Syracuse Football: Top 10 players to watch out for in 2018

9. Aaron Hackett

Call me a sucker for tight ends, but Aaron Hackett seems to check off all the boxes you look for. He’s got size (6-foot-3) but isn’t too big and maintains his speed at sub 240. If I’m going to reminisce a little, I can’t remember the truly last great tight end at Syracuse.

It has been far too long. The Orange is the New Fast is a really cool moniker, but I want to see that executed at the tight end position. Just imagine this thing running at full capacity. Insert 1,000 yard rusher, video game numbers at quarterback, and an automatic top wide receiver due to system. And oh yeah the tight end is unstoppable.

The good thing is Hackett doesn’t have to do it by himself. SU has plenty of weapons everywhere year in and year out. Although from my conversations with Dino, he wants complete players, not one trick ponies.

If Hackett is going to get significant playing time he’ll need to prove his worth as a blocker and then he’ll get down the field opportunities. The one thing that is helping him is he played an uptempo style in high school, but nothing quite prepares you for Babers level fast I suppose.