Top NFL Draft Tight End Prospects

SI Staff | Mar 20, 2013

Top NFL Draft Tight End Prospects /

Top NFL Draft Tight End Prospects

Zach Ertz

Ertz led Stanford in receiving last season, catching 69 passes for 898 yards and six touchdowns. His numbers could have been even better if not for the Cardinal's quarterback issues, forcing a starter change midway through the season. Ertz put on 30 pounds during his time at Stanford, adding to his strength in blocking. He is somewhat prone to drops and his short arms have also raised some concerns.

Tyler Eifert

Like Ertz, Eifert was held back by an offense with inconsistent quarterback play but still caught 50 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns, winning the 2012 Mackey Award. Eifert was one of the few players to play OK against Alabama in the national championship, gaining 61 yards on six receptions. He had a better statistical season in 2011, when he caught 63 passes for 803 yards. Eifert made great strides as a run blocker in 2012 while continuing to show off his great hands and ability to come down with balls.

Jordan Reed

The leading receiver for a team that ran the ball far better than it passed, Reed had 45 receptions for 559 yards and three scores. The converted quarterback is still raw, especially as a blocker, and would have benefitted from returning to Florida for his senior year. However, he has great agility for his size and knows how to make defenders miss. Reed was reportedly benched in the Sugar Bowl for his attitude.

Dion Sims

Stuck behind Brian Linthicum during the Kirk Cousins years at Michigan State, Sims missed out on when the getting was good but caught 36 passes for 475 yards in his first season as a starter in 2012. At 6-feet, 5-inches and 285 pounds, Sims has the body to be an effective blocker in the NFL with a large frame as a receiver. He effectively uses his size to shield defenders on catches.

Gavin Escobar

In a productive two-year period, Escobar caught 93 passes for 1,323 yards and 13 touchdowns at San Diego State. Escobar can get open on seam routes and has great hands. However, his blocking is nowhere near on par with his receiving and prevented him from starting for half of the season in 2011.

Travis Kelce

Kelce had a breakout year in 2012, catching 45 passes for 722 yards and eight scores for the Bearcats. He caught just 13 passes the year before. Kelce can create separation and is a quality run blocker. He was suspended for the entire 2010 team for a violation of team rules.

Ryan Otten

After two solid seasons, Otten is ready for the NFL. The Spartan caught 99 passes for 1,481 yards and nine touchdowns in 2011 and 2012, but he lacks the size or the speed to really stand out in this draft class. He has sure hands and works hard as a run blocker. Otten toughed it out at the Senior Bowl despite being sick -- that commitment may have helped his draft stock.

Nick Kasa

Kasa only spent his senior year at tight end after playing defensive end for his first three seasons, so he's definitely a project-type pick. Still, there's plenty of optimism he could be a successful project after he caught 25 passes for 391 yards in 2012. He ran a 4.71 40-yard dash and benched 22 reps at the combine, so he presents a decent combination of strength and speed. Kasa also has good size at 6-6 and 269 pounds.

Vance McDonald

A reliable receiver and red zone target, McDonald caught 107 passes and 15 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He's strong, benching 31 reps at the combine, seven more than the next best tight end, and has decent agility. He has a bad habit of dropping passes though.

Levine Toilolo

The second Cardinal on this list, Toilolo doesn't have numbers to rival his Stanford teammate Zach Ertz. The Cardinal do love their tight ends though, so Toilolo still caught 24 passes for 393 yards and four touchdowns last year. His height -- 6-8 -- makes him a red zone asset, but he needs to improve his blocking technique.

Mychal Rivera

Tennessee had a lot of quality receiving options but Rivera still caught 36 passes for 562 yards and five touchdowns. He's has sure hands and moves his feet well on blocks, although he'll be more effective as a blocker if he packs on some weight. Rivera fights hard for extra yards after his catches.

Joseph Fauria

Fauria led all tight ends in touchdowns with 12 in 2012. He hauled in 46 passes for 637 yards on the season. Fauria's red zone success is no surprise given his height -- 6-7 -- and he combines that height with a good ability to box out his defenders. His blocking, especially in-line, needs work.

Michael Williams

Williams won't get drafted because of his statistics. In his best season (last year), he caught just 24 passes for 183 yards and four touchdowns. But for teams looking for a primarily blocking tight end, there aren't many better options than Williams, whose run blocking helped spring Alabama's run game over the past two years. A 4.52 40-yard dash at the combine, second best of any tight end, may cause teams to reconsider whether he could have more impact as a receiver.

Philip Lutzenkirchen

Lutzenkirchen had only 139 yards on 15 receptions in 2013, but a hip injury limited him to just six games and even Rob Gronkowski would have struggled to produce good stats in Auburn's passing offense last season. His proneness to injuries will be a concern, but Auburn's leader in career touchdowns by a tight end is a solid red zone target when he has an effective quarterback. Lutzenkirchen is also considered a decent blocker

Jake Stoneburner

A great red zone target, Stoneburner had 53 career receptions and 13 touchdowns. Although undersized for his position, he has good body control and speed to make the most of his opportunities. He averaged 16.8 yards per reception last year, so he's capable of gaining yards after the catch. He lacks the strength to be a great blocking tight end and needs to move his feet more.

Published Mar 20, 2013

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