1. darnell washington • georgia

#5 overall // style comparison: martellus bennett

Grade: 9.5

RAS: 10

Strengths: 🏎️ 🚜 🍌 🧤 🦕

It’s uncomfortable having a tight end ranked this high overall, for sure, but this is no normal tight end. Yes, Jelani Woods matched and even exceeded Washington just last year with some of his testing and his size, but the blocking element here speaks to a true unicorn type of player who has one of the most unlimited ceilings I’ve ever seen at any position. Washington is a sixth offensive lineman who runs like a deer and knows how to position his size to his advantage in tight spots. Give him a year, but he’ll be unstoppable.

2. sam laporta • iowa

#22 overall // style comparison: hayden hurst

Grade: 8

RAS: 9.49

Strengths: ✈️ 🏎️ 🤹‍♀️ 🍌 🧤 🛸

This guy is so underrated it’s like watching the football version of Out Cold (one of the most underrated films of all time). It’s forgivable in a crowded TE class, but LaPorta might be the best after-the-catch of all of them, and his ability to turn upfield, make defenders miss, and claw every inch out of every reception is exactly the kind of gritty talent we’ve come to expect from TEU. He catches the ball cleanly away from his body, turns toward the end zone immediately, and shows an awareness of zone soft spots plus a keen sense of setting up his cuts and catching nickels and LBs flat footed. He may not be Washington as a blocker, but he’s definitely a guy you can stick at the end of the line and feel comfortable that he’ll mix it up, and while he did suffer from some drops at Iowa, he also shows soft hands and a better contested catch knack than he gets credit for.

3. dalton kincaid • utah

#26 overall // style comparison: evan engram

Grade: 8

RAS: INC

Strengths: ✈️ 🏎️ 🤹‍♀️ 🧤 🦕 🛸

If you want a pure F tight end, look no further. Kincaid is basically a receiver, and I mean that as a compliment because he’s a large man still, and he has some of the best concentration and strongest hands on contested catches in the entire class regardless of position. He’s not going to give you a damn thing as a blocker, and that’s fine, there’s no reason to ask him to. He can eat space in a hurry, knows how to high-point the ball, and has some sort of tractor beam when the pass is in the air. Great route runner who has been exposed to a varied tree, and as long as he’s healthy, he’ll be a weapon in the passing game.

4. michael mayer • notre dame

#32 overall // style comparison: jason witten

Grade: 7.5

RAS: 7.58

Strengths: ✈️ 🚜 🤹‍♀️ 🧤 🦕 🛸

I have to watch myself when scouting a tight end like Mayer because the trap is to consider him boring compared to the other guys, which is totally unfair since Mayer’s lack in excitement is due largely to being so damn consistent and strong across the board without exactly excelling in any one area. That’s not a complaint, it means you’ll get a “safe” player who won’t ever be out of position or miss an assignment, but in my opinion he lacks the dynamism of some of the other prospects at his position. Strong blocker? Yes, but he’s not Darnell Washington there. Reliable receiver? Absolutely, but he’s not gonna wow you like Dalton Kincaid. Good with the ball in his hands? Sure thing, but he’s not an open field nightmare like LaPorta. He’s Notre Dame in a nutshell… well-coached, strong, efficient but just not exciting. For a team that wants a traditional tight end who can line up inline or flex out and will give you B+ reps every play, he’s your guy. That kind of versatility and availability is a strength. I just think he’s more jack of all than master of one.

5. zack kuntz • old dominion

#46 overall // style comparison: albert okwuegbunam

Grade: 7

RAS: 10

Strengths: 🏎️ 🤹‍♀️ 🧤 🦕

What a tight end class. A guy with a perfect RAS is the fifth best option, and I’m way higher on him than most. I think he profiles a lot like Jimmy Graham — raw, huge, athletic, brimming with potential to be a game changing receiver without offering much blocking. He knows how to get open against the zone, has the size and leaping ability to make catches even if he hasn’t truly beaten his man, and can get upfield in a hurry. He’s not going to give you much wiggle after he snags it, but as a red zone threat or a seam beater, he’s got some serious juice. Tons to learn after playing small ball, but get him in and teach him and then just destroy the red zone with a real live giraffe.

6. luke musgrave // oregon state // grade: 6.5 // #68 overall

7. tucker kraft // south dakota state // grade: 6.5 // #69 overall

8. davis allen // clemson // grade: 6 // #77 overall

9. brenton strange // penn state // grade: 6 // #97 overall

10. luke schoonmaker // michigan // grade: 4

11. cameron latu // alabama // grade: 4

12. josh whyle // cincinnati // grade: 4

13. payne durham // purdue // grade: 4

14. will mallory // miami // grade: 4

15. noah gindorff // north dakota state // grade: 3