Packers' Tucker Kraft drawing comps to NFL great Mark Bavaro - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Mark Bavaro and Tucker Kraft had something in common: They had never heard of each other before.

And why would they have?

Bavaro is a 61-year-old Bostonian whose NFL career ended six years before Kraft was born.

Kraft is a 24-year-old native of Timber Lake, South Dakota (population 509), just trying to crack the inner circle of today's top NFL tight ends.

Enter Rich Bisaccia, the old-school assistant head coach/special teams coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. The 64-year-old Bisaccia never coached Bavaro, but as a New Yorker he watched — and loved — how Bavaro, a two-time first-team All-Pro, played tight end for the Giants in the 1980s.

One day early this season, Bisaccia brought up Bavaro's name to Kraft.

"[Bisaccia] said you've got to give this guy a look," Kraft said in late September. «I did, and I was amazed.»

A trip down the rabbit hole of Bavaro highlights on YouTube confirmed for Kraft that he and the Packers coaches had the same vision for his career.

«Just being physical, being tough,» Kraft said. «YAC, that's really all that guy was worried about… So just trying to channel my inner Bavaro.»

Three months later, Kraft has put together a Bavaro-like season. Entering Week 16, he led all NFL tight ends in both YAC categories and wasn't even close: His 8.9 yards after catch and 4.44 yards after contact per catch were more than two full yards ahead of the second best in each category. Less than two full seasons into his NFL career, Kraft has put the league on notice that he's aiming to be among the their most ferocious tight ends.

«That tells me the kid likes contact, he likes to hit,» Bavaro said in an interview with ESPN last week. «That's the way I was brought up.»

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