due to poor angles
• Explosiveness doesn't always translate on tape
• Acceleration out of breaks leaves something to be desired
• Tendency to round off deeper route cuts

Final Thoughts and Chicago Bears Fit for Ben Sinnott

Sinnott currently has a top-60 grade from our team, but he's been largely overlooked by many other draft analysts. While I'm sure that NFL teams have noted his high-end athletic traits and impressive film, I'm perplexed as to why he's gone mostly unnoticed. Maybe teams are trying to keep it under wraps, there's an undisclosed injury concern, or the fullback designation has put Sinnott under the radar. Either way, I'd be shocked if he landed outside the top 100.

Sinnott uses smooth athleticism to win as a route runner. He's explosive and agile for a tight end, but in a smooth manner that might go unnoticed. At the NFL Combine, Sinnott put up strong agility, explosiveness, and speed numbers for the tight end position. Athletically, he's the complete package. As a blocker, Sinnott brings intensity, grit, and "want to" in spades. While he's a bit undersized (250 lbs), I don't see him having issues playing in-line at the NFL level.

His floor is that of a backup tight end with developmental upside to become an eventual starter. Sinnott is a technically clean tight end, both as a pass catcher and blocker. One thing that makes the tight-end evaluations difficult is how raw most of these prospects are. While Sinnott has some items to clean up, he's well ahead of the field. With the desire to compete that he shows on tape, I have a hard time envisioning him not sticking on an NFL roster.

Sinnott's ceiling is that of a Pro Bowl-caliber player. To reach his ceiling, he must expand his route tree, clean up his technique and angles on reach blocks, and learn to use more nuance at the route stem. Sinnott beat the odds as a zero-star recruit walk-on who only garnered one scholarship offer. He has the physical tools to continue beating those odds and knows what it takes to do just that. I see a prospect with a real chance of hitting his ceiling, which isn't something you can say about many prospects outside the first round in any draft class.

"I play with that tenacious attitude and finish every play to prove to every team that doesn't take me, everyone that overlooks me, to make them regret it. I want to make them remember that they didn't pick me. And I am going to show them every week what kind of player and what kind of competitor I am."

- Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott

Sinnott should be in play for the Chicago Bears anywhere on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. If he's there at the start of Day 3, the Bears should run to the podium, laughing maniacally. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron loves to use two and three tight-end sets. With above-average blocking ability, savvy to disguise play-fake routes, and explosiveness to burn middle-of-the-field defenders, Sinnott would be a dream in the Bears offense. Even though they recently extended Cole Kmet, a late Day 2 or early Day 3 addition at tight end would be the sweet spot to build quality depth with long-term upside for Waldron's offense.

NFL Comparison - Ceiling: Sam LaPorta
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