Who are the tight ends who’ll matter in the 2020 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings
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The tight ends are okay, but there aren’t the stars like there have been over the past few years. However, there’s enough mid-round value to get excited.
From the college perspective, here are the top tight ends in your 2020 NFL Draft, starting with the ones who’ll be in the mix, and then diving into the five who’ll actually matter over the next ten years of the pro football world.
BetMGM: bet on who’ll be the 1st Overall Pick …
15. Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech
Size: 6-4, 253
The Good: Now that’s a workout a workout. Keene dominated at the combine by leading the way in the broad jump and doing a fantastic job in all of the other main categories. Able to do a little of everything right, he’s a solid receiver and has no problems doing what’s necessary as a blocker.
The Not-So-Good: He’s built like a small forward without a whole lot of bulk. Yes, he can do a little of everything right, but there isn’t a sure-thing NFL trait that makes him standout. His receiving production at Virginia Tech was fine – 59 career catches for 748 yards and eight scores – but nothing special.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Someone will take him and he’ll be a tough cut. He’s an almost perfect backup tight end with all he can do, but he’s a fill-in. Something will have to pop right away in a camp to be a starter.
Projected Round: Seventh
14. Mitchell Wilcox, USF
Size: 6-3, 247
The Good: Productive, he caught 100 career passes for 1,326 yards and 11 touchdowns. With a good combination of pass catching skills and blocking ability, he can stay on the field for all three downs.
The Not-So-Good: He’s missing the NFL tools. He’s not quite big enough, he’s not quite powerful enough, and he’s not quite fast enough. He’s a good football player, but there’s not enough wow.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s always a place in the NFL for a decent tight end who can catch.
Projected Round: Sixth
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13. Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati
Size: 6-2, 242
The Good: Fantastic at the combine, he was one of most athletic all-around tight ends at the workout. Fast, quick, and with a knack for getting his nose dirty as a blocker, he can do a little of everything right. However …
The Not-So-Good: He’s WAY undersized. He’s a fullback-sized player who’ll need to find a role. Yeah, he was athletic in Indy, but he doesn’t have freakish enough skills to overcome the lack of bulk.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There could be a nice upside here in the later rounds. He’s not built like an NFL tight end, but he’s an ultra-reliable receiver 77 catches and 12 scores over the last two years – and he’ll do whatever is needed.
Projected Round: Sixth
12. Devin Asiasi, UCLA
Size: 6-3, 257
The Good: There’s hope to emerge as a bigger part of a passing game once he finds the right role. He didn’t do much in his UCLA career, and then last season it started to work with 44 catches for 641 yards and four scores. There’s enough on-field explosion to work into downfield playmaker.
The Not-So-Good: There’s a strange body type here to work with. He’s not all that big in a good way, but he’d be better at around 245 pounds – there’s a risk he could be 265ish. There’s upside, but he’s a project.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s a little bit of a boom-or-bust thing happening with him. He could bulk up a bit and become an athletic H-back, or he could crank down and be a matchup problem of a receiver. There’s enough to his game to like the upside.
Projected Round: Fifth
11. CJ O’Grady, Arkansas
Size: 6-4, 253
The Good: A productive target with good size, he might not do too much down the field, but he caught 84 passes with 11 touchdowns over the last three seasons. He has nice hands and good enough football speed to work his way open.
The Not-So-Good: How worried are you about the way his Arkansas career ended? Suspended a few times, he ended up only playing seven times last year before he left the team. The overall NFL athleticism is just okay and he doesn’t use his size well enough as a run blocker.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s enough talent and pass catching ability to find a job in someone’s offense, but he’s going to be a mid-range threat.
Projected Round: Fifth
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Ten
2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Ten
10. Jacob Breeland, Oregon
Size: 6-5, 252
The Good: A dependable, long time veteran who grow into a nice target, he caught 68 career passes and averaged close to 17 yards per grab with 13 scores. He fits as a No. 2 tight end as purely a receiver.
