Which tight ends will matter in the 2019 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
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It’s been a rough run for tight end drafts over the last several seasons.
There might have been a few surprises and good players here and there, but for the most part, mediocrity has dominated since the 2013 draft featuring Tyler Eifert, Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce.
This year should be a little bit different with a few fantastic prospects up top, and then it falls off the map in a big hurry. After the first wave, throw the next 15 or so in a bag, pull one out, and you might have the right guy. But that means the top three tight ends are going to go really, really early.
15. Zach Gentry, Michigan
6-8, 265: Give it some time. He’s a former quarterback who needs a whole lot of work and polish, but he averaged 17 yards per catch on 49 grabs over the last two years. He’s not fast, he’s not all that strong as a blocker, and he fights way, way too hard to catch the ball, but with his size and potential, he’s worth a flier.
Projected Round: Seventh
14. Tommy Sweeney, Boston College
6-4, 251: There’s just enough missing to pass on him without too much of a problem, and there’s just enough there to make him an interesting prospect to take on Day Three. The biggest problem is that he’s SLOWWWWWWW. The 4.83 40 isn’t good enough for a pure receiving tight end, but he’ll make plays, catching 99 passes for 1,281 yards and ten scores.
Projected Round: Fifth
13. Isaac Nauta, Georgia
6-3, 244: The superstar recruit was okay, but hardly anything special even with 68 career catches for 905 yards and eight scores in his three seasons. He’s not big enough, he’s slow, and again, the production wasn’t there, but he plays faster than he times and he’ll find a way to make a roster.
Projected Round: Fifth
12. Drew Sample, Washington
6-5, 255: The receiving production wasn’t there, but he’s a decent prospect who looks the part with good speed and all-around athleticism. Liked in workouts, the tape isn’t there to match … as a receiver. He came up with just 46 career catches and five scores in four years, but he can really, really block.
Projected Round: Fifth
11. Caleb Wilson, UCLA
6-4. 240: Fast for this class, he busted through the 4.6 40 mark and was quick throughout all of the drills. He’s not a locker and he’s a bulky receiver more than an all-around tight end. There’s still plenty of work to do, but he can catch – 114 grabs over his three seasons – and he’ll bring value as a pure receiver. He’ll be a fun Day Three pick.
Projected Round: Sixth
10. Kaden Smith, Stanford
6-5, 255: The only thing missing is the raw speed. Okay … any speed. He’s a 4.9 40 runner, but he can move, he uses his body well, and he can catch, making 70 career grabs averaging 15 yards per catch. There’s nothing special about his game or his style, but he’s going to work his way into a roster as low-risk No. 2 tight end who’ll do a little of everything right.
Projected Round: Fifth
9. Alize Mack, Notre Dame
6-4, 249: He’s not going to be tough enough as a blocker, and he plays like more of a wide receiver than an H-Back, but there’s a whole lot of promise and upside. Explosive and quick, he moves well and smooth and should grow into a role as a Day Three pass catcher.
Projected Round: Fifth
8. Foster Moreau, LSU
6-4, 253: With a decent all-around skill set, nice quickness, and good enough size and speed, he’s got the NFL look and upside to grow into a strong part of a tight end rotation. The numbers were just okay – making 46 grabs over the last two seasons – but his money will be made as a big-time blocker. If he’s not the most physical tight end in this class, he’s a close second.
Projected Round: Fourth
7. Josh Oliver, San Jose State
6-5, 249: It was hard to stand out playing for San Jose State, but Oliver did it. He’s a great athlete with explosion and decent quickness, and his money will be made with his hands making 91 career grabs. He’ll slide because he can’t block, but no one will care when he’s moving the chains.
Projected Round: Fourth
6. Dawson Knox, Ole Miss
6-4, 254: A decent receiver with more upside than proven production, you scored as many touchdowns in your college career as he did, but he made 39 grabs for 605 yards. He’s a good athlete with great size and the right frame, and soon he’ll be a field stretcher. There’s work to be done, and he has to prove it, but remember, Ole Miss had three NFL wide receivers who handled most of the work.
