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Tyler Kroft – May 31, 2023 Download PDF version

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

TE Tyler Kroft

(What was the interest and reason for picking this spot?) – “We made it pretty known that if we didn’t sign somewhere in the first few days that we were going to see how the draft shook out, and where my agent and I, and family where we thought there would be a good opportunity to play. I know we have a good – Durham (Smythe) has been here for six years, but I know there are some younger guys in the room, too. Familiarity with the system, too, being with the Jets two years ago, and the 49ers last year, it seemed like it would be a nice smooth transition into the offense so all of those played a factor.”

(As a tight end what do you like about this offense and the rules and responsibilities that come with it?) – “I love that. I’ve always took pride in trying to be a three-down guy. Excelling in the run game and the pass game. This is an offense that asks a lot out of the tight ends. It gives you an opportunity to do both which I really like.”

(Did you know TE Durham Smythe before this?) – “No, I didn’t, but we met at Tight End U last year and my wife and I bought a house in Austin a couple of years ago, a house, and he stays down in Austin as well. So we’ve connected and talked a little bit about that, but that was when I first met him, it was just last year.”

(How would you describe your strengths relative to the blocking element and the pass receiving element at this stage of your career?) – “I still think I can do some things well in the passing game, I know at least going into – this is Year 9 for me, so going into that, I’m probably viewed more as a blocker now in this, but I still take pride in being able to do it all, and trying to be a three-down guy. I’ll never put myself into a box that way saying I can just do one or the other. But like I said before, I just take pride in doing it all.”

(So if you were talking to No. 84 Elijah Higgins, for example, the guy who’s converting to tight end, he’s got a double whammy – a new offense, new league and a new position. What have you told him or would you tell him for example about here is something you absolutely have to do in this scheme?) – “I’ve just been working on him because like you said, he’s playing a whole new position, it’s a new league. I was a rookie, shoot, nine years ago, but I’ve just been talking to him about not letting it get too big for him, jut trying to take each day at a time. And at the end of the day you’re going to mess stuff up. Everybody does. Everybody was a stupid rookie at one point, so I told him to just not get too low on himself and don’t get too high when you are making plays, too. Because everybody out here was the best players at their college or best players at their position. There’s a reason they are here and there’s a reason he’s here, too. So just making sure he keeps his head on straight and don’t get too low and don’t get too high, but just try and take each day at a time and stack them.”

(What’s one thing that TE George Kittle told you or you observed that really helped?) – “The rack, like when you catch the ball, something that was so simple that I didn’t even really think about and seeing him when we would just do routes on air, making a move or a double move, just getting in your mind that you’re taking that ball to the end zone every time you get it. Not just doing the drop-step. The drop-step is good, but taking that drop-step to the next level, so that was something that I’ve been trying to do here and show the guys, too, as well.”

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