Penn State Football’s Pat Freiermuth among NFL Draft’s top red zone weapons

Penn State Football TE Pat Freiermuth is among the most reliable red-zone targets in this year’s NFL Draft class

Penn State Football tight end Pat Freiermuth was a focal point of the Nittany Lions‘ vertical passing game in his two-plus seasons in Happy Valley, and is one of the premier red zone targets available in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Freiermuth, who caught 92 passes for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns in 30 games, averaged 12.9 yards per reception while primarily operating down the seam or over the middle of the field.

However, at 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, Freiermuth also has the ideal frame to be a red zone weapon, and that is exactly where he was at his best for Penn State Football.

According to Pro Football Focus, Freiermuth didn’t drop a pass inside the 20-yard line during his collegiate career:

The 2019 season was Freiermuth’s most complete at Penn State, and that year he caught eight passes for 96 yards and five touchdowns inside the red zone, underscoring just how dangerous he can be inside the 20-yard line.

Florida’s kyle Pitts is widely viewed as the premier tight end in this year’s NFL Draft class, and a potential top-15 pick. However, Freiermuth isn’t far behind and could see his stock surge even higher when scouts and NFL executives get a chance to see him up close and personal during Penn State’s Pro Day next month.

"“Freiermuth isn’t your dynamic field-stretcher, but he should dominate the middle of the field with his size and ball skills,” Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner writes. “He was a focal point of the Penn State offense in his four games this season, recording 23 catches on 37 targets for 310 yards.”"

Freiermuth, projected to be a first-round pick at this stage of the pre-draft process, is going to be a welcomed addition to some NFL team’s red-zone offense.