2020 NFL Scouting Combine: 5 Tight Ends to Track for the Jaguars in Indianapolis
With the NFL Scouting Combine set to take place in one short week, it is a worthwhile exercise to look into the position groups and draft prospects who will be participating in the workouts in Indianapolis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars own two first-round draft selections in 2020 (No. 9 and No. 20 overall), so this year's combine will be especially more noteworthy as the Jaguars get an up-close view of their next two first-round players.
In this edition, we will preview the tight ends who have been invited to the combine and will be taking place in workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Tight ends will workout on Thursday, Feb. 27th, the first day of on-field workouts.
Jacksonville has had a gaping hole at the tight end position for the better part of the last several years, but the last two seasons especially have made it clear how much help the Jaguars need at the position.
In 2018, free agent signee Austin Seferian-Jenkins failed to remain healthy and make the impact on the passing offense the Jaguars hoped he would, leading to him playing only one season with the team. To add to the depth of the position for new quarterback Nick Foles, Jacksonville added Geoff Swaim in free agency and Josh Oliver in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
2019 didn't produce much better results at the position, however. Oliver only played four games and caught three passes due to injuries, while Swaim played only six games. James O'Shaughnessy started off the season hot, catching 14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in the first five weeks of the season, but an ACL injury in Week 5 ended his season early.
Despite O'Shaughnessy only playing in five games, he still led all Jaguars' tight ends in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Only one other tight end, Nick O'Leary, even caught a touchdown pass.
Heading into 2020, tight end has to be a priority for the Jaguars considering the team's inability to get production from the position in recent years. So, which tight ends who will workout next week in Indianapolis could fit that bill?
FAU TE Harrison Bryant
Winner of the 2019 John Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end, Harrison Bryant has a lot of traits that NFL teams could covet. He played mostly in the slot or detached from the formation in former head coach Lane Kiffen's offense and was a game-changing factor for FAU's passing offense. He recorded 65 catches for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 and then turned in a solid week at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. If he can perform well in the athletic drills at Lucas Oil Stadium and prove he has the speed to succeed at the next level, his name could be called earlier than many think.
LSU TE Thaddeus Moss
The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, Thaddeus Moss was a dangerous weapon in his own lone season starting at LSU. A thickly-built tight end at 6-foot-3, 249-pounds, Moss mostly served in a pass-catching role for the Tigers, catching 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns for the National Championship team. The big question on Moss is if he has the long speed or agility to translate to the NFL level, and that will be answered in Indianapolis.
Stanford TE Colby Parkinson
If there are two schools that are known for producing NFL tight ends, it is Notre Dame and Stanford. Stanford has had a number of tight ends find next-level success, with Zach Ertz and Austin Hooper the two most notable names. Could Colby Parkinson be next in line? The big-bodied target (6-foot-7, 251-pounds) had to deal with quarterback issues throughout his career, but he caught seven touchdowns in 2018. If he has success in the explosiveness drills at Indianapolis, he could quickly find himself on the Jaguars' radar.
Dayton TE Adam Trautman
Adam Trautman played lower competition throughout his college career, but that hasn't hurt his draft stock. He was the most complete tight end at the Senior Bowl, demonstrating great movement ability for his size (6-foot-5, 253-pounds) as well as an eagerness to mix it up as a blocker. If he continues to put on a good show at the combine, he has a chance to be one of the first tight ends drafted.
Oregon TE Jacob Breeland
Much more of a pass-catching target who lines up away from the line of scrimmage, Jacob Breeland isn't a complete tight end but he could still provide value to an offense. In 2019, he recorded 26 catches for 405 yards and six touchdowns, establishing himself as one of Justin Herbert's top targets. For a tight end of his style, he needs to prove he has the quickness and explosiveness to make an impact on a passing offense.
