2014 NFL Draft: Prospect Profile -- Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

After that free agent frenzy that the New York Giants went on this offseason, there is still a pretty big hole at defensive tackle. Of course, we all have high hopes that the void left after Linval Joseph's defection will be filled by last year's second- round pick Johnathan Hankins. However, after that, there is only Cullen Jenkins, Markus Kuhn, and Mike Patterson. A 3 technique is needed to play alongside Hankins.

Why not Ra'shede Hageman, the monstrous defensive tackle out of Minnesota? Let's use today's 2014 NFL Draft prospect profile to take a closer look at Hageman.

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Everything you need to know about the Giants heading into the 2014 NFL Draft.

Pros

- Incredible length and build at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds and 34.25-inch arms.

- Natural athleticism. May not have shown through raw numbers at the combine but he is a white hot knife at times in games.

- Hip flexibility might be better than Sheldon Richardson and Aaron Donald.

- Has monstrous upside when it comes to explosion and upside. Has a vertical of 35.5 inches, unheard of for a 310+ pound player.

- Strong motor.

Cons

- Has below average football IQ. Does not understand leverage.

- Talent has trumped production in his case thus far.

- Incredibly inconsistent. At some points, his burst off the LOS is better than Aaron Donald. At other times, it's worse than William Joseph. An enigma.

- Has no pass rush moves. Doesn't use arms all that effectively.

- At times unruly. Committed several personal foul penalties in games this year.

Does He Fit With The Giants?

Yes. He can play either the 3 technique or 5 technique, both of which the Giants utilize. I see him as a better 3 technique because I think he's more consistent when he just has to go upfield, but others may disagree. He has the raw ability to be an absolute force in the middle and can push the pocket with authority. Having Hankins next to him would give the Giants two disruptive beasts inside. That'd be tough to beat.

Prospect Video

#99 Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota vs Western Illinois '13 (via SportCutups)

Shoutout to draftbreakdown for the awesome film.

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - 20

Mocking The Draft - 19

CBS Sports - 35

Draft Countdown - 22

Draft Tek - 42

Final Thoughts

The associated word when looking at Hageman is "monster." Monster. Monster. Monster. Monstrous length. Monstrous explosion. Monstrous upside. Monstrous bust potential. His inconsistency is maddening. However, if he can be coached up, he could end up being the best defensive tackle in this class. Do I know that he will? No, but there's a reason why he's being pegged in the first round into the early second.

There's a possibility he falls into the second round, and if the Giants don't take Aaron Donald in the first, he'd be one of my top choices at 43 were he to get there.