Seahawks NFL Draft Profile: 5 Tight Ends to Watch

The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and while the tight end position isn't a major need for the Seahawks, there may be an opportunity to add talent in the mid-rounds.

The Seahawks have spent quite a lot of money on two position groups this offseason: offensive line and tight ends.

The idea behind the former could be that in a shortened offseason, experience on the line is more valuable than upside. As for the latter, well, this isn't exactly a world-beating tight end draft class, which may explain why general manager John Schneider has pumped almost $11 million into this position over the past several months.

But while this draft class isn't loaded with talent at the position, it doesn't mean it should be ignored. Instead, here are five tight ends who may make sense for the Seahawks sometime on draft weekend.

Hunter Bryant, Washington

2019 Stats: 52 catches, 825 yards, 3 touchdowns

Strengths

Perhaps the greatest strength in Bryant's game is his impressive hands, as he's a natural pass catcher who has terrific ball skills. He understands how to use his body to block out defenders in traffic, has a good catch radius, and tracks the deep ball better than most wide receivers. Once he has the ball in his hands, he can create chunks of yardage after the catch that few players at his position can.

Weaknesses

Bryant does not possess an ideal tight end size. He stands at 6-foot-2 and bulked up to 248 pounds for the combine. This new weight may have contributed to a sub-par 40-yard dash time of 4.74 seconds. He isn't a stellar run blocker and his athleticism at the combine didn't show up as expected. Bryant missed most of 2018 with a leg injury as well, leaving plenty of questions about durability.

Where He Fits with Seahawks

When you watch the tape on Bryant, he plays much faster than his combine testing would seem to indicate. The athleticism on the field shows up better too. Bryant would be better off playing at 235 pounds and playing off the line of scrimmage as a move tight end. He's excellent with the ball in his hands, possessing the quickness to turn the corner and move the chains as a receiver.

Bryant could be a dangerous weapon in the slot and should be able to produce Jacob Hollister-like numbers as a rookie in the NFL. His 16.5 yards per catch in college speak to his athleticism and thanks to his size, injury history, and sub-par combine, Bryant could be a steal in the third or fourth round.

Adam Trautman, Dayton

2019 stats: 70 catches, 916 yards, 14 touchdowns

Strengths

If Hunter Bryant is a small tight end, Trautman is the prototype. He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 255 pounds, the ideal size most teams look for at the position, and uses that frame to present a big target for his quarterback and can out-muscle smaller defensive backs and linebackers for the football. He wins 50/50 balls with his size and surprising agility, which also makes him a weapon in the red zone. As the centerpiece of their offense, he was highly productive for the Flyers in 2019.

Weaknesses 

Trautman has to be knocked down a few levels thanks to the level of competition he faced in his career. At Dayton, he was simply bigger and stronger than his opponents and rarely had to deal with physical coverage. Trautman also disappoints as run blocker for his size and doesn't show a knack for improvisation when he's unable to shake free early in his route against quality coverage.

Where He Fits with Seahawks

While this may scare some fans, Trautman may be able to replicate a similar skill set to post-injury Jimmy Graham in a few years. But his inability to run block is going to be an issue as will his lack of unique traits compared to the rest of Seattle's tight end room. Trautman is a solid fourth or fifth round pick who could use a "redshirt" year to improve on the dirty things NFL tight ends will be expected to do. Greg Olsen would be the perfect mentor to show him the ropes.

Thaddeus Moss, LSU

2019 Stats: 47 catches, 570 yards, 4 touchdowns

Strengths 

It may seem ironic considering he's the son of NFL legend Randy Moss, but Moss is one of the most aggressive and skilled run blocking tight ends in this year's class. On film, he is relentless and will do the dirty work teams want from the position. At the combine, he even told reporters he prefers blocking to catching passes, exhibiting the mindset most teams will love. He's a capable receiver when it comes to moving the chains and making catches in the middle of the field as a safety net.

Weaknesses

As technically sound as Moss is in the run game blocking defenders, he is rather ordinary as a receiver. He would never be confused as an explosive athlete like his father was and his route tree was limited for the Tigers. Moss may take a few years to develop into a serious threat in the passing game, especially considering some athletic limitations. Right now, his pass-catching chops are best described as average at best.

Where He Fits with Seahawks

The Seahawks love Will Dissly and Moss has a very similar game. Dissly surprised many with his work in the passing game early and Moss offers similar athletic traits and the willingness to get physical at the line of scrimmage as a blocker. With Dissly's injury history and Greg Olsen and Jacob Hollister's inferior run blocking skills, adding Moss as an insurance policy in the fourth or fifth round would be prudent for the Seahawks.

Colby Parkinson, Stanford

2019 stats: 48 catches, 589 yards, 1 touchdown

Strengths

Parkinson is an absolute mammoth of a man. He stands at 6-foot-7, weighing 255 pounds with 33-inch arms. As those numbers may indicate, Parkinson uses his size to win but also has a wide array of skills that help him play like a big wide receiver. Parkinson runs well for his size, posting a 4.77 40-yard dash at the combine. Parkinson's size, route running ability, and surprising speed could make him a matchup nightmare in the right system.

Weaknesses 

Despite his size, Parkinson plays smaller. He needs to be more physical, both in the receiving and run blocking side of the game. Parkinson's run blocking is relegated to chips off the line and acting more as a speed bump rather than a road grader and teams hoping to make him into an inline blocker will have a major project on their hands.

Where He Fits with Seahawks

Size and familiarity in a pro-style offense will help Parkinson's cause. Pete Carroll and John Schneider love unique body types and he definitely fits that classification. Parkinson may end up as the best receiver in this tight end group and the Seahawks could use him as a big slot receiver now while trying to teach him to block.

Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech

2019 stats: 21 catches, 240 yards, 5 touchdowns

Strengths

Dalton Keene is a sneaky good athlete with good size (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) who can fill a lot of needs for whichever team picks him. At Virginia Tech, Keene played tight end, fullback, H-back, and a little slot receiver. Keene is a high motor, max effort player that gets the most out of his skill set. Though he wasn't featured much in the Hokies' passing game, he has solid hands and is a willing blocker who sticks his helmet into the fight at the line of scrimmage.

Weaknesses

While Keene is a willing and capable blocker, his footwork needs cleaned up to find more consistency at the next level. He will occasionally become a body catcher, not trusting his hands to make contested catches. He also needs to refine his route running to consistently get open in the second and third levels of the defense, something he wasn't asked to do much at Virginia Tech.

Where He Fits with Seahawks

Keene can fill a number of roles for the Seahawks, including as a legitimate weapon as a fullback, some the Seahawks haven't had since Michael Robinson. A great athlete with the desire to max out his potential, he offers a true "always compete" mentality that Pete Carroll is sure to love. He can also be a solid special teams player early and should be available on day three.