Film Don't Lie | Cane Berrong
There is hot and there is another level of heat that surpasses what anyone could describe as hot. Notre Dame might not be quite there on the recruiting trail, but they are closer to that than your average temperature.
I think that’s fair to say after they just picked up another 4-star commitment from their top tight end in the 2021 cycle, Cane Berrong (Georgia). The Irish have never had trouble attracting elite tight end talent and that doesn’t look like it will change anytime in the near future. They filled their tight end quota early in the 2020 class and have done so again for the next cycle.
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 220
Projected Position: Tight End
ISD Grade: 92 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 92.2 (4-star)
What he does best:
The main thing that stood out about Berrong watching him on film and in person at Irish Invasion is that he has strong hands. He catches the ball naturally and whether he is about to take a hit or has a defender contesting the catch, the odds favor him to come down with it.
He has a large catch radius and adjusts really well to poorly thrown balls. This catch with him stretching out is impressive, but he made another even better one at Invasion where he reached back behind his opposite shoulder while twisting in the air that was even better.
He has the potential to be a serious weapon on back shoulder throws and can make the difficult catch down the seam. Berrong can move the chains after the catch as well. He’s not a young Eric Ebron, but giive him space and he can do damage.
I love the way he fights for yards. It’s not often that a tight end can be classified as slippery, but Berrong has some of that to his game. Some guys just have a feel for maximizing their yards after the catch and he’s one of them.
It’s exactly why he could become a favorite target on 3rd down/the red zone.
As of right now he’d be classified as more of a move tight end or an H-back, but he shows signs of becoming more than that. He’s a high effort player as a blocker as demonstrated here with this nice finish on the outside linebacker.
What he needs to improve:
As we mentioned on the Crootin’ Podcast, he’s not someone who is physically imposing. He looked shorter than that listed 6’4” when we saw him in person and he isn’t a first off the bus type of guy. He doesn’t look like he’s spent a lot of time in the weight room.
Seeing some strength gains over the next couple of years and then building on that when he gets to Notre Dame is going to be critical for his development.
He’s a solid athlete for his size, but not an explosive one. While he may never be Kyle Rudolph or Tyler Eifert as an athlete, I think he can improve a lot in this area.
He needs to be more physical creating separation and that is something that can come from strength gains as well. Developing a more powerful lower body will be important too, especially as a blocker.
Like just about every tight end his age, his overall technique needs quite a bit of work, but once he gets more pop from his lower half it can go a long way in helping there as well.
What’s his ceiling?
Berrong is someone where his film impressed me much more than he looked running around in shorts. That’s not a bad thing for a tight end, though.
He’s a very good football player who has the chance to be much better once he is fully focused on improving himself physically. He reminds me a bit of 2020 commit Michael Mayer and he’s someone who really made a jump from his sophomore to his junior year. I’ll be interested to see if Berrong will do the same.
He’s a coordinated athlete with really good hands who plays with the desire to be a complete tight end. Chip Long’s tight end room is going to be overflowing with talent by the time Berrong gets to campus, but there is no doubt he has a chance to develop into a starter who could transition to playing in-line at the college level.
Breaking | 2021 Four-Star TE Cane Berrong Commits To Notre Dame
Cane Berrong Breaks Down Notre Dame Commitment
Blake Fisher on Cane Berrong's Commitment ($)
Gabriel Rubio on Cane Berrong's Commitment ($)