A transfer from California, McCallan Castles is currently viewed by most of the NFL as a top-ten senior tight end prospect. He was named to the Senior Bowl Watchlist and the Shrine Bowl 1000 and should attend one of the two games this off-season. Castles looks to be the perfect TE2 prospect – someone who has room to grow as a blocker and receiver but is already effective in both areas. I don’t think Castles will ever be a number one guy for a team at the position, but what he offers as a blocker is too much for a team to want to turn down.

HT: 6045
WT: 238
Year: Super Redshirt Junior
High School: South Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
Rating: 3-star (0.8884)

McCallan Castles scouting notes

Pros:

• Has solid upper body strength. Still has a lot of room to grow into as well. 
• Relatively explosive. Nothing special or anything to stand out.
• Good receiver. He was UC-Davis’ most reliable receiver and their go-to man. Mostly utilized as an underneath receiver. I’m not sure if he’s a guy you want to stretch the field with, but he looks to be every bit of a reliable TE2 in the NFL. 
• Looks to be a much more consistent receiver in 2022. His drop rate over his first couple of years as a starter at UC-Davis was right around 14%. 
• Relatively strong run blocker. Would love to see how he holds up against a higher level of competition. 

Cons:

• Better quickness than straight-line speed. 
• Acceleration is average. 
• Doesn’t have crisp footwork through his routes. He has relied on his body size to create good catch angles. 
• I don’t see a lot of vertical ability from him. 
• His blocking technique looks to be lacking a little bit. Has some trouble placing his hands initially and has to improvise. Could be a great blocker if he can get that technique down.