San Francisco 49ers: Who is tight end Cole Hikutini?
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise’s annual “Who Is?” series on San Francisco 49ers players in 2017 continues with a look at rookie tight end Cole Hikutini and his chances to make the roster this season.
Don’t sleep on new San Francisco 49ers tight end Cole Hikutini this season.
Yes, undrafted free agents are usually long shots to make the roster, and Hikutini certainly falls into this category.
Yet the former Louisville product, who had a very solid senior year, has the benefit of playing a position going through a complete overhaul in 2017.
Hikutini’s collegiate numbers may not be eye-popping, per se, although those 50 receptions led Louisville last season. Instead, his intangibles and potential as a pass-catcher should be what intrigues fans as the 6-foot-4, 247 pounder looks to carve a roster spot for himself this year.
| Rece | Rece | Rece | Scri | Scri | Scri | Scri | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2015 | Louisville | ACC | JR | TE | 10 | 19 | 348 | 18.3 | 19 | 348 | 18.3 | 3 |
| 2016 | Louisville | ACC | SR | TE | 13 | 50 | 668 | 13.4 | 50 | 668 | 13.4 | 8 |
| Career | Louisville | 69 | 1016 | 14.7 | 69 | 1016 | 14.7 | 11 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/2/2017.
San Francisco likely found its tight end of the future in fifth-round draftee, Iowa’s George Kittle. And Hikutini will have to overcome depth TEs, like Garrett Celek and Blake Bell, to have a shot of making the 53-man roster in 2017.
Yet Hikutini’s skill set could be enough that the 49ers simply can’t avoid giving the UDFA a shot in Week 1.
Here’s why that could happen.
Why He’ll Improve
Hikutini was one of my favorite UDFA candidates to make San Francisco’s 53-man roster this season, as I broke down over at 49ers Webzone.
One shouldn’t expect Hikutini to be much of a blocker. But as a receiving option, the Niners could do much, much worse.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hikutini ranked second among eligible collegiate tight ends with a 76.9 catch percentage.
Louisville UDFA TE Cole Hikutini has reportedly joined the 49ers. Among draft-eligible TEs (min. 50 targets), his 76.9% catch% was 2nd. pic.twitter.com/TpKZCDeiXS
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 30, 2017
That’s good. Very good.
Considering the Niners lack legitimate receiving weapons on offense heading into this season, what more could head coach Kyle Shanahan want in this “safety blanket” of sorts?
If Hikutini makes the roster, he’ll immediately be able to supply more than what the 49ers have gotten out of 2015 NFL draftee Blake Bell, who likely doesn’t fit into the team’s long-term plans.
Why He’ll Regress
While Hikutini’s pass-catching abilities will be what makes him a likable sleeper candidate, his blocking remains a work in progress.
Third-string tight ends often have one sole responsibility outside of providing depth and possible special teams abilities, and that’s to act as a blocker in jumbo formations. His PFF scouting report points out this liability, along with a few others of note.
Among those is poor route running and a questionable catch radius.
Maybe these skills are developed in time — remember, former 49ers tight end Vernon Davis took a few years to be a solid blocker — but San Francisco can afford to give players like Kittle more looks as they revamp this position.
What to Expect in 2017
It wouldn’t be a shock to see Kittle take over the No. 1 tight end spot over incumbent Vance McDonald at some point this year.
Kittle’s roster spot is safe, and so is Logan Paulsen’s, but the remaining cast is in doubt. McDonald, Bell and Garrett Celek are essentially competing for one remaining spot on the roster, perhaps two. Where would Hikutini fit in?
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Let’s assume the 49ers part ways with the three holdovers from last year — McDonald, Celek and Bell — between now and Week 1. Hikutini’s chances of making the roster increase greatly, although he’d be slated for third-string duties in all likelihood.
A safe bet would be Hikutini spending his first season on the practice squad, honing his blocking abilities and working on more pro-style routes.
If he can master these, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Hikutini as a serious depth option in 2018.
Next: 49ers flm room: Kyle Shanahan's horizontal stretch
Maybe sooner.