The War Room: Ronnie Ghent, TE, Louisville
Tight End
Ronnie Ghent
College: Louisville
Year: Senior
Height: 6’2"
Weight: 237
Birthday: January 5, 1980
Strengths: Ronnie Ghent should be Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone’s go-to receiver in 2002. Ghent finished third on the team in receptions (34) and second in touchdown catches (five) last season, despite the fact that he missed nearly three full games with a knee injury. He showed that he was fully recovered from the knee problem with his strong play at the end of the season, including a solid performance in Louisville’s Liberty Bowl win over Brigham Young (four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown).
Ghent is a good all-around athlete who starred in football, basketball, and track (4 x 400M relay, shot put, and discus) in high school. He has excellent speed and quickness for a tight end and uses these traits effectively to get open. Ghent can make the difficult catch in traffic and has shown good balance and body control. While blocking is not his strong suit, he generally makes an effort in this phase of the game.
Areas for Concern: Ghent lacks the size to be a conventional NFL tight end and does not appear to be able to carry a great deal more weight. He will likely never have the bulk to be a capable in-line blocker. Ghent also needs to improve his concentration as a receiver. He has a tendency to make a highlight film catch and then drop a very catchable pass later in the same game.
How Would He Look in Steel Blue? Ghent does not fit the profile of what the Texans desire in a tight end – a big, physical blocker who can also be a factor in the passing game – but he could be effective in the H-back/fullback role that the Texans had had in mind when they selected Johnny Huggins in the expansion draft (although the Texans have since cut Huggins).
In that role, he could contribute out of the slot or motion and only have to chip on ends and linebackers instead of being asked to block them one-on-one. Since Dom Capers gives consistency such great weight when judging players, Ghent would have to do a better job concentrating and cut down on his drops.
(profile written by Warren DeLuca)
Ronnie Ghent’s 2001 Stats G CTH YDS AVG TD 10 34 330 9.7 5 Ronnie Ghent Return to The War Room
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