The Not-So-Good: He’s okay as a receiver, but he’s not a volume catcher. A lot had to do with the Oregon scheme and style, but he never turned into much of a blocker.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: No, he won’t be your main tight end, but in a good passing system he can find a job as a solid third down target and special teamer.
Projected Round: Fifth
9. ThaDdeus Moss, LSU
Size: 6-2, 250
The Good: Built like a fullback, he also can pop like one. He’s a good, tough blocker who battles for everything. Throw the ball his way and he’ll find a way to get it – he’s got the fight and the effort to make himself into a pro.
The Not-So-Good: No, he’s nowhere near the athlete his dad – Randy Moss – was, but to be fair, no one is. He’s not a flashy player and he won’t be a volume catcher, and he’s missing the NFL quickness to be more than a reliable third down target.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: As long as you know what you’re getting, there’s a spot for him at the next level. He could grow into a sure-thing red zone target, and coaches are going to love his run blocking.
Projected Round: Fifth
8. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
Size: 6-4, 257
The Good: With great size and terrific hands, he has an intriguing set of talents to become a sure-thing midrange target. Throw the ball his way and he’ll figure out how to get it – he’s a strong receiver who doesn’t make a whole lot of mistakes. There’s upside as a run blocker with the willingness to prove a pop.
The Not-So-Good: Slooowwwwwwww. He was flirting with the 5.0 range with his combine 40, and he doesn’t have the explosion to do too much down the field at the next level.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: With highly-questionable quarterback play at times to deal with, he still managed 114 catches with 14 career scores. There’s upside as a No. 2 tight end who’ll learn how to do a lot of the dirty work, but he can’t be a regular go-to target down the field.
Projected Round: Fifth
7. Colby Parkinson, Stanford
Size: 6-7, 252
The Good: He’s what you want from a tools standpoint. Very big, he plays even bigger with great athleticism and 4.77 speed. Even with the problems at quarterback through last year, he still managed to come up with 48 catches for 589 yards.
The Not-So-Good: Nah, he’s not going to bury anyone as run blocker, but that’s not why you called. He’s a very, very big wide receiver who needs to get a whole lot stronger.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: When KJ Costello was healthy in 2018, Parkinson managed seven touchdowns and almost 17 yards per catch on 29 grabs. That’s more like the prospect the NFL is about to get over last year’s version.
Projected Round: Fourth
6. Hunter Bryant, Washington
Size: 6-2, 248
The Good: A good athlete, he’s got the hands and ability to be a dependable NFL receiver in the right system. He’s one of the best vertical tight end targets in the draft.
The Not-So-Good: Size is a problem. He’s not going to be able to outmuscle his way to the ball, he’s an okay blocker. Hurt earlier in his career, he’s had knee problems.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He came on with Jacob Eason throwing to him – catching 52 passes for 825 yards and three scores – but there’s just enough missing to keep him from being someone’s No. 1 tight end target.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 5
2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Five
5. Adam Trautman, Dayton
Size: 6-5, 255
The Good: Super-productive, he caught 84 passes over the last two seasons for over 1,100 yards with 14 touchdowns. Yeah, he played at the FCS level, but every defense game-planned to stop him, and he kept on coming through.
The blocking upside is there – he’s willing to hit, but that wasn’t his job with the Flyers – and he’s got the size to power up when the ball is coming his way. He was one of the quickest tight ends at the combine, but …
The Not-So-Good: The 4.8 40 was lumbering compared to some of the other top prospects. He can move, and he showed off functional speed at the FCS level, but he’s not the home run hitter than some of the other guys potentially are. There’s a bit of a project happening with him – he might not be a Day One producer.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: The combination of all-around skills is enough to think he could be someone’s No. 1 regular tight end after a bit of an adjustment. With his size, want-to, and top target mentality, there’s a whole lot to like to mold into a terrific starter after the second round.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 4
4. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
Size: 6-5, 258
The Good: When the Mizzou offense was humming, he was one of the nation’s premier receiving tight ends. 11 of his 29 catches as a freshman went for scores, and while he was never quite healthy over his last two seasons, he still finished up his career with 98 catches for 1,187 yards and 23 touchdowns.