Projected Round: Fourth
5. Kahale Warring, San Diego State
6-5, 252: He went from being a good prospect in the pack of good tight ends to a great-looking target with a whole world of upside.
He’s still improving his game and still needs to refine things and figure out the subtle nuances. He only caught 51 passes for 637 yards with eight scores over the last three seasons, but he played for a running team that didn’t come up with a whole slew of passes going his way.
His workouts were good enough for a guy who looks the part and plays like a fluid, athletic bulked up receiver. A strong all-around athlete who’s getting better and better, it’ll take some time, some seasoning, and maybe a year of coaching, but the upside is enormous.
Projected Round: Third
Real Value: Third
NEXT: From nothing to a superstar …
4. Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
6-4, 251: There was no such thing as a tight end under Kevin Sumlin. In comes Jimbo Fisher, and Sternberger turns into an all-star pass catcher and key part of the offense, catching 48 passes for 832 yards and ten scores averaging over 17 yards per catch.
The offseason workouts weren’t all that great – he was a wee bit lumbering and not all that quick – but his hands and ability to work like a wide receiver should make up for it.
No, he’s not going to blow past anyone like some of the other guys on the list, but he’s among the best route running tight ends in the draft, will catch everything, and he should grow into a killer on third downs.
Nah, he won’t block well enough to make a difference, but your fantasy team won’t care about that. Consider him a great value pick – in the real draft, too.
Projected Round: Third
Real Value: Top 100 Overall
NEXT: Yeah, he’s built like a fullback, but …
3. Irv Smith, Alabama
6-2, 242: The problem is his size. He’s built more like a fullback than a prototype tight end, but he’s strong, great in the open field, and will fight his way to get the ball.
All the basic skills are there. He’ll bring the pop as a blocker, he can stretch the field enough to average over 16 yards per catch last season on 44 grabs with seven scores, and he’s ultra-reliable on third downs and in the red zone.
The talent is there to be just outside of the two Hawkeye guys on the board only because he doesn’t have their body types, and has to be more of a complete route runner, but get the ball in his general area and he’ll make the play.
Some quarterback is going to love having him down the middle of the field on third downs.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: Iowa guy No. 2 …
2. Noah Fant, Iowa
6-4, 249: While he’s not as big as TJ Hockenson, and he’s not as good a prospect, he’s faster, stronger, and quicker. He’d probably be the No. 1 tight end on the board, but there’s that former teammate of his taking all the limelight.
Even with Hockenson in the same offense, Fant managed to catch 69 passes over the last two seasons for 1,013 yards and 18 touchdowns. With his pass catching ability and good-enough tools, he’s a starter right out of the gate.
In the right system, he could be a 75-catch player and turn into another Zach Ertz – he’ll be a go-to target anywhere eon the field.
While he’ll block, that’s the difference – he’s not the hitter that Hockenson is. He’s the epitome of a big wide receiver playing tight end – being a volume-catching matchup nightmare will be more than good enough.
Projected Round: First
Real Value: First
NEXT: Iowa guy No. 1 …
1. TJ Hockenson, Iowa
6-5, 251: Everything is there to not just be a great player, but he could potentially be a franchise type of tight end to work an entire offense around.
He’s what you want with great size, a big frame, explosive leaping ability, and the type of soft hands to catch 49 passes for 760 yards and six scores last season despite having another NFL tight end in Noah Fant in the mix, too.
With good enough functional speed, he can get down the field and go up and get the ball when it’s hung up in his catching radius. The best part about it all is what might be coming.
He’s still got room to add another ten good pounds on his frame, and he’s still fine-tuning his pass catching skills – he can still be an even better route runner.
Throw in the blocking ability to go with his smooth, athletic style of play, and he’s about as prototype as it gets.
Projected Round: Top Ten Overall
Real Value: First
