2019 NFL Draft: Positional Rankings: Tight Ends

Tight End

2017 means this isn’t the best tight end class in recent memory but the top two are as good as any at the top of that historic class. It’s a good top 3, solid top 5, and a few players with athletic upsides after that. Unlike RB or QB there aren’t really questions about the top tight ends which could drive them up the board a bit.

Name | School (Conference) | Height Weight | My Grade

Targets | Adj. Yards per Target | 40 time, 10 yard split, 3-cone, Short Shuttle, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump | Production Score

Note: A quick reminder, the grades are on the 20-80 scale stolen from baseball scouting and the grade groups are Starter (S), Expected Starter (ES), Potential Starter (PS), Backup (B), and Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA).

Top 5

T.J. Hockenson | Iowa (Big Ten) | 6’ 4 3/4" 251 lbs | Grade: 7.8 (S)

Stats: 65 Tar. | 13.32 AY/T | 75.38% Catch | 40:4.70, 10: 1.63, 3C: 7.02, SS: 4.18, VJ: 37.5, BJ: 123 | 28.12

Noah Fant | Iowa (Big Ten) | 6’ 4 1/8” 249 lbs | Grade: 7.7 (S)

Stats: 64 Tar. | 10.22 AY/T | 60.94% Catch | 40:4.5, 10: 1.55, 3C: 6.81, SS: 4.22, VJ: 39.5, BJ: 127 | 21.25

These two are special players they are the full compliment of blocking, athleticism, catching ability. Hockenson has the edge in the blocking category and while Fant is the better athlete the difference isn’t great enough to give him the edge. That said where Hockenson and Fant are rumored to go in the draft respectively I’d much rather have Fant at his value.

Irv Smith Jr. | Alabama (SEC) | 6’ 2 3/8” 242 lbs | Grade: 7.0 (ES)

Stats: 61 Tar. | 14.37 AY/T | 72.13% Catch | 40:4.63, 10: 1.68, 3C: 7.32, SS: 4.33, VJ: 32.5, BJ: 110 | 28.47

Jace Sternberger | Texas A&M (SEC) | 6’ 4” 251 lbs | Grade: 6.7 (ES)

Stats: 78 Tar. | 13.14 AY/T | 61.54% Catch | 40:4.75, 10: 1.70, 3C: 7.19, SS: 4.31, VJ: 31.5, BJ: 113 | 33.29

Caleb Wilson | UCLA (Pac-12) | 6’ 4 1/4” lbs | Grade: 6.2 (ES)

Stats: 97 Tar. | 10.74 AY/T | 61.86% Catch | 40:4.56, 10: 1.62, 3C: 7.20, SS: 4.40, VJ: 29, BJ: 113 | 33.85

Irv Smith is a solid player with good hands, good blocking and solid straight-line speed but his athletic profile is lacking and doesn’t match up with what history tells us you need to make an impact. In-fact all three of Sternberger, Smith, and Wilson are all underwhelming athletically but each is a reliable blocker and route runner and were more consistent than their more athletic counterparts below them.

