2022 Draft Rookie Profile: Charlie Kolar (Fantasy Football)

As we continue with our rookie draft profile series we move to the Midwest. There has been a lot of talk about Iowa State leading up to the 2022 NFL draft, with the potential number one RB prospect Breece Hall hailing from the school. But the Cyclones are not just Breece Hall. Norman, Oklahoma native Charlie Kolar will also be entering the draft this season. Let’s look at this 23-year old’s college production and game tape from Iowa State and see how it projects to an NFL fantasy outlook.

This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2022 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2022.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2022 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2022.

College Production Chart

Charlie Kolar was a 3-star recruit out of Norman High School, where he played football and basketball, playing with NBA All-star Trae Young during his high school tenure. Kolar played in all 13 Iowa State games as a redshirt freshman, garnering eleven receptions, 137 yards, and catching three TDs. Over his four years at Iowa State, he amassed almost 2000 receiving yards and 20 TDs. He has the most receptions and TDs for a TE in Iowa State history. His Cyclone career began with a 4% target share as a freshman and ended at 22% during his final year. In 2021, Kolar’s target share was second only to WR Xavier Hutchinson.

Measurables

Kolar did not participate in the 40 at the NFL combine, but he has measurables from his recent pro day in the chart below.

What’s on Tape

Games Viewed – Oklahoma (2021), Texas Tech (2021), Kansas (2021), Texas (2021)

Size

Charlie Kolar is a big boy. Like Rob Gronkowski big. With his over 6’6” frame, many college teams did not have an answer for Kolar’s height. When playing against teams with a smaller secondary, Kolar towers over his opponents.  With that size comes that not-so-fluid Gronk running style. You know what I am talking about, that lumbering down the field sort of movement. Even with this running style, Kolar did manage to clock a decent 40 time at his pro day, so he still can accelerate. Kolar does not look overly athletic when he moves, per se, but he has a fantastic ability to use his size as an asset where he can. Unlike some long-limbed receivers who look like they don’t know what to do with their bodies, Kolar utilizes his long arms and his large catch radius to extend, making inaccurate passes more catchable. According to playerprofiler.com, his 10.33 catch radius puts him in the 95^th percentile. His height aids him in contested catches as well. Of all the TEs in 2021, Kolar had the third most contested catches, catching over 65% of them. Kolar is so big that he can overpower a defender and fight to hold on to a ball. Kolar’s size makes him even more of an efficient security blanket for his QB at Iowa State – he was one of the closest TEs profiled on the website to the average NFL TE1 usage. Of the thirteen TEs included in the data set, only two hit the NFL average share of team receiving yards per game and share of team receiving TDs per game. Charlie Kolar is one of those. According to our data set in the Ultimate Draft Kit, where we look at the average size of a TE1 at the NFL level, Kolar checks all the boxes. Height, weight, and breakout age for him were all at or above the average.

Charlie Kolar rising above a defender to reel in this pass. He is a Power Forward type TE!

pic.twitter.com/eT0Z20KK05

— Damian Parson (@DP_NFL) December 14, 2021

Hands Worth Insuring Like JP Pruitt

Charlie Kolar has some of the best hands in the business. Utilizing his height and build to pluck the ball out of the air, he hangs on the football, protecting it against contact. Only dropping five passes during his four-year stint at Iowa State, he became Brock Purdy’s go-to guy in clutch 3rd and 4th down situations simply because of his ability to protect the football. According to PFF, Kolar has an over 81% grade when it comes to drops over all four years at Iowa State, and he ended 2021 with an 85% grade in that category.

Brock Purdy drags Iowa State back into this game against Texas Tech with a strike to Charlie Kolar!

Could either of these #Cyclones hear their name called in the 2022 #NFLDraft? pic.twitter.com/cHuYAsdYzB

— PFN Draft (@PFNDraft) November 13, 2021

Blocking

Again, Kolar’s size aids him in this. His large frame gives him the ability to better box out defenders, which he is not afraid to do. Kolar is quick to engage defenders coming off the line, and he holds to the play, playing through to the whistle.

Not sure where Charlie Kolar gets drafted next year but NFL scouts will like his blocking ability. Saw him give this effort all day long today. #devy pic.twitter.com/SKEqsdgNjl

— Brandon Lejeune (@DevyDeepDive) November 27, 2020

 

What’s Not on Tape

Yards After Catch

Kolar’s yards after the catch aren’t good, Bob. Out of the 25 TEs with at least 50 targets in 2021, Kolar ranks 16^th with only 226 YAC. That’s just about half of Trey McBride’s YAC, the best TE of the year in that category. Kolar’s yards after the catch per reception was a low 3.8 in his final year at Iowa State. Whether it is his inability to separate or his lack of speed variation, Kolar has a problem garnering valuable yards after the catch.

Brains

Although there is some discussion on whether Kolar has the physical talent to make it as an NFL tight end, there is no doubt he has the brains. He is a proven leader in the Cyclones’ locker room, spending four full seasons in the program, and was the recipient of the Williams V. Campbell Trophy, given to the top scholar-athlete in college football. He maintained close to a perfect GPA as a mechanical engineering major at Iowa State. Physical prowess is not everything; teams will appreciate his solid interviewing skills, football knowledge, and work ethic.

Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar on who he studies in the NFL at his position pic.twitter.com/XSfCkjF5YB

— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) March 2, 2022

2022 Fantasy Outlook

There is no Kyle Pitts in this draft class. Sorry to burst your tight end bubble, but a Pitts is few and far between. 2022 brings a class of tight ends that vary significantly across the board. Overall, Kolar has good size and basics, but it is hard to tell if he will take the needed jump to make it in the NFL. Grindingthemocks.com sees him as the 8^th TE coming off the board, around pick 120, and he looks to be drafted in the 5th or 6th round, according to nflmockdraftdatabase.com. This season we are looking at later round dart throws when it comes to TEs. Teams who might be targeting a TE in the later rounds include the Cowboys, the Jags, and the Ravens. Kolar would be an investment, with teams willing to see what he has to offer, hoping to teach him the system and reaping the benefits in a few seasons down the road. In my opinion, Kolar would benefit from being drafted by a team like the Ravens or Chiefs where there is an established stellar tight end who can take him under his wing. I am not looking to target Kolar in my redraft leagues, but I will consider him in a deep dynasty draft, especially if I also take an older TE.