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When the Ravens selected tight end Crockett Gillmore in the third round of the NFL draft, they did so with the hope that he would provide a strong blocking presence.
During the Ravens' offseason practices, Gillmore has displayed sound blocking technique, a physical nature and a willingness to mix it up. He caught the ball well. He frequently got under the skin of defensive players, including getting into a fight with defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.
"Crockett is a good football player," veteran tight end Dennis Pitta said during the Ravens' final minicamp. "He's a tough kid and he's big and physical and a great blocker at the point of attack. I think that's what stood out the most this early on. He's going to be a valuable asset for this offense moving forward."
Gillmore, 6-feet-6, 260 pounds from Colorado State, permanently moved to tight end prior to his sophomore year after playing defensive end as a freshman.
A first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection, Gilllmore caught 47 passes for 577 yards and two touchdowns as a senior last season. He finished his career with 111 receptions for 1,308 yards and eight touchdowns.
Gillmore strives to be an all-around tight end.
"For me, a tight end is a guy that can play any position on the field," Gillmore said. "He just happens to be a bigger body. I think of myself as a blocker with ability to catch the ball. I think championships are still won running the ball and playing defense.
"So, I'd much rather be considered a blocker that can catch than a receiver that can block. I have that defensive mindset, so I want to go in there and block somebody."