Bucknell University is known as the university that has produced the most NFL players. The football team has won the national championship four times. Their stadium, the Bucknell Football Stadium, is considered one of the best in the nation. So much so that the NCAA has named it as a member. It also has been voted the best venue for football games in the country.
The famous punter, Pat O’Brien, was at Bucknell last week for his first visit. During the visit, Bucknell’s coaching staff showed him around. They had a great time teaching the younger players. One thing they may have overlooked, however, was the importance of attitude on the field. Coach Thomas Jones stressed that the attitude is everything. So, how does Pat fit in with this team and what can he expect?
This football camp will feature some of the best tight end talent in the entire country. The combination of a strong blocker and fantastic receiver gives Bucknell a huge arsenal.
Four projected starters at tight end
Trevard Lindley This talented tight end from Penn State has received visits from several other programs and has become very comfortable at Bucknell. He will compete for the starting job with fellow sophomore Beau Brinkley, who is entering his senior season. If Lindley impresses the coaching staff enough during camp, he has a good chance to be the starter and help lead the Lions to a bright future.
Trevard Lindley has been making big plays for Bucknell the entire season. However, the versatile player could see more playing time at running back down the road if Braxton Kelley is unable to regain his starting role at tailback. Kelley was excellent at running back during the spring workouts and showed well in practices. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound back could compete for a starting job this summer.
Trevard Lindley is a talented but thin tight end. He does have some catching talent, but he needs to improve his route-running skills and become more consistent as a blocker. At the college level, he will need to prove that he can handle an NFL-sized target and that he is a strong blocker. The expectations for Trevard are high, but the question is whether he can deliver on those expectations. His skills will be tested during practice and the camp should serve as a good test.
Hunter Johnson The senior safety has been consistently producing great games for the Lions. In two seasons at Bucknell, he has totaled an impressive 95 tackles and forced a fumble. The 6-foot, 200-pound safety will be counted on to play deep in the middle of the field and in the secondary. Expect an energetic player to make a major impact for the Bills this season.
Trevard Lindley and Hunter Johnson will be battling for the right to start at tight end with Anthony McCoy for now. It will be interesting to see how they perform throughout the summer. One camp evaluator compared Johnson to Jason Witten, saying he had good speed and a good knack for winning down the line. The Bills also signed D.J. Williams as an TE last year but he spent most of the season on the practice squad. Expect an intense battle for the starting job between the two newcomers this summer.
Trevard Lindley The quarterback competition at Bucknell has also included Trevard Lindley. He has started just two games in his three years at the college and hasn’t thrown a regular season pass. During his one start, he completed 22 of 31 passes for two scores and no picks. Expect Trevard to compete with nickel back Anthony McCoy during camp practices. This will be one of the most competitive quarterback battles around at the prep camp.
Wide receiver is also an area of intense competition at this year’s camp. The top prospects include Trevard Lindley, a four star prospect from Lindley High School in Pennsylvania. Trevard has been likened by scouts to the better known collegiate wide receivers like Wes Welker and Antonio Gates. Trevard is the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. Expect a number of highlight reel plays at the Combine and throughout the summer.
Tight end is also an area of intense training and practice at this year’s Bucknell Football Camp. A few prospects that stand out at the Combine have been Trevard Lindley, a Miami commit, and Jake Butt, out of Texas Tech. Both are considered to be the top tight ends available in this year’s NFL Draft. There are many other tight ends on the bubble that could push for a roster spot as the season progresses, so this should be a fun position to watch at this summer’s camp.