Who are the tight ends who’ll matter in the 2021 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings
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It’s not a loaded year for the position – there are a whole lot of flier prospects who you don’t really need to take unless you have a project in mind – but there’s enough up top to help the cause, and there’s one guy in particular who might juts be an all-timer.
However, last year’s class of receivers really was solid, and this one appears to be even stronger. From the college perspective, the top tight ends in the 2021 NFL Draft are …
15. Dylan Soehner, Iowa State
Size: 6-7, 268
The Good: He’s a big body with a great frame. While he’s a tight end who can be used as a No. 3 guy, there’s an outside chance he could add more weight and take on an even more physical role. He wasn’t used much as a receiver, but he can catch.
The Not-So-Good: Again, he wasn’t used much as a receiver. He might look the part, but he only caught 26 passes for 312 yards and one score. He’s not going to scare anyone deep.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Charlie Kolar was/is Iowa State’s star tight end, but Soehner has an NFL body and look with a shot at making a roster as a developmental prospect.
Projected Round: Free Agent
14. Miller Forrestall, Alabama
Size: 6-5, 244
The Good: A tough guy who made himself into a factor on a national championship team, he’s a solid midrange target who caught 18 passes with five scores over the last two years. He can block a bit and he’ll fight to get open.
The Not-So-Good: The NFL tools aren’t there. He’s a want-to prospect who doesn’t have the downfield speed to be a regular factor in the passing game, and he’s not bulky enough to be any sort of a dominant blocker.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s a shot he makes a roster as an H-back blocker who can thrive on special teams and find a role as a midrange No. 3 target, but it’ll be a stretch. He’ll be a tough cut, though.
Projected Round: Free Agent
13. MatT Bushman, BYU
Size: 6-5, 245
The Good: When he’s healthy, he’s got the potential to be among the better receiving tight ends in the draft. He stretched the field, averaged close to 14 yards per catch, and caught 125 passes – he was one of Zach Wilson’s guys – in his three years. He’s a true target who’ll suck in everything that comes his way, but …
The Not-So-Good: He’s coming off an Achilles heel injury that cost him all of last year. Not bulky, he’s not going to do much as a blocker at the next level and he needs to get his burst back after getting hurt.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: A top target for the Cougars, there might be a nice payoff for someone who’s willing to be patient. Don’t expect him to ever block, but if and when he’s back to 100%, he could grow into a nice No. 2, third down only pass catching option.
Projected Round: Sixth
12. Nick Eubanks, Michigan
Size: 6-5, 245
The Good: There’s enough there to hope for more. He’s got good hands, good athleticism, and he can move enough to grow into a good target and a potential strong midrange target, but …
The Not-So-Good: He’s not enough of a blocker for his size, he’s not a dangerous enough target to worry about, and it’s going to take some work to take all he brings and make him into a fantastic NFL tight end.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s sleeper ability here. A huge recruit for the program, he caught just 45 passes with six scores in his four years and wasn’t ever able to blow up. He’s got the tools to be a nice late round flier.
Projected Round: Sixth
11. Kylen Granson, SMU
Size: 6-2, 241
The Good: The receiving skills are all in place to keep throwing the ball his way. He grabbed 129 career passes for close to 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns, thriving as a playmaker for SMU over his last two years. He’s got the speed to challenge down the field and make big things happen, and …
The Not-So-Good: He doesn’t have the size. He’s built like a fullback, he doesn’t have too much of a catching radius, and he’s not enough of a blocker to overcome the shortcomings. He might not quite look the part, but …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He started his career out at Rice, transferred over to SMU, and he was productive for all four years. A true H-back, he can be used as a runner as well as a receiver as a nice late value get for the back end of the roster.
Projected Round: Sixth
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Ten
2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Ten
10. Quintin Morris, Bowling Green
Size: 6-2, 252
The Good: An outstanding target who has wide receiver skills in the body of a fullback. On some really, really bad teams, he caught 125 career passes with 55 grabs as a junior and 42 as a sophomore, turning into the main man for the passing game. He’s got the athleticism and he’s not going to get pushed around, but …
The Not-So-Good: He’s too heavy. He’s not quite 6-4 like he’s been listed, and he’s cranked up the weight in a big way, and not in a good way. He was a big wideout-like 219 pounds as a freshman and played at around 25 last year.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’s an interesting prospect with a whole lot of receiving skills and interesting traits, but he has to get to a tight 235ish or else become a much nastier blocker.
