Gavin Bartholomew TE Pittsburgh | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Gavin Bartholomew TE Pittsburgh
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.78 seconds (49%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.7 DOB: 04/30/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | |
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.78 seconds (49%*) | |
| Age: 21.7 DOB: 04/30/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 70.3 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 116.7 | |
| Hands: |
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57% |
| Short Receiving: |
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63% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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71% |
| Deep Threat: |
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55% |
| Blocking: |
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37% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#394
Position rank:
#23
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| College Games: 48 College Snaps: 2202 | ||
ESPN RATING: 73/100
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247 RATING: 85/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Austin Stogner - Oklahoma |
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74% |
| Gerrit Prince - UAB |
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69% |
| Daniel Barker - Michigan State |
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67% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Gavin Bartholomew, a tight end from the University of Pittsburgh, hails from Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Born on April 30, 2003, Bartholomew was a three-star recruit coming out of Blue Mountain High School, where he showcased his versatility by playing defensive end, punter, quarterback, and tight end. As a high school junior, he amassed 27 receptions for 527 yards and five touchdowns. In his senior year, he displayed his versatility by completing 36 of 66 passes for 521 yards and four touchdowns as a quarterback, while also rushing for 145 yards and three touchdowns.At Pittsburgh, Bartholomew quickly made an impact, earning Honorable Mention All-ACC and Second-Team Freshman All-American honors in 2021. His freshman campaign saw him amass 28 catches for 326 yards (11.6 avg.) and four touchdowns in 14 games, starting eight. In 2022, he played all 13 games, starting 10, and recorded 21 catches for 283 yards (13.5 avg.) and two touchdowns. His junior year in 2023 was cut short due to injury, but he still managed 18 catches for 326 yards (18.1 avg.) and a touchdown in 10 games. Notably, he had a career-long 60-yard touchdown catch against Cincinnati and a season-high 80 receiving yards on three catches (26.7 avg.) in the same game.
Over his three-year college career, Bartholomew accumulated 67 receptions for 935 yards (14.0 avg.) and seven touchdowns in 37 games. He demonstrated big-play ability with multiple receptions over 50 yards, including a 57-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Tennessee in 2022, where he hurdled a defender. His consistency and production earned him a spot on the All-ACC Academic Football Team in 2022 and a place on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in 2023 for his commitment to community service.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Versatile player with experience at H-back, in-line, slot, and wide receiver positions, offering scheme flexibility
- Possesses good functional strength throughout his frame, allowing him to play through contact effectively
- Demonstrates high effort and motor, consistently working to get open when plays break down
- Shows ability to find soft spots in zone coverage, displaying good field awareness
- Effective as a run blocker, particularly when playing downhill, with good hand placement and leverage
- Long strider who gets to top speed quickly off the line, covering ground efficiently
- Generates yards after catch opportunities with his size and determination
- Special teams experience adds value, having played on kick return, punt coverage, and field goal units
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks elite athleticism and top-end speed, limiting his ability to consistently separate from defenders
- Route running needs refinement, often running rounded rather than sharp cuts
- Struggles to separate against man coverage, particularly from slot defenders
- Inconsistent hands, with occasional drops and a tendency to catch the ball close to his body
- Blocking technique and footwork require improvement for sustained effectiveness at the next level
Scouting Report: Summary
Bartholomew brings a lunch-pail mentality to the tight end position, showcasing positional versatility and a willingness to do the dirty work. His ability to line up in-line, as an H-back, or split out wide gives offensive coordinators flexibility in personnel groupings. While he won't blow the doors off defenders with his athleticism, Bartholomew's functional strength and determined running style allow him to pick up chunk yardage after the catch.In the trenches, Bartholomew flashes potential as a blocker, especially when asked to play downhill. His hand placement and leverage are solid building blocks, but he'll need to refine his technique to consistently win at the point of attack in the NFL. As a receiver, he demonstrates savvy in finding soft spots against zone coverage, but struggles to create separation against man. His route tree needs expansion, and he must work on presenting a cleaner target to his quarterback.
Teams looking for a developmental Y tight end with special teams upside will have Bartholomew on their radar. His skill set suggests he could carve out a role as a reliable TE2 with the ceiling of a low-end starter if he can sharpen his route running and shore up his blocking consistency. While he won't not be a day-one impact player, Bartholomew's work ethic and versatility make him an intriguing late-round option for clubs willing to invest in his development.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
How other scouting services rate Gavin Bartholomew (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
339.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
20.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.