2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Mason Pline, TE, Furman
Player Data
| Name, Jersey # | Mason Pline, #89 |
| School (Code) | SCFU |
| DOB, Class Yr | 02/05/2000, Graduate Student. |
| Height, Weight | 6061, 255 |
| 40 Yd Dash | N/A |
| Position/Depth | TE, #1 |
| Honors/Captainship | N/A |
| Season Viewed (yr) | 2023 |
| Games Watched | @SCUN, SCCI, @NCWE, @MTUN |
| Scout Name / Date | Ryan Vidales 02/24/24 |
Per Year Stats
| 2023 | (Furman) 13 GP, 32 Rec, 287 Rec Yds, 4 Rec TD |
| 2022 | (Ferris State) 11 GP, 2 Rec, 6 Rec Yds |
| 2021 | (Ferris State) 14 GP, 2 Rec, 30 Rec Yds, 2 Rec TD |
| 2020 | (Ferris State) DNP – Played Basketball |
| 2019 | (Ferris State) DNP – Played Basketball |
| 2018 | (Ferris State) DNP – Played Basketball |
Player Summary:
Mason Pline is a 6’6”, 255-pound tight end with an athletic, ectomorphic frame, a narrow lower half, 32.5-inch arms, and 10-inch hands. Pline prepped at Fowler HS (OH), where he was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and baseball. He began his collegiate athletic career at Ferris State as a member of the Bulldogs’ basketball team, appearing in 83 games at Power Forward and averaging 6.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks on 42.9-36.5-64.9 shooting splits over three seasons. He left the FSU basketball program after the 2020-2021 season for an opportunity to pursue a career in college football. He played his first two college football seasons at Ferris State under Head Coach Tony Annese, where he won back-to-back national championships as the Bulldogs’ starting tight end. He earned his undergraduate degree from Ferris State in 2023 and entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with one more year of eligibility. Pline transferred to Furman in May 2023 and began the season as the Paladins’ starting tight end.
Pline possesses soft hands, sharp hand-eye coordination, and prominent ball skills to snatch the ball out of the air. He is a substantial target with the toughness to maintain control of the ball through heavy contact. He uses his big frame and rebounding instincts to box out defenders for contested catches at the catch point. Provides an expansive catch radius given his sufficient length and potent leaping ability. Exhibits proficient play speed, subtle twitch, and a physical running style with the ball in his hands to accumulate YAC. Offers smooth functional mobility and moderate COD to create separation as a route runner. Developed an extensive route tree and became a favorable matchup target from in-line Y and FLEX TE alignments. Most productive in the passing game on concepts that targeted the intermediate MOF and the short-flat ranges, but can also attack the deep range with capable long speed. As an in-line run blocker with his hand in the ground, Pline is still green from a leverage standpoint. He shoots off the ball with decent explosiveness but engages at the POA with insufficient knee bend. He struggles to unlock his hips and relies heavily on his upper-body play strength to move defenders. He boasts an aggressive mean streak and works with competitive energy, physicality, and toughness when he shoots his hands with the requisite punch location. However, his hand + hat placement is inconsistent, as is his radar on wham and split-zone blocks from the H spot. His blocking ability is maximized as a stalk blocker on perimeter screens from the FLEX TE position.
Scheme Fit:
Pline will likely enter the professional ranks as a Joker TE – a role that will allow him to prioritize the receiving aspect of his game, while still asking him to contribute as a perimeter stalk blocker and a moving blocker on gap scheme run concepts.
Power Statement:
Being a former college basketball player turned college tight end, Pline has ideal athleticism, strong, dependable ball skills, great size/physical measurements, and solid toughness/mean streak to improve as a run blocker at the next level.