1. Kenyon Sadiq
School: Oregon • Junior • 6’3″ • 245 lbs
When you turn on Oregon football, it won’t take long for you to notice star TE Kenyon Sadiq making impact plays. Sadiq is a true unicorn who has proven himself to be one of the best athletes in the draft. I sat for a long time trying to find a player comparison for Sadiq, and eventually decided to take a unique approach. As a compliment to both players, I compared Sadiq to Derrick Henry, something that may come out of left field, but when you watch him play, you can see it. Both players have a similar frame, and Sadiq flashes movement skills I have only ever seen replicated by one player of his size. He is fast, quick, and powerful. If you think you are going to be able to tackle him in space, think twice. Oregon has used Sadiq in every way imaginable, targeting him with quick screens and making sure to get him the ball in space so that he can create offense. Sadiq will make an immediate impact in the NFL but, with proper development, could become one of the best TEs in football.
Grade – Day One
2. Max Klare
School: Ohio State • Junior • 6’4″ • 240 lbs
Klare broke out as one of the best tight ends in the nation last season at Purdue and had an electric game against Illinois, posting 133 receiving yards on just six catches. Klare has the best trait for a tight end: reliability. He is consistent in both the pass and run games, with reliable hands and strong blocking skills. He may not blow the competition away with speed or athleticism, but as a tight end, he has proven he can do anything he is asked to do. This offseason, Klare transferred to Ohio State, where he hopes to continue his development and will likely hear his name called in April. Some drop issues could set him back, but they have cleaned up by the end of the season.
Grade – Top 100
3. Jack Endries
School: Texas • Junior • 6’4″ • 240 lbs
Endries was given the tall task of filling the role of Gunner Helm after his historic career as one of the best TEs in Texas history. But he stepped right in and proved to be one of the most valuable offensive weapons on the Longhorns’ roster. Endries has a great frame, and while some scouts may want him to carry more weight, he has proven to be a great athlete who can make any play he is asked to make. Endries has good movement skills and does a great job finding space in the passing game, giving his quarterback a reliable option. He has strong hands, and the biggest concern for Endries will be his subpar blocking, something that could improve if he adds some weight. He should make a day-one impact on offense in the NFL.
Grade – Top 100
4. Eli Raridon
School: Notre Dame • Senior • 6’7″ • 250 lbs
Notre Dame and tight end go together like fine wine and steak, and this year, there is another elite tight end coming from the Fighting Irish. Raridon is a big-bodied, inline tight end who deserves significantly more attention than he has been getting. He is a very reliable, consistent receiver in the middle of the offense who does a great job of feeling out zones, finding open space, and giving his quarterback a safety option. He is solid after the catch as well, but there will be some concerns about him as a blocker because of his height and his high pad level. Regardless, teams value pass-catching TEs, and Raridon is going to make a good living as an NFL starting TE.
Grade – Top 100
5. Chamon Metayer
School: Arizona State • Senior • 6’4″ • 260 lbs
Metayer really jumped onto my radar after his incredible game against Iowa State this season, where he really showed up as one of the best players on the field. To the average fan, Metayer may not jump off the screen, and he is not the super-athlete who is going to come out and dominate like some other top TE prospects. But truly, Metayer is one of the most consistent and physical tight ends in this year’s draft. As a blocker, there may be no one better in this draft, and his ability to square up defensive ends and bigger linemen is impressive. He has great movement skills, and while he lacks top-end speed, he blends his physicality and quickness to impact the game at all levels. He has reliable hands, and when he is in space, he consistently makes routine plays. Metayer is never going to be an elite receiver, but he is more than capable of making plays, and his ability to block makes him a skillful every-down player.
6. Eli Stowers
School: Vanderbilt • Senior • 6’4″ • 240 lbs
When Clark Lea hired former New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill and former New Mexico State offensive coordinator Tim Beck to join him in Nashville, he may not have realized the transfers that would follow. Stowers has been a star for Vanderbilt, putting up over 600 yards in his sophomore season with the team. Stowers is super interesting, especially when you realize his journey. He committed to Texas A&M as a four-star QB, ranked by some as one of the top 100 high school players. After not finding much playing time, he transferred to NMSU, where he transitioned to tight end. He then followed his coach to Vanderbilt and broke out, showing some elite athletic skills for a tight end, great hands, and an excellent feel for the game. His quarterback background shows in his ability to run routes and find space, but he also has the physical skills to be a quality tight end. The late transition may turn some scouts away, but I see significant receiving upside in Stowers, and I think with the right coach, he will have an incredible career.
Grade – Fourth Round
7. Oscar Delp
School: Georgia • Senior • 6’4″ • 250 lbs
Delp is the older of the two Georgia tight ends who will likely play on Sundays at some point in their future. After Brock Bowers left Georgia, Delp took over the starting job at tight end, a position that is not easy to fill. Over the last few seasons, Delp has proven to be a reliable tight end in every facet of the game, with a great feel for the defense, finding space and giving his quarterback an option, as well as strong blocking in the run and pass games. Teams will love the way this guy will do anything he is asked to help his team win, and he is going to leave it all on the field, game in and game out, to come away with a win. I think Delp will be the ideal depth tight end in the NFL, capable of blocking in heavy packages but not allowing teams to sell out against the run because of his ability to make plays as a receiver.
Grade – Fourth Round
8. Sam Roush
School: Stanford • Senior • 6’5″ • 250 lbs
Maybe the best all-around tight end in this year’s draft, Roush has impressed me with his ability to make plays both as a pass catcher and as a run blocker. His lower body is all over the film, and his incredible ability to anchor himself in the run game and make quick cuts out of the backfield is evident. His athletic profile is nothing to call home about, and while he is not the fastest or the biggest tight end, he is reliable and consistent. As a receiver, he is effective because of his versatility, and he often provides his quarterback with a reliable checkdown option. Teams are always aware of his ability to block, which helps him leak out and get open in the flat. I love his skills, and I think he could have a strong NFL career.
