The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a need at the tight end position for about as long as fans can remember. Mercedes Lewis provided great help as an in-line blocker, however, he added very little as a legitimate weapon in the passing game late in his career.
The team had hoped that Julius Thomas could be that vertical threat several years ago, but he ended up being one of Dave Caldwell’s biggest free agent misses. In 2019, the team struggled once again as injuries and lack of talent plagued the position. This offseason Caldwell went out and signed Tyler Eifert, a Pro-Bowl talent with consistent injury issues in hopes to add a spark to the position. Whether this works or not, I expect the team to still be in search of a young playmaker to add to their struggling tight end room.
Here are my top-5 tight ends in the 2020 NFL Draft class:
Brycen Hopkins
Brycen Hopkins has been the class’s biggest name at the tight end position since last summer. He’s an incredibly fluid mover and would fit right in as the “big slot” in Jacksonville. He would immediately become their best talent at his position and would give Gardner Minshew II an additional weapon and one who could terrorize defenses between the hashes. Among being an exceptional athlete, Hopkins was quite productive at Purdue, garnering 130 catches for just under 2,000 yards with 16 touchdowns.
Adam Trautman
While Trautman may come from a smaller school, his stature and talent level are nothing of the sort. Trautman caught eyes in Mobile at the Senior Bowl as he looked among the best of the participants. He kept the train chugging along when at the Scouting Combine, posting an 8.7 RAS out of 10. He’s a lesser-known name, but simply one of the best at his position in this year’s class.
Hunter Bryant
Hunter Bryant lived up to the expectations placed before him in 2019 for the most part. He remained healthy and he and Jacob Eason formed a solid connection as Bryant accumulated 825 yards and three touchdowns. However, he left something to be desired at the NFL Combine. I expected 4.5-4.6s from Bryant in the 40-yard dash and he disappointed with a 4.74. A Pro-Day would have really benefitted Bryant as it looked like he put on some extra weight causing size concerns. Regardless, the tape was good, and that’s is what matters most. On film, he is a heck of an athlete.
Harrison Bryant
Harrison Bryant is another tight end who profited greatly from the Senior Bowl. He’s in a similar mold to the previous two guys listed, more of a “big slot” than a traditional tight end, but he could develop into a nice weapon in the NFL. He’s a limited athlete and not the best blocker, however, it’s impossible to deny his production at Florida Atlantic. He should be a solid player at the next level and a guy who will stick around for quite some time in the league.
Cole Kmet
Cole Kmet has become one of the draft’s biggest names at the position. It all started after a dominant opening season game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Kmet reeled in nine balls for 108 yards and a touchdown. He fell off a bit after that but remains among the biggest names in the class. He’s a bit overrated as a prospect for me, but he still is no doubt a solid prospect.
