Haplea as Complete as it Gets

After watching four-star tight end Kevin Haplea on film this week it’s very easy to see why the national scouts at Scout.com gave him such a high ranking. We broke down what he does well as a player and there was plenty to write about.

Penn State picked up a big commitment to add to their depth in North Hunterdon High School tight end Kevin Haplea and with proper coaching, the Annandale, N.J., native looks like he could provide a lot of versatility to the Nittany Lion offense.

First, let’s talk about Haplea’s blocking as it’s typically an area where most prep players struggle. Haplea is not a dominant blocker, but he is a very solid blocker and is absolutely persistent when doing so. He gets a good base going and brings his hands along with his lower body to lock onto defenders. Haplea does a very good job of sealing the edge on off-tackle runs and also controls his man well. He also is excellent at sustaining his blocks and plays to the whistle on every play. His technique can use a little work, but once Haplea bulks up his 240-pound frame hitting the weight room he could turn into an excellent blocker at the collegiate level.

As a receiver, the only thing I saw that Haplea lacks is elite speed. He is very versatile and can work as a down tight end, out of the slot or spread wide as a receiver. He does a nice job of sitting in between linebackers and safeties in zone coverage and creating a target for his quarterback. When Haplea gets in the red zone, he becomes extremely challenging to cover and does an excellent job of high-pointing the ball on fade routes. His route-running, hands and red-zone ability make him a very valuable commodity. While his speed isn’t excellent, Haplea is a very good athlete and will give Penn State a player who can also run after the catch and adjust to poorly thrown balls.