Player	Team	Height	Wt.	Tar	AY/T	Cat%	TEP >12	40	SS	BJ	Role	Gr
T.J. Hockenson	IOWA	76.75	251	65	13.32	75.38%	28.12	4.70	4.2	123	S	7.8
Noah Fant	IOWA	76.125	249	64	10.22	60.94%	21.25	4.50	4.2	127	S	7.7
Irv Smith Jr	ALA	74.375	242	61	14.37	72.13%	28.47	4.63	4.3	110	ES	7.0
Jace Sternberger	aTm	76	251	78	13.14	61.54%	33.29	4.75	4.3	113	ES	6.7
Caleb Wilson	UCLA	76.25	240	97	10.74	61.86%	33.85	4.56	4.4	113	ES	6.2
Kahale Warring	SDSU	77.125	252	55	7.82	56.36%	13.96	4.67	4.3	122	PS	6.0
Kaden Smith	STAN	77	255	64	10.53	73.44%	21.88	4.92	4.5	108	PS	5.9
Josh Oliver	SJSU	76.625	249	104	7.56	53.85%	25.54	4.63	4.5	117	PS	5.8
Isaac Nauta	UGA	75.25	244	64	11.62	68.75%	24.16	4.83	4.4	114	ES	5.8
Dawson Knox	MISS	76.375	254	27	10.52	55.56%	9.23	4.51	4.3	122	PS	5.6
Mik'Quan Deane	WKU	74.875	237	72	8.97	61.11%	20.98	4.56	4.5	122	PS	5.5
Keenen Brown	TXSt	74.5	250	73	9.23	69.86%	21.88	4.70	4.5	117	PS	5.5
Stephen Carlson	PRIN	76.125	241	79	9.87	64.56%	25.32	4.77	4.2	123	PS	5.4
Aliz' Mack	ND	76	249	53	7.88	67.92%	13.57	4.70	4.3	120	PS	5.4
Foster Moreau	LSU	76.125	253	30	10.35	73.33%	10.09	4.66	4.1	121	PS	5.3
Isiah Searight	FORD	75.125	242	65	8.56	64.62%	18.07	4.83	4.4	125	PS	5.2
Romello Brooker	HOU	75.25	250	45	12.09	73.33%	17.67	4.82	4.4	111	PS	5.0
Donald Parham	STET	80.375	243	131	11.98	64.89%	50.99	4.67	x	125	PS	5.0
Zach Gentry	MICH	80.125	265	46	12.01	69.57%	17.95	4.78	4.5	110	PS	5.0
Andrew Beck	TEX	74.875	252	43	7.43	65.12%	10.38	4.63	4.3	119	PS	5.0
Cole Neph	TULS	75.25	248	18	14.33	77.78%	8.38	4.06	4.3	114	PS	4.9
Tyree Mayfield	WYO	75	241	35	10.85	60.00%	12.33	4.67	4.3	119	PS	4.8
Drew Sample	WASH	76.75	255	35	8.85	71.43%	10.07	4.71	4.3	115	PS	4.8
Daniel Helm	DUKE	76.125	249	41	7.55	63.41%	10.06	4.87	4.4	125	PS	4.7
C.J. Conrad	UK	76.5	249	37	10.16	81.08%	12.21	4.70	4.3	113	PS	4.7
Michael Colubiale	UCF	74	222	34	9.88	61.76%	10.91	4.55	4.4	119	PS	4.7
Tommy Sweeney	BC	76.5	251	52	7.81	61.54%	13.18	4.83	4.3	115	PS	4.6
Dax Raymond	USU	76.75	255	41	6.92	65.85%	9.21	4.71	4.4	113	PS	4.5
Trevon Wesco	WVU	75.5	267	30	12.84	86.67%	12.52	4.89	4.4	117	PS	4.4
Aaron McLean	CONN	77	230	50	8.69	64.00%	14.12	-	-	-	PS	4.4
Ari Werts	ETSU	76.25	227	-	12.00	######	-	4.73	4.4	122	PS	4.3
Justin Johnson	MSSt	75	235	31	8.30	54.84%	8.36	4.60	4.5	120	PS	4.3
David Lucero	UTEP	77	240	37	9.75	54.05%	11.71	-	-	-	PS	4.2
Austin Fort	WYO	75.75	238	16	7.58	43.75%	3.94	4.61	4.4	117	PS	4.1
Kano Dillon	ORE	76.75	256	17	8.74	47.06%	4.83	4.69	4.5	122	PS	4.1
Jackson Harris	UGA	76.875	251	15	8.15	73.33%	3.97	4.80	4.4	109	B	4.0
Chris Myarick	TEM	76.25	251	18	9.18	77.78%	5.37	4.85	4.4	116	B	3.9
Ray Hudson	CAL	75	245	12	20.42	33.33%	7.96	-	-	-	B	3.8
Seth Herbert	CeMO	75.75	236	25	9.04	64.00%	7.34	4.73	4.7	120	B	3.8
Cole Herdman	PUR	75.675	238	26	7.54	69.23%	6.37	5.00	4.3	111	B	3.8
Kendall Blanton	MIZZ	78.25	262	36	5.99	61.11%	7.00	4.95	4.4	113	B	3.8
Ian Bunting	CAL	78.5	247	29	8.79	62.07%	8.28	4.93	4.6	121	B	3.7
Jerome Washington	RUT	74.875	241	21	9.62	52.38%	6.56	4.81	4.5	116	B	3.7
Ravian Pierce	SYR	74.5	247	26	6.27	61.54%	5.29	4.75	4.6	118	B	3.7
Davis Koppenhaver	DUKE	75.625	245	18	13.89	77.78%	8.12	4.92	4.5	113	B	3.5
Micky Crumm	LOU	76.375	246	36	6.76	61.11%	7.90	4.98	4.7	106	B	3.5
K.C. Crosby	SoCa	72.625	236	16	9.31	87.50%	4.84	4.80	4.5	120	B	3.4
Matt Sokol	MSU	77	253	25	4.77	32.00%	3.88	4.87	4.3	112	B	3.3
Chris Phillips	CHAR	74	238	19	7.51	57.89%	4.63	-	-	-	B	3.2
Connor Brown	OHIO	78	263	14	10.14	57.14%	4.61	-	-	-	B	3.2
Sloan Spiller	ULM	73	229	17	8.14	82.35%	4.49	-	-	-	B	3.2
C'yontai Lewis	UF	76.625	238	14	9.14	64.29%	4.16	4.84	4.6	119	B	3.2
Ellis Richardson	GaSo	75	204	20	5.98	50.00%	3.88	-	-	-	B	3.1
Ty Harmston	NIU	76	258	15	7.42	73.33%	3.62	-	-	-	B	3.1
Chase Blakely	BSU	76	239	27	4.01	62.96%	3.52	-	-	-	B	3.1
Datryan Evans	Frie	77	253	29	10.33	65.52%	9.73	5.04	x	105	B	3.1
Jay'Shawn Washington	SoMi	72.625	249	16	10.44	68.75%	5.42	5.00	4.8	113	UDFA	3.0
Moral Stephens	UF	75	252	12	13.66	66.67%	5.32	4.78	5.1	112	UDFA	2.8
Donnie Lee	UAB	73.5	225	24	4.79	62.50%	3.74	4.89	4.4	112	UDFA	2.7
Charles Jones II	TULA	75	254	17	3.12	58.82%	1.72	4.90	4.7	117	UDFA	2.6
Evan Butts	UVA	75.625	247	23	7.81	69.57%	5.83	5.14	4.7	109	UDFA	2.5
Trae Carter-Wells	NEV	72.375	236	15	4.87	73.33%	2.37	5.06	4.8	x	UDFA	2.2
Matt Barnes	ULL	74.125	255	25	5.77	64.00%	4.69	4.96	4.9	96	UDFA	2.1