Hunter Luepke Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile

 

2023 NFL Draft Measurements

Hunter Luepke 40-Yard Dash Time – 4.58

6’1” / 236 lbs.

 

Hunter Luepke Draft Profile

Hunter Luepke was not a heavily recruited prospect coming out of Spencer High School in Spencer, Wisconsin. According to his 247sports recruiting profile, he was only a 2-star prospect. He was ranked 8th out of 9 total fullbacks in the 2018 recruiting class. Since he was ranked this low, he did not get much recognition coming out of high school. In fact, he only received scholarships from two Division I FCS programs. Those teams were Northern Iowa and North Dakota St. After visiting NDSU, Luepke decided that he wanted to go to Fargo, ND, and become a Bison.

Although it took him a few years to show what he is truly made of, he has proven that he belongs in the NFL. According to ESPN, during the 2020 season, he had 63 rushes for 355 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also tallied 4 receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. As a junior, he ran the ball 87 times for 543 yards and 8 touchdowns while racking up 9 receptions for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns. Finally, this season, he has 98 rushes for 619 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also has 14 receptions for 196 yards and 4 touchdowns. I should note that Luepke injured his left shoulder on November 12 and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

 

Strengths

 

Blocking

Hunter Luepke is a very talented blocker in both run and pass schemes. In run-blocking schemes, he does a good job of quickly gaining leverage and steering defenders to open up a lane. He also has good play strength at the point of attack which allows him to drive defenders back. On passing plays, he is good at using his play strength and aggressiveness to hold his ground against defenders. By doing this, he is giving his QB more time in the pocket, allowing him to make a play.

 

Yards After Contact

When Luepke gets the ball in his hands, he is very good at playing through contact. He does a very good job of dropping his shoulder and knocking defenders down. Then, he shows his true athleticism by having the ability to keep his balance. Now that defender is no longer a problem, he does a good job of accelerating to his top speed.

 

Vision

Hunter Luepke is a natural at scanning the field and finding a way to make a play. When watching his film, I found that he is good at quickly finding a lane on inside zone runs. Then he bursts down the field to maximize yards gained. As mentioned earlier, if a defender gets in his way, he will not hesitate to drop his shoulder. He is also good at diagnosing the defense immediately after the ball is snapped. This allows him to find a weakness in their defense and gain lots of yards. On run plays, I found that he is a very instinctual talent, knowing when and what to do in any situation.

 

Competitiveness

Regardless of the play design, I always found that Luepke plays with lots of heart and aggressiveness. When he is blocking, he does a good job of attacking the defender at their weakest points. He does this by being the first one to make contact and force them off-balance. When he gets the ball in his hands as I have mentioned several times, he will drop his shoulder and run defenders over.

 

Versatility

As I have mentioned several times throughout this article, Luepke is good regardless of the play design. Throughout his career at NDSU, he has lined up in almost every position. He has lined up as an X receiver, Z receiver, Y tight end, full back, and running back. Having the ability to line up and be productive at all of these positions is what will punch his ticket to the NFL.

 

Weaknesses

 

Creativity

Although Luepke is a very talented player with the ball in his hands, he needs to improve his creativity. Luepke is a good downhill runner who can run over defenders easily. But, if there is no lane for him to run through, he lacks the ability to quickly adjust. A big reason why this is the case is that he lacks the acceleration and lateral agility needed to make these plays. Instead, he relies on his physicality to run defenders over.

 

Separation Quickness

As I briefly mentioned earlier, he is a solid athlete but lacks the ability to separate from defenders. Luepke has a solid burst that allows him to reach his top speed quickly at the line. But, when he reaches the second level, he struggles to outrun players in the secondary. This really hinders his ability to make big run plays because the defense will collapse on him.

 

Hunter Luepke Draft Stock

Hunter Luepke is the most talented fullback in the nation. Unfortunately for him, there are not many roster spots available at the fullback position. But, I believe that a team will take a chance on him. With that being said, he will definitely be a day 3 pick or even be an undrafted free agent. Be sure to come back after the draft and check out our team draft grades to see what his grade is.

 

Final Thoughts on Hunter Luepke

Overall, I think that Hunter Luepke is a very special talent and has proven that he has what it takes to be a fullback in the NFL. He is a very smart and instinctual player who is good at reading the defense as the play develops. His play strength is also very impressive because he can effortlessly block defenders and level them when he has the ball in his hands. If he can work on his ability to separate from defenders in the 2nd level, he will be an unstoppable force.

 

Player Comparison

His play style and vision remind me a lot of Pro-Bowler Kyle Juszczyk.

 

Hunter Luepke Scouting Report Analyst – Matthew Lewis