One of the biggest surprises in the lead-up to the 2017 NFL Draft came when Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen declared early for the NFL Draft. It's obviously not uncommon for a player to declare early — but Shaheen is a D2 football player, and you rarely see a D2 guy get draft, let alone leave early.
RELATED: D2 Football Tight End Adam Shaheen Declares Early for NFL Draft
In Shaheen's case, his early departure from Ashland is warranted. Shaheen is very talented, and is considered one of the better tight ends in the entire draft.
MORE: Adam Shaheen NFL Draft Profile
Shaheen is picking up steam lately heading into the 2017 NFL Combine. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently slotted him as the tight end on his "All-Sleeper Team" and NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah recently reported that an NFL executive tabbed him as the "third-best tight end in this year's class."
HEROSports.com's Draft Analyst Todd Worly offers this assessment of Shaheen:
"The first thing that stands out about Shaheen is his size, as you don't see many tight ends that size at any level. I'm impressed with his hands, both outside his frame and in traffic, and also his explosiveness, suddenness and top-end speed at that size.
"With his combination of size, hands, athleticism and ability after the catch, he's an intriguing prospect that has the potential to create mismatches at the next level. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get a legitimate opportunity from an NFL team."
Shaheen, a 6-foot-7, 277-pound tight end, caught 57 passes for 867 yards and a school/division record 16 touchdowns this season for the Eagles. He has 129 career receptions for 1,755 total yards and 26 touchdowns to his name, most of that coming in the last two seasons after a two-catch, 85-yard season in 2014.
RELATED: NFL Draft Profile: Tight End Adam Shaheen
Take a look at the tight end's highlight clip and see for yourself why there's a buzz around this D2 product. Highlights courtesy of Ashland Athletic Department
