Matthew Hibner

● Not imposing but solidly built with definition in his arms and lower body ● Has linear twitch in his lower half to fire into routes and establish positioning ● Accelerates smoothly and doesn’t lose steam down the seam ● Posts up and shields defenders at the top of routes ● Hand-eye coordination to look the ball into his hands ● Strains through man coverage to locate and adjust to the ball ● Strong, tight hands in the run game to fit and churn his feet ● Steady execution on the move to locate and connect with defenders ● Well-established character — former Eagle Scout who grew up in a military family

● Average short-area shake (before and after the catch) ● Has some tightness in his core, hindering quick change-of-direction ability ● Needs to eliminate some route drift to be more consistent at uncovering ● Will get yards in front of him, but not an elusive or tackle-breaking threat ● Blocking sustain would benefit from better knee bend ● Physical blocker, but would like to see a little nastier finish ● Doesn’t have a playmaking resume (only four career games of more than 60 receiving yards) 198 Back to table of contents -- 202 of 629 --

A two-year starter at SMU, Hibner was a versatile tight end in head coach Rhett Lashlee’s offense, rotating between the slot, inline and wing. He struggled to find offensive snaps over four seasons in Ann Arbor, but he took advantage of his opportunities once he transferred to SMU, especially as RJ Maryland battled injuries. Alignment versatility (in all phases) is the name of Hibner’s game. As a pass catcher, he establishes route positioning and shows steady ball skills against both man and zone. He won’t simply overpower opponents as a blocker, but he has some snap into contact and stays controlled to cover up defenders and ride the bull. His special teams experience (703 career snaps) will stand out to NFL teams, as well. Overall, Hibner might not be a playmaker who frightens defenses, but his NFL usefulness will be based on his well-rounded skill set from the slot, wing or inline. He should draw wide-ranging interest because of his scheme versatility and special teams potential.