9. Michael Trigg
School: Baylor • Senior • 6’4″ • 240 lbs
When I turned on the Baylor film, looking to get a better look at Sawyer Robertson, I was quickly impressed by his tight end, Michael Trigg. A couple of times, I found myself laughing at just how much of a mismatch Trigg can be for opposing defenses. He looks much bigger than he is on the field, but he consistently proves to be one of the strongest players on the field. He is a miserable matchup in man coverage, as he is far too big for opposing corners and quick enough to beat linebackers early. Trigg is not a great inline blocker, but does a good job getting to the second level and is a great blocker downfield or on the outside in stretch-run situations. He can struggle to find gaps in zone defenses, but in the NFL, teams will find a role for him. He is also a highlight machine, with some of the best hands in the draft. I considered even recommending a move to WR for Trigg, but I think he has plenty of athleticism to stick at TE. In the right offense, watch out.
Grade – Fourth Round
10. Joe Royer
School: Cincinnati • Senior • 6’5″ • 250 lbs
Royer started his college career at Ohio State before hitting the transfer portal and finding his way to Cincinnati for the 2024 season. In 2024, Royer proved to be one of the best pass-catching TEs in the nation, with reliable hands as well as a physical skill set to make contested catches. He has a great frame for an NFL TE and quality movement skills that allow him to make plays in space and avoid tacklers. Unless you are one of those freaky athletes, consistency is key at tight end, and Royer is just that. As a receiver, he catches everything thrown his way, and as a blocker, he holds his ground well and gets upfield to make impact blocks for his teammates. Cincinnati did everything they could to get the ball into his hands and may look to work him more downfield this season, and with another good year, Royer is exactly the type of TE NFL scouts like to see.
Grade – Fifth Round
11. Justin Joly
School: NC State • Senior • 6’3″ • 250 lbs
Joly is a prime example of an H-back/TE who is precisely the type of player offensive coaches have been looking for to play out of the backfield and inline at the line of scrimmage. He has excellent speed and is an incredibly skilled player out of the backfield, impressing me with a potent blend of movement skills and second-level blocking strength. I love his ability to pull in the run game and help clear out lanes for his running back. He is undersized, which allows him get low and win early in the run game. He is quick downfield and does a great job creating separation against LBs, giving his QB a reliable option across the middle. Should be a good late-round pickup who can impact the game in a variety of ways offensively.
Grade – Fifth Round
12. Lawson Luckie
School: Georgia • Junior • 6’4″ • 240 lbs
Georgia could very possibly send two tight ends to the NFL this season, with Luckie being my favorite of the two. Following in Brock Bowers’ footsteps is no small ask, and while Luckie is not the caliber of player that Bowers was, he is a legit prospect in his own right. Luckie has a solid frame, but athletically, he seems to have the length and movement skills to be a great pass-catching tight end in the NFL. He has elite route running for a tight end, and his ability to use his quickness to create separation is elite. Luckie has reliable hands and does a good job holding on through contact. As a blocker, Luckie is solid, and while he will not be a dominant downfield blocker, he uses his speed and quickness to get upfield and is not afraid to throw his body around to make an impact for a ball carrier. If he declares this year, he could be a perfect mid-round addition to the passing game with potential to be a full-time starter.
Grade – Fifth Round
13. Dae’Quan Wright
School: Mississippi • Senior • 6’3″ • 250 lbs
Wright is an athletically talented tight end who started his career at Virginia Tech and transferred to Ole Miss, where he broke out in 2024 as an NFL prospect. This year, he is taking on a more prominent role due to Luke Hasz’s injury and has impressed scouts. He has proven to be a big-play threat, especially with the ball in his hands to get upfield and break a tackle to gain extra yardage after the catch. This is something you don’t often see in tight ends, but for somebody with less height but more weight, it is something you like to see from Wright. He has good speed and physicality to be a solid blocker, but needs to be more reliable with his route running to create separation in man coverage. I see him more as a TE2 in the NFL who can play on passing downs with potential to develop more blocking upside. With some polishing of his route-running and his ability to reliably give his quarterback an option, he could have a very successful NFL career.
Grade – Seventh Round
14. Nate Boerkircher
School: Texas A&M • Senior • 6’4″ • 250 lbs
Boerkircher is one of those prospects that you have to watch to understand, as his stat sheet vastly understates his impact on the game. After four years at Nebraska, Boerkircher chose to transfer and found his way to College Station, hoping to show the world more of his talent on the football field. He is known for his impressive, violent blocking off the line of scrimmage and his ability to get upfield in the run game. Boerkircher is a reliable pass catcher when he is open and asked to do so, but he will not shock the world with his ability to create separation. Boerkircher will not be known for incredible athleticism, but his physicality and sheer will to impact the game will make him a big-time TE2 prospect.
Grade – Seventh Round
15. Cody Hardy
School: NC State • Senior • 6’4″ • 270 lbs
I want to make this crystal clear: Hardy is the single best blocker in the 2026 TE class, and his ability to impact the run game is incredible. I am a huge fan of Hardy, and his impact on the game for NC State goes widely unnoticed, but it shows up all over the film. As a receiver, Hardy is not anything special, but because of his threat to impact the game as a blocker, he often goes unaccounted for when he leaks out. While he lacks speed, he can be a threat with the ball in his hands because of his strength, which helps him fight through contact. Athletically, Hardy is not fast or quick, but his strength immediately makes him a valuable TE. While he may never be a full-time starter, his skills make me think he could be an elite TE2 on almost any NFL offense and make a substantial impact.
Grade – Seventh Round
