Penn State Football’s Pat Freiermuth is among the premier tight end prospects in this year’s NFL Draft class, and latest NFL Mock Draft 2021 projections have him joining linebacker Micah Parsons as a first-round pick.
In three seasons in Happy Valley, Freiermuth was one of the Nittany Lions‘ most prolific weapons in the vertical passing game, catching 92 passes for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns in 29 games.
If Pro Football Focus’ latest NFL Mock Draft 2021 projection holds true, and Freiermuth lands with the New Orleans Saints, he’ll have the chance to be productive immediately in head coach Sean Payton’s scheme and in a system that features wide receiver Michael Thomas stretching the field:
"No. 28: New Orleans Saints: With veteran Jared Cook hitting free agency and the Saints balancing rebuild/reload mode, Freiermuth is an immediate-impact weapon who can solve short- and long-term problems. Freiermuth has good size, route-running ability and ball skills to work the middle of the field or create matchup problems on the outside and has posted three years of solid run-blocking grades. Sixty of Freiermuth’s 92 catches at Penn State went for either a first down or a touchdown, and he’ll become a crucial passing-game weapon for the next signal-caller in New Orleans."
The former Penn State Football standout has drawn comparisons to future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski because of his ability to be a big-play threat down the seam. His consistency and reliable hands give Freiermuth a chance to become a first-round pick.
Regardless of whether Saints quarterback Drew Brees winds up retiring, New Orleans will likely act aggressively to acquire one of the top quarterbacks available in free agency, which would certainly benefit Freiermuth’s chances of contributing at a high level as a rookie.