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From Downingtown East to Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Kroft had a stellar season at tight end for Rutgers in 2013, starting in all 12 games and making 43 receptions for 573 yards and four touchdowns.

Tyler Kroft had a stellar season at tight end for Rutgers in 2013, starting in all 12 games and making 43 receptions for 573 yards and four touchdowns.

His numbers dropped significantly last fall, largely due to the program's switch in offensive coordinators from Ron Prince to Ralph Friedgen. In Friedgen's more run-oriented scheme, he had 24 receptions for 269 yards.

That didn't keep the Cincinnati Bengals from selecting the 2011 Downingtown East graduate in the third round of the NFL draft. They made him the 85th overall pick late Friday night.

"We are really excited about him," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said in a press conference. "He is a guy we had targeted who fits what we are looking for, and in this draft, is the best of the tight end prospects.

"We feel really good about his ability to be an all-around tight end and a guy that has a great upside as a blocker and a receiver. He has a great feel for route running and a feel for moving away from leverage."

In December, Kroft, who played youth football for the Marsh Creek Eagles, announced he would forgo his final year of eligibility at Rutgers and declare for the draft.

With Rutgers staying on the ground more last season, the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder was able to concentrate on becoming a better blocker.

"I knew going into the year that my role was going to shift," Kroft said, "so I knew I'd take on more of a blocking role. I didn't let it affect me mentally too much. It was frustrating not being the playmaker I usually was, but ultimately I played hard and I can hang my hat on that."

Kroft watched Day 2 of the draft at his Downingtown home with family and close friends. "It was fun," his mother, Charlotte, said. "It was great to see his name finally come up."

Prior to the draft, Kroft worked out for the Eagles, Buccaneers, and Jaguars, among others. He had formal interviews with nine teams, including the Bengals, at the NFL Combine in February.

Leading up to the draft, Kroft trained at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He is represented by Mike McCartney, of Priority Sports and Entertainment.

Inspiring. Eddie Caufield, a four-year baseball manager and scorekeeper at West Chester Henderson, saw action in two recent Ches-Mont League games.

Caufield played right field for an inning vs. Unionville. Against Downingtown East, while pinch-hitting for his brother, Thomas, a freshman starting shortstop, he drew a walk and then raced to third on a single.

"He did exactly what you want a baserunner to do in that situation," Warriors veteran coach Luke McNichol said.

Caufield, whose smile is infectious, also reached third as a pinch-runner last season. "We're trying to move him 90 more feet," McNichol said.

Caufield's dad, Ed, played hockey at North Penn and was a longtime player in the West Chester Adult Baseball League. His uncle, Jay, was an enforcer for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins from 1988 to 1993.

Draft prospect. Five to six major-league scouts closely watched Devon Prep senior catcher Dominic Hardaway play against Bicentennial Athletic League rival Holy Ghost Prep on Thursday afternoon.

Hardaway shined in front of them, going 4 for 4 with three runs and two stolen bases in an 8-6 home triumph. He singled three times and doubled to right-center field in a four-run third inning. He worked out afterward for the scouts.

With the first-year player draft a month away, the Diamondbacks (Rick Matsko, Arizona's Mid-Atlantic area scout, was on hand Thursday), Royals, Orioles, Red Sox, Pirates, and Devil Rays have shown the most interest in the savvy and hard-hitting backstop.

There is talk of Hardaway, a Boston College recruit, being drafted anywhere from the third to seventh round.

robrien@phillynews.com

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