Projected Round: Seven
9. Tony Poljan, Virginia
Size: 6-7, 251
The Good: There’s a whole lot to work with. He’s very, very big with a fantastic frame and surprising toughness as a blocker for a former quarterback. He can move enough to matter, he’ll grab everything in his area, and he’ll battle for the ball.
The Not-So-Good: There’s a lot of work to do. He’s not all that polished as a target, he needs to be a stronger route runner, and he’s not going to stretch the field all that much if he’s not getting the ball on the move down the seam.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He started out his career as a quarterback at Central Michigan – throwing two touchdown passes with five scores – but switched over to tight end where he cranked up almost 500 receiving yards and four scores for the Chippewas as a junior. He transferred to Virginia, caught 38 passes with six scores, and he’s just getting better.
Projected Round: Sixth
8. Noah Gray, Duke
Size: 6-4, 240
The Good: Even though he played a ton of football over the last four years, he’s still improving and can still to a whole lot more. He’s not a blaster, but he’s one of the better blocking tight ends in the draft, he’s a good route runner, and he’s got the reliable hands quarterbacks love. But …
The Not-So-Good: He didn’t do enough. The offense was more of the problem than he was, but he’s not a deep threat and he’s not going to make too many things happen on the move.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’s not going to be your star tight end, but he has the right size, personality, and hands to be a solid midrange target who’ll hit. He only averaged nine yards per catch in his career, but don’t be shocked if he breaks out at the next level.
Projected Round: Fifth
7. Tre McKitty, Georgia
Size: 6-4, 246
The Good: The tools are there. He’s a big target with good size and nice ability on the move. Just getting started, he was okay for a few years at Florida State despite inconsistent quarterback play, and he had a few good plays for Georgia as a senior, but …
The Not-So-Good: Yeah, the tools are all there, but the production wasn’t. He was just okay at FSU with 49 catches and two touchdowns in his last two seasons, and he only made six grabs for Georgia.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Someone’s going to look at him and think there’s something great there to work with. He’s not going to be a superstar go-to guy, but he might just show off too much talent and upside to ignore.
Projected Round: Sixth
6. Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss
Size: 6-4, 250
The Good: There’s enough talent to look like a potential diamond in the rough. He’s got good size, nice downfield speed, and he knows how to handle himself in the red zone. He’ll be used like a big wide receiver more than a tight end because …
The Not-So-Good: He’s not going to block anyone. Being physical isn’t really a part of his game, but that’s not why you called – he’s a receiver. The hands are just okay, and he disappeared from the passing game at times, but …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: This is going to be fun. He’s a good-sized tight end who averaged over 19 yards per catch in his one year at Ole Miss after doing what he could in four years at Temple. Even with his 74 career catches and five years playing college football, he might be just scratching the surface.
Projected Round: Fifth
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 5
2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings Top Five
5. Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame
Size: 6-4, 248
The Good: He’s got the skills. He’s got the prototype size and frame, and he’s a tough enough blocker to go along with his upside as a receiver to develop into a good NFL option.
Unlike most of the tight ends in this draft who want to be big receivers, Tremble is a pounder who’s able to make a difference for a running game and can make the big grab down the field, too.
Best of all, he’s just scratching the surface. He can always rely on his blocking, but he was able to catch 35 passes for 401 yards and four scores over the last two years even though the Fighting Irish had more dangerous tight end options to work with.
The Not-So-Good: The production. No, he’s not Cole Kmet, and he’s not Michael Mayer. That’s not quite fair considering how good those two are, but he’s never been The Man among the tight ends.
He’s not the most natural of receivers, and while he blocks like a fullback, he often catches like one, too.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Take him for his blocking, and anything he gives you as a receiver will be gravy. There might not be a whole lot of teams that absolutely need what he brings, but the effort and fight will be there. He’ll be one of the team’s tough guys.
Projected Round: Fourth
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 4
4. Hunter Long, Boston College
Size: 6-5, 254
The Good: With a long, big body to go along with decent speed, he’s a matchup problem who got better and better as his career went on. After the new coaching staff took over at BC last year, everything clicked in.
