Atlanta Falcons

Bucky Hodges' NFL Draft Stock

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:53 a.m. ET

Fansided, Jw Gravley/FanSided via Fighting Gobbler

The question everyone is wondering… Will Bucky Hodges leave for the NFL after the Belk Bowl?

It has been rumored for months now that Bucky Hodges will declare for the NFL Draft at some point after the Belk Bowl. The Hokies final football game of the season comes Thursday, December 29, when Virginia Tech will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.

What makes Hodges special is his raw combination of size, strength, and athleticism. He is a classic mismatch, towering over the defensive backs often asked to cover him, while proving to be too fast for most linebackers.

According to CBS Sports, Hodges is their third best tight end to go in the NFL Draft with him going 23rd overall in the first round to the Miami Dolphins. Other media sites have had Hodges going in the middle of round two and early in round three.

Draftsite.com has Hodges going in the second round to the Atlanta Falcons at pick 54 and Charlie Campbell of walterfootball.com has him going late in the third round to the Jaguars with their 67th overall pick.

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Here is what Campbell had to say about Hodges:

“Marcedes Lewis is aging, while Julius Thomas has proven to be a foolish signing. The Jaguars could lean on the 2017 NFL Draft’s talented class of tight ends to find their future starter. Hodges (6-6, 249) needs to improve his blocking for the NFL, but he could be a taller version of a Jordan Reed-type tight end.”

In addition, CBS Sports elaborated on Hodges’ strengths. Here’s what they had to say:

He accelerates smoothly off the snap, showing the agility, balance and strength to escape the jam and quickly get into his routes. Hodges possesses rare speed for the position and tracks the ball well over his shoulder, making him an ideal threat down the seam. He shows zero hesitation in going over the middle, extending to collect difficult passes in traffic and is bullish after the catch, often dragging would-be tacklers yards downfield.

Hodges shows vision and agility after the catch, as well, generating four 40-plus yard plays over his first two seasons. His height and leaping ability make Hodges an especially difficult matchup in the red zone, where the Hokies often flanked him out and simply threw jump balls to him.

CBS also elaborated on potential weak-areas in Hodges’ game, stating the following:

Like a lot of today’s college tight ends, Hodges is essentially an overgrown wide receiver. Though he possesses size and aggression, Hodges rarely was used by the Hokies as a traditional in-line blocker. He shows awareness and competitiveness while blocking for teammates, but is a work in progress in this area, currently proving more of a pest than a punisher to opponents.

On the season, Bucky has 43 receptions for 640 yards with seven touchdowns. His best receiving game came at home on a Thursday night against bitter rival Miami. In that game, Hodges recorded seven receptions for 66 yards with two touchdowns.

Fighting Gobbler Prediction: Hodges leaves Virginia Tech for the NFL.

Hodges will be drafted in the second round by the New York Jets with their 38th pick overall. The Jets could use Hodges as a blocking tight end in the running game or they could use his big frame as a redzone target.

In reality, no matter what team selects Hodges, they will soon come to learn they will get a guy that has the will to win, the passion to perform well for that organization,and a guy who will become a leader not only on the field but off the field as well.