Top 10 Tight Ends w/ Scouting Blurbs

1. Maxx Williams, Minnesota

Strong upper and lower body. Has soft hands and secures the ball cleanly. Good athleticism and strength in open space. Willing blocker with room to develop. Powerful after the catch and picks up extra yardage after contact. Does not have elite athletic skills. May not be the red zone threat his size and position indicate. Struggles in route footwork often. In Line NFL starter who can develop into a devastating weapon and blocker.

2. Clive Walford, Miami (FL)

Top notch red zone threat. Great leaping ability to box out and high point the football. A physical mismatch whose quickness off the snap is difficult to cover. Gets up to speed after the catch very quickly and is difficult to tackle. Strong upper body to fight for extra yardage. Can use his body to catch too much. Is still raw as a blocker. Gets lost in traffic and can struggle finding holes in zone defenses. High ceiling for a pass catching TE who be a starter.

3. Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State

Improved drastically as a blocker and was a very good run blocker as a senior. Pass catcher as a junior who showcased mismatch ability and good footwork in routes to get open. Excels at catching balls above his head. High football IQ and field awareness on sideline to stay in bounds. Hand catcher. Does not have great production. Stiff hipped in moving in and out of routes. May never develop into a true starter, but Heuerman has the tools to contribute to an NFL team and potentially exceed his draft position if he develops.

4. Tyler Kroft, Rutgers

H-Back type. Good at getting separation and finding holes in zone coverage. Crisp footwork in routes for his size. Uses his height to his advantage and can dominate shorter/smaller defenders. Willing blocker but inconsistent. Not much of a red zone threat. Doesn’t give much after contact. Ideal H-Back player who could develop into a starter.

5. Jesse James, Penn State

Big, long, and athletic player. Physical mismatch and red zone threat. High points the football well. Excels in fade routes. Has improved steadily throughout his career. Not much of a blocker where his size can work against him. Very stiff and doesn’t have fluid movement. Had long stretches of disappearing from play. Has a lot of potential. Could fizzle out or become a creative weapon.

6. Blake Bell, Oklahoma

QB convert with the size and strength for TE. Bullies defenders to gain position. Boxes out well. Improving in getting separation and finding holes in the zone. Pretty fluid for his size. Not a natural hands catcher. Can try to do too much and get caught out of position or lead his QB into mistakes. Will need plenty of development. Has some huge upside at the position but will need brought along due to his lack of college experience at TE.

7. MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois

Extremely productive. Great hands catcher. Gets separation consistently and is a major threat between the 20s. Has great speed for his size, but does not play up to timed speed. Not much of a red zone threat. Struggles as a blocker. Motor runs hot and cold. Productive small school TE who may be a pass catching #2 TE for a team.

8. Ben Koyack, Notre Dame

Devastating blocker both in run and pass game. Athletic with loose hips. Big strong hands. Good body control to make the tough catches. Rarely gets separation. Doesn’t offer much after the catch. Not great at high pointing football especially in the red zone. Not much starting experience. Likely a #2 TE used for his blocking with the occasional pass coming his way.

9. Nick O’Leary, Florida State

Great production. Extremely tough. Finds holes in underneath coverage. Strong extension when catching with hands. Solid run and pass blocker. Not very athletic or quick. Won’t give much up the field. Limited ceiling. O’Leary has great college production but his lack of athleticism will be a struggle to contribute in the NFL.

10. Jean Sifrin, UMass

Body control is off the charts. Makes the tough catches more than the easy ones. High points the football well and is a very good red zone threat. Long strider who gets down the field quickly to get open in the seam. Good athleticism to be a danger after the catch. Older prospect (27,) and still lacks football IQ. Can get tossed off his routes easily. Body catcher who often drops easy passes. Physical defensive players get to him. Doesn’t have much time to develop, but if he does, could be a terror.