SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Chargers have taken Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry in the second round of the NFL draft.
Henry caught 116 passes for 1,661 yards and nine touchdowns in 38 career games.
He was a consensus first team All-American and John Mackey Award winner as the nation's top tight end after setting career-highs with 51 receptions and 739 yards, with three touchdowns. He had no recorded dropped passes in 2015.
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said receiving, blocking, size (6-5, 250) and character all led into San Diego selecting Henry in the second round as did the offense that Henry was accustomed to performing in at Arkansas.
"For us he was the best tight end in the draft," Telesco said. "I am really excited about getting him here. He has great receiving skills. He is almost 6-5, 250 and is really athletic and can run and runs routes. He didn't drop a ball in college football last year. He has excellent hands and he can block some too. So he's a complete tight end. He comes out of a pro-style offense at Arkansas and can do a lot of things."
In an in-house interview on the Chargers website, Telesco was asked if Henry was drafted more as a blocking tight end or as a receiver for Chargers veteran quarterback Philip Rivers.
"He can do both but what he can really do is run and catch and we like to throw the ball obviously with Philip Rivers," Telesco said. "He will be a great target for Philip. This is a really polished tight end at a position they are very hard to find. There are not a lot of college tight ends nowadays as polished as he is running routes, catching the ball and knowing the passing game but also being able to do some dirty work at the line of scrimmage. Blocking for the running game, handling the defensive end, handling the outside linebacker. We are thrilled to get a player like this. This is a first-round talent and for us to get him here we are really excited."
Henry has been a model citizen academically and socially as a Razorback, which Telesco said the Chargers also take into account.
"He is a great kid," Telesco said. "He fits our profile. He is tough and physical on the field but accountable and a great teammate. And he's young. He's just 21. We think he can be a great building block for the future."
The Chargers now have six tight ends on their roster.
Former Razorback teammates went on Twitter to congratulate Henry, a Little Rock native and former Pulaski Academy star player, upon his selection.
"Chargers you got yourself a good one!" said fellow tight end AJ Derby.
"Congrats to the beast," said Trey Flowers, a former star defensive end at Arkansas selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round (overall pick No. 101) in the 2015 NFL draft.
Henry's selection "couldn't happen to be a better person or player!!" tweeted Austin Allen, Arkansas' projected starting quarterback in 2016 after backing up older brother Brandon, himself a draft possiblity.
Fayetteville correspondent Nate Allen contributed to this report.
Sports on 04/30/2016