Nate Adkins
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nate Adkins
| image = File:Nate Adkins.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Adkins with the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2022
| position = Tight end
Fullback
| current_team = Denver Broncos
| number = 45
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|7|9}}
| birth_place = Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 252
| high_school = Bearden (Knoxville)
| college = {{nowrap|East Tennessee State (2018–2021)}}
South Carolina (2022)
| undraftedyear = 2023
| pastteams =
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Rush attempts
| statvalue1 =
| statlabel2 = Rushing yards
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Receptions
| statvalue3 = 18
| statlabel4 = Receiving yards
| statvalue4 = 137
| statlabel5 = Touchdowns
| statvalue5 = 3
| pfr = AdkiNa00
}}
Nathan T. Adkins (born July 9, 1999) is an American professional football tight end and fullback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers and South Carolina Gamecocks.
Early life
Adkins was born on July 9, 1999, the son of coach Greg Adkins.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4383440/nate-adkins|publisher=ESPN|title=Nate Adkins}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesnews.net/sports/converted-tackle-adkins-thriving-at-tight-end-for-bucs/article_8838f80c-593e-11ec-8e38-a7a51e74db73.html|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|title=Converted tackle Adkins thriving at tight end for Bucs|author=Avento, Joe|date=December 9, 2021}} He attended Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, and played football and baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/roster/player/nate-adkins/|publisher=South Carolina Gamecocks|title=Nate Adkins}} He played tackle in football and totaled 76 tackles and six sacks as a senior while also having a career batting average of .354 while playing third baseman for the baseball team. He committed to play college football for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/12/20/who-signing-where-early-signing-period-football-knoxville-recruiting-tennessee-jacob-warren/961112001/|newspaper=Knoxville News Sentinel|title=Knoxville area high school football players who have signed with colleges|date=December 20, 2017|author=Nearhos, Diana C.; Hauck, Holly}}
College career
Adkins transitioned to playing tight end at East Tennessee State, despite having never played the position before. After being a backup as a true freshman in 2018, he earned a starting role in 2019 and was named first-team all-conference. He earned first-team all-conference honors again in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, catching 10 passes for 101 yards while starting four of six games. He caught 33 passes for 357 yards in 2021 and was named second-team all-conference.{{Cite news|url=https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2023/05/22/denver-broncos-highlights-of-te-nate-adkins/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Check out these highlights of new Broncos TE Nate Adkins|author=Heath, Jon|date=May 22, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/south-carolina/Article/South-Carolina-Gamecocks-football-Nate-Adkins-2022-season-191863161/|website=247Sports|title=Adkins details transfer process, father-son dynamic|author=Jones, Alex|date=August 21, 2022}} He opted to transfer after the season, finishing his stint at East Tennessee State University with 73 catches for 749 yards and four touchdowns.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/33811015/south-carolina-lands-etsu-tight-end-transfer-nate-adkins|publisher=ESPN|title=South Carolina lands ETSU tight end transfer Nate Adkins|author=Low, Chris|date=April 26, 2022}} Adkins ended up transferring to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/southcarolina/football/south-carolinas-nate-adkins-rare-opportunity|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Nate Adkins' Rare Opportunity|date=December 9, 2022|author=Dart, Christian}} In his only season with them, he played all 13 games, nine as a starter, and had 13 receptions for 168 yards.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 3/4
| weight = 252
| dash = 4.87
| ten split = 1.72
| twenty split = 2.82
| shuttle = 4.40
| cone drill = 7.33
| vertical = 31.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 0
| bench = 14
| arm span = 31 3/8
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Nate Adkins College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1037481&DraftYear=2023 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Adkins was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/nate-adkins-tight-end-fullback-positional-flexibility|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Rookie UDFA Nate Adkins Provides Positional Flexibility for Broncos|author=Kelberman, Zack|date=July 5, 2023}} He made the team's final roster as a rookie.{{Cite web|url=https://wcyb.com/sports/content/nate-atdkins-makes-denvers-53-man-roster|publisher=WCYB-TV|title=Nate Adkins makes Denver's 53 man roster|author=Williams, Heather|date=August 29, 2023}}
Adkins scored his first professional touchdown in a 28–14 win against the Carolina Panthers on October 27, 2024.{{cite web | last=Jensen | first=Chad | title=Broncos TE's Brother Dreamed his First NFL TD into Existence | website=Denver Broncos On SI | date=2024-10-28 | url=https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/broncos-nate-adkins-brother-dreamed-first-nfl-touchdown | access-date=2024-12-06}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.etsubucs.com/football/roster/2018-19/9978/nate-adkins/ East Tennessee State Buccaneers bio]
- [https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/roster/player/nate-adkins/ South Carolina Gamecocks bio]
- [https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/nate-adkins/ Denver Broncos bio]
{{Denver Broncos roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adkins, Nate}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Players of American football from Knoxville, Tennessee
Category:East Tennessee State Buccaneers football players