Sam Hecht
23-Year-Old
2025 Defense Stats
TCKL
0
SACKS
0.0
INT
0
FF
0
TD
0
2026 Projections
Picked by Panthers
The Panthers selected Hecht in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 144th overall.
ANALYSIS
Hecht only emerged as starter in his fourth and fifth seasons at Kansas State, but he played very well from that point and otherwise logged pre-draft athletic testing with mostly good results. At 6-foot-4, 303 pounds Hecht has only an average frame by center standards, though, and his 31 and 5/8-inch arms grade as only 13th percentile among centers, according to Mockdraftable. Second-round pick Logan Jones of the Bears had even shorter arms yet, but Jones is something like a 90th-percentile athlete at center while Hecht is probably only something more like a 65th-percentile athlete at center. Either way, there's still a plenty good chance Hecht emerges as an average or better starting center for Carolina, including potentially as soon as 2026. Luke Fortner is the only competition otherwise, and Hecht might be better as a rookie.
Hecht only emerged as starter in his fourth and fifth seasons at Kansas State, but he played very well from that point and otherwise logged pre-draft athletic testing with mostly good results. At 6-foot-4, 303 pounds Hecht has only an average frame by center standards, though, and his 31 and 5/8-inch arms grade as only 13th percentile among centers, according to Mockdraftable. Second-round pick Logan Jones of the Bears had even shorter arms yet, but Jones is something like a 90th-percentile athlete at center while Hecht is probably only something more like a 65th-percentile athlete at center. Either way, there's still a plenty good chance Hecht emerges as an average or better starting center for Carolina, including potentially as soon as 2026. Luke Fortner is the only competition otherwise, and Hecht might be better as a rookie.
NFL Stats
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
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Measurables Review
View College Player Page
How do Sam Hecht's measurables compare to other centers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 4"Weight
303 lbs40-Yard Dash
5.10 secShuttle Time
4.71 secCone Drill
7.75 secVertical Jump
28.0 inBroad Jump
101 inBench Press
0 repsHand Length
9.88 inArm Length
31.63 in
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Brugler's No. 2 center prospect
Hecht is the 92nd-ranked prospect in the comprehensive 2026 NFL Draft guide put together by Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
ANALYSIS
Hecht went from a walk-on to a quality starter at Kansas State, starting all 25 games for the team over the last two years at center. He's the second-ranked center in the 2026 NFL Draft class, coming in three spots below Jake Slaughter and three spots above Logan Jones in Brugler's top-100 rankings. Hecht is listed at 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds.
Hecht went from a walk-on to a quality starter at Kansas State, starting all 25 games for the team over the last two years at center. He's the second-ranked center in the 2026 NFL Draft class, coming in three spots below Jake Slaughter and three spots above Logan Jones in Brugler's top-100 rankings. Hecht is listed at 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds.