Nathan Denette | AP Photo


Jacob Tamme

Birth:  March 15, 1985

Hometown:  Danville, KY

College:  University of Kentucky

Draft:  4th round, 127th overall – 2008 (Indianapolis Colts)

Height:  6 feet 3 inches

Weight:  236 pounds

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College

Year Started Rec Yards YPR TD
2004 1 4 55 13.75 2
2005 10 29 251 8.66 1
2006 10 32 386 12.06 2
2007 13 56 619 11.05 6
Career 34 121 1311 10.83 11

Professional

Year Games Rec Targets CR(%) Yards TD
2008 13 3 5 60% 12 0
2009 19 3 10 30% 35 0
Career 32 6 15 40% 47 0

Pre-Draft Measurables

40-Yard Dash:  4.58 seconds

3-Cone Drill:  6.99 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle:  4.27 seconds

Bench Press:  18 reps

Vertical Jump:  30 inches

Broad Jump:  109 inches

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Breakdown

The Colts drafted Jacob Tamme after he started for three years at the University of Kentucky.  Tamme has spent the past two seasons on the Colts roster as a backup tight end but has been used primarily for his special teams skills.  Although Tamme has been on the roster, he entered the 2010 off-season as an unknown quantity in many regards.  With Dallas Clark reaching the peak of his career over the past two seasons, there has been little need for backup tight ends to fill a receiving role.  While Clark is again healthy, this preseason gave fans a new look at Tamme, as he filled in for Clark with the first team.  Tamme has excelled as a receiver, but he did not play much as an H-Back or blocking tight end.

When Tamme entered the 2008 NFL Draft, he was a very promising wide receiver/tight end hybrid, and gleaned comparisons to Clark from draft experts.  He had some of the top times in all of the speed drills for tight ends, and numerous scouts singled out his extraordinary work ethic.  Tamme also received high marks for his hands, and for excelling in a complex Kentucky offense.

As Tamme has not spent much time with the offense during the regular season, most of his negatives are still based upon college scouting reports.  These reports identify Tamme’s lack of bulk, specifically muscle, as his primary shortcoming.  He weighed as little as 232 pounds prior to the draft, and is now list at 236 pounds.  Tamme’s size led to criticism of his blocking abilities, which remain today.

Tamme offers another option for Peyton Manning as a receiving threat, but still has quite a bit to prove as a blocking tight end.  Although a premium has been placed on the blocking abilities of backup tight ends on the active roster, Tamme developed a sort of “Justin Snow,” kind of immunity.  While he was used sparingly as a long snapper in college and received some work in kicking and punting situations during the preseason, which may signal a potential line of succession from Snow to Tamme as the future long snapper for the Colts, it is unlikely he will see time in that role prior to Snow’s departure.  Unless Clark misses time, Tamme will continue to serve as one of the best special teams players on the team.