He was more of a big play threat as a sophomore, but last year under Jeff Hafley, he caught 57 passes and turned into the go-to target to keep things moving.
He’s got a big catch radius, he makes himself free, and he grabs everything that comes his way.
The Not-So-Good: He’s not really going to block anyone with any meaning. That’s not to say he can’t hit, but that’s not going to be his game at the next level.
He’s not quite fast enough to be a true gamechanger, and he doesn’t always win the 50/50 battles he should, but …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Long will be an interesting call. He’s not going to be a must-have in the top 100 – he could go in the third round – but he knows how to make the third down grab, he’s reliable, and he showed what he could do as a solid midrange receiver.
Projected Round: Fourth
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 3
3. Brevin Jordan, Miami
Size: 6-3, 245
The Good: He has the No. 1 tight end receiving skills to grow into an NFL star and a potential fantasy must-have.
While he’s not a blazer, he’s able to make things happen down the field, he’s got a sudden way of cutting like a wide receiver, and he’s tough when he has to come up with the big grab.
He got better as his Miami career went on, improving his yards per catch and finishing with a strong seven touchdown junior year. There’s still upside to his game, especially if he starts …
The Not-So-Good: Blocking. It’s not why you’re drafting him, but it would be nice if he was more than just adequate. He’ll hit, but will he George Kittle his guy? Not really.
He certainly looks the part, but big size and raw bulk aren’t quite there. If Travis Kelce has the 6-5, 260-pound type everyone wants, that’s not Jordan. Throw in the lumbering 4.6ish 40 at his pro day, and there are just enough dings to find something not to like. But …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’ll be a very, very good receiving NFL tight end after just a little bit of work. Don’t get caught up in what he’s not. He got better, he improved each year, and he’s one rookie season away from growing into a terrific modern day volume-stat target.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 2
2. Pat Friermuth, Penn State
Size: 6-5, 251
The Good: The guy is a 15-yard reception down the middle of the filed machine.
He got banged up last year with a shoulder problem, but in his first two seasons he caught 69 passes for 875 yards and 15 touchdowns as a go-to guy who was occasionally unstoppable.
He might not be a blazer, but he’s fast enough with the functional speed to bust through the openings in the seam. Long, he’s got a great catching radius and will scoop in everything that comes his way.
The Not-So-Good: Is his shoulder any sort of a problem? He missed a portion of last year hurt and wasn’t able to do everything for the scouts – he was still able to catch, though – after having surgery.
He’s not much of a blazer and he’s not quite the pounder he probably could or should be, but …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Don’t try too hard with this – there aren’t a whole lot of big problems. He’s a good pick outside of the top 50 with No. 1 tight end receiving skills, the want-to, and the attitude to grow into a playmaker who demands the ball and needs to be relied on for big third down conversions.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings No. 1
1. Kyle Pitts, Florida
Size: 6-6. 245
The Good: He’s 6-6, 245 and he runs a 4.44.
He’s got the prototype size for a tight end and the right speed for a wide receiver, creating a nightmare of a problem for defenders who try to cover him with anyone other than a top flight corner.
He’s able to outmuscle his way to the ball, he sets up his routes well and works himself open, and all he needs is the pass thrown in his general zip code and he’ll find a way to grab it.
Good as a sophomore, he took his game up a few notches by becoming more of a deep threat, averaging 18 yards per catch with 12 touchdowns as one of Kyle Trask’s main guys.
The Not-So-Good: He got obliterated by a targeting-called hit against Georgia and was knocked out of the game, missed the next two, and he ended up missing the LSU game late in the year before coming back to hit Alabama for 143 yards and a touchdown. The concussion appeared to be a one-off, but it was enough to miss three of the last five regular season games.
In terms of his blocking, it’s not a positive. He’ll be functional, but he’s not going to hit well enough to make a difference.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: There’s a shot he’s the first non-quarterback off the board. His skills, talent, and upside are so many miles ahead of the rest of the tight ends in the draft that he’s well worth the premium pick. Guys at the position who run and catch like he does just don’t exist.
Projected Round: Top Ten Overall
