STRENGTHS - Experienced lining up in a variety of alignments, Stoneburner brings versatility to the tight end / h-back position that NFL teams love. From both an in-line alignment and when he goes in motion, Jake does a good job of seal blocking defender inside to help running back get the corner. Able to get through the LOS to the second level quickly, Jake can be a good blocker out in space when he stays over feet and under control. When he keeps his knees bent and stays over feet he does a good job of pass blocking; primarily from a wing-back alignment. While not a blazer, he has good straight line speed for a tight end. He has soft hands and does an excellent job of getting the ball tucked away fast so that he can hold onto the ball when he gets hit right after the catch. He is a strong and competitive runner after the catch who can run through arm/grab tackles.
WEAKNESSES - Lacking explosiveness off the ball, Stoneburner does not have the speed to get down the seam to stretch the defense. He is not a quick athlete and lacks burst out of cuts to get separation against NFL linebackers. While he is definitely versatile, he lacks the bulk/size to be a consistently effective in-line run blocker and is not the elite athlete that teams want to split out as a slot tight end. More than anything, Stoneburner seems to be more of a jack of all, master of none type player. While he is a competitive run blocker, he is not an aggressive fire-off the ball blocker and relies more on positioning, strength and competes to be productive.
SUMMARY - A versatile and productive tight end at Ohio State, Stoneburner will likely need to carve out a role as a backup tight end, H-back and fullback. With good height, deceptive speed and soft hands, Stoneburner has the short area receiving skills to contribute catching passes in the NFL. While he is a good positional run blocker, he will need to be more aggressive on run blocks to be effective as an in-line blocker in the NFL. After being arrested prior to his senior season, Stoneburner will need to handle the interview process well to ease any concerns that teams may have. Overall, I do not expect Stoneburner to be an early draft pick, but in the later rounds he should be picked. He would be most effective going to a team with an elite receiving tight end and a creative offensive coordinator, where he would not be asked to make big plays as a receiver and could use his versatility to line up in a different spots to contribute as a backup tight end / H-back.