There are plenty of knocks – more on that in a moment – but he’s a potential mismatch with his tight end combine-best 4.49 40 speed and his ability to produce in the red zone. He has worked his way to being bigger and stronger, and he’s still improving.
The Not-So-Good: He needs work. You’re not drafting him as a blocker, and the biggest problem is his ability to merely stay on the field. He only played in nine games in each of his three seasons – there was always some sort of bump or bruise that kept him out. There’s going to need to be some technique work to be done in all phases.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Don’t overthink this. This is a passing league, and Okwuegbunam is a pass catching tight end. You’ll worry that he’ll always be on the injury report for something, but he’ll also be the type of athlete and talent who’ll end up getting drafted among the top tight ends in fantasy leagues for a long while.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 3
3. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
Size: 6-4, 245
The Good: Great in the Jeff Brohm system, he stepped up when others went down, caught a ton of passes, and then went to Indianapolis and had one of the best all-around workouts among the tight ends.
He might have been a bit of a system guy, but he caught 120 passes over the last three seasons – 61 last year – with 16 career touchdowns. He knows how to get himself open and he has no problems making the tough grab.
The Not-So-Good: The volume of catches was partly because of the function of the Boilermaker offense. He’s not a natural receiver – he tends to fight the ball a bit – and he’s going to have problems battling with the more physical NFL defensive backs. You’re not going to draft him as a blocker, but …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: No, you’re not going to take him as a tough guy for the ground game, but he’ll take his shots to try making the big catch. There are just enough knocks to keep him from being a top all-around tight end, but he’ll drop, and then he’ll turn into a favorite target on pure passing downs.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 2
2. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
Size: 6-6, 262
The Good: He’s got the best all-around package of skills of any tight end in the draft. Very big, he’s got the bulk and the size missing in a slew of the other large wide receiver types, and he proved at the combine to be among the most athletic of the bunch running a 4.7 in the 40 and jumping out of the stadium. He looks and plays the type of a go-to tight end.
The Not-So-Good: He doesn’t quite block as well you might like considering his size. He’s a willing hitter, but that’s not why you’re going to draft him. There’s no need to get too into a twist about this – he’s functional – but he doesn’t have elite of the elite receiving skills to make up for his okay blocking.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s a shot for the stars aspect with him. He turned it on as a junior – going from 15 catches to 43 for 515 yards and six touchdowns – and he’s still improving. All of the things are in place to work with – he’s an NFL starting tight end – but give it a year or so and he could be special.
Projected Round: Second
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 1
BetMGM: Bet on the 2020 NFL Draft
1. Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
Size: 6-5, 243
The Good: Ultra-productive over the last three years, he improved each season to finish with 148 catches for 2,137 yards and 16 touchdowns.
He’s built like a big wide receiver with great route-running ability and wonderful hands, but his real upside is as a blocker. He might not be super-strong, but he gets after it with the willingness and fight to always battle and get his nose dirty.
The Not-So-Good: He’s not all that bulky and he’ll occasionally get erased by the more physical defensive backs. He’s not a special athlete – at least he wasn’t compared to the other top prospects at the combine – and he has to get functionally stronger to go along with his want-to.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Sometimes, the guys who aren’t big in the recruiting process and fight to get to this point bring that little something extra. When it comes to tight ends, that means being a willing and able blocker.
There are plenty of great receiving tight ends this year, but Bryant is that mid-round get who could be something special as an all-around part of the puzzle.
Projected Round: Fourth
PHOTO CREDITS: Burrow Credit: Derick E. Hingle; Hurts Credit: Kevin Jairaj; Herbert Credit: Casey Sapio; Tagovailoa Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
