Hawes is not a ‘Joker’ by any means but he is a nasty run blocker who fits the mold of a Sean Payton tight end.
One prospect who may interest the Denver Broncos on day three of the 2025 NFL Draft is Georgia Tech tight end Jackson Hawes. He’s a 6’4 1⁄2 “, 253-pound tight end who is viewed as the best run-blocking tight end in the draft.
Hawes started his college career at Yale and played at the Ivy League school through 2023 before transferring to Georgia Tech in 2024. This past season, he played in 12 games and had 16 receptions for 195 yards and 0 touchdowns. Not the greatest numbers, but you’re not drafting him for his receiving skills.
Jackson Hawes is up there with the best Blocking Tight Ends I’ve seen come out in 2-3 Years, Wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see a team use a late 3rd on him to secure their TE2 spot.
Not a good athlete, but good burst (1.56 10 Split = T-3rd) shows up in his blocking &… pic.twitter.com/IuOQLdVEAe
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) April 2, 2025
Player Profile
Jackson Hawes | Tight End | Georgia Tech
- Height: 6’4” 1⁄2 inches
- Weight: 253 pounds
- Hands: 9 1/8 inches
- Arm Length: 32 1/8 inches
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.82 seconds
- 10-Yard Split: 1.56 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 34.5 inches
- Broad Jump: 10’1”
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.4 seconds
- Bench Press: 16 reps
Film Room
Scouting Report
Strengths
- Excellent blocker and basically a 6th OL
- Excels as a run and pass blocker
- Old-school in-line mentality
- Lined up in multiple alignments
- Eliminates his man when he gets him
- Has good size and strength to thrive as a blocker
- Held his own in the ACC after coming from the Ivy League
- A bully on the field, and embraces the role
Weaknesses
- Limited athleticism
- Offers very little as a pass-catcher
- Does not have the greatest hands and struggles with contested catches
- A little stiff in space
Jackson Hawes RAS
Jackson Hawes is a TE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 7.15 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 348 out of 1218 TE from 1987 to 2025.
Pro day pending for remaining tests.https://t.co/qn1GDv8AmS pic.twitter.com/QVyjvJB4Jb
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 11, 2025
What other analysts are saying about Georgia Tech tight end Jackson Hawes
The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, Dane Brugler, on TE Jackson Hawes
A one-year starter at Georgia Tech, Hawes was an inline tight end in offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s run-heavy scheme (65.0 percent of snaps inline, 28.3 percent in the slot). He spent five years at Yale and picked up an Ivy League degree before spending his final college season with the Yellow Jackets in 2024. His performance at Georgia Tech earned him draftable grades from NFL teams. As a pass catcher, Hawes tracks and catches the ball well, but he wasn’t a high-volume target in college — that is reflected in his inefficient route running and choppy attempts to separate at the stem. Where he shines is as a versatile, throwback blocker who can dig out defenders and stay between his target and the football. Overall, Hawes is a one-speed athlete and has a low ceiling as a passing target, but his functional athleticism, technical approach and competitive attitude should be enough to keep him on an NFL roster. He is a classic Y tight end prospect.
NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein on TE Jackson Hawes
Hawes is a thump-and-drive tight end with the technique and fire to help make a difference in the run game as both a lead/move blocker and at the point of attack. Hawes proved he could move from the Ivy League to the ACC and fit right in despite the step up in competition. There are correctable areas as a run blocker but his demeanor and size make it easier to project his move to the NFL in that area. He’s limited as a route runner and pass catcher, so a roster spot will need to be secured with a steady diet of physicality. Hawes has Day 3 value with a chance to earn NFL snaps.
Final Thoughts
After covering all the notable early-round players, I started looking for some late-round Sean Payton-type players. He’s an old school coach who seems to favor football players who are willing to do the dirty work that goes unnoticed by fans. Hawes checks a lot of those boxes while also being an elite blocking tight end prospect.
The Broncos added their ‘Joker’ with Evan Engram and have veteran Adam Trautman and FB/TE Nate Adkins on the roster. Adding another in-line player who could help the run game, Payton and the Broncos are looking to improve would make sense.
Add in the importance of special teams and having an All-Pro return man in Marvin Mims, and Hawes could make an impact in the return game.
He is likely a late-day three guy who could go a little earlier than expected to a team that values run-blocking tight ends like Hawes. The Ravens, Steelers, and Chargers come to mind, and I believe we could add the Broncos to this list.