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Jackson Sparks provides a comprehensive breakdown of the top tight end prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft. An early look at the 2024 tight end class and analysis for each prospect.
The tight end spot is scarce in the "real" NFL and in fantasy football, so landing a game-changing player at the position can provide a huge edge for an offense. Tight ends are often favorable and reliable targets for quarterbacks, especially for young and inexperienced ones.
The 2024 tight end class is unlikely to live up to the 2023 class featuring studs like Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid, but there is one generational prospect at the top of the TE rankings.
Below, we'll dive into the top five tight end prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft. These rankings are merely an early prediction, and a lot can change between now and April's draft with the Senior Bowl, Pro Days, NFL Draft Combine, team visits, and more. Especially at tight end, athletic testing matters a ton. For now, we don't have all that information available. Let's get into it!
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1.) Brock Bowers, Georgia, Jr.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 235
- Age: 21.1
- 2024 Draft Positional Rank: TE1
- Projected Draft Position: Early First Round
- Player Comp: George Kittle
Brock Bowers is the shining star in this year's tight end class. He was dominant from the moment he stepped on campus in Athens, putting up over 900 total yards and 14 touchdowns against SEC competition. He posted at least 100 receiving yards in 10 of his 40 career games, topping 120 yards in seven of those contests. He's arguably the greatest college tight end of all time, with two National Championship rings, three All-American selections, and two Mackey Award trophies.
| Season | Rec | Yds | Avg. | TDs | Long | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2021 | 56 | 882 | 15.8 | 13 | 89 | 56 | 1 |
| 2022 | 63 | 942 | 15 | 7 | 78 | 109 | 3 |
| 2023 | 56 | 714 | 12.8 | 6 | 49 | 28 | 1 |
| Total | 175 | 2,538 | 14.5 | 26 | 89 | 193 | 5 |
He's fully expected to dominate at the 2024 NFL Combine and cement himself as a clear top-10 pick in April. Although the struggles of Kyle Pitts have been well-documented and could cause teams to be cautious when considering taking a tight end so early, he's an even better prospect, and he could become a true No. 1 target in a pass-happy offense in the NFL.
.@brockbowers17 WITH A 78 YARD HAT TRICK 🎩🎩🎩#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/1vHvcBK8Dm
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 17, 2022
He's not quite the run blocker George Kittle is, but he has the physical YAC skills and unwillingness to go down like the 49ers tight end. He's a game-changer and could end up in the elite tier at the position in no time.
2.) Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas, Jr.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 256
- Age: 20.8
- 2024 Draft Positional Rank: TE2
- Projected Draft Position: Second Round
- Player Comp: David Njoku
While Bowers is in a tier of his own and there's a big drop-off to the next tight end, Ja'Tavion Sanders has a chance to be a productive pass-catcher in the NFL for a long time. After playing exclusively special teams as a freshman, Sanders became a legitimate pass-catching threat for quarterback Quinn Ewers in 2022 and 2023. He broke out as a sophomore, catching 54 passes for 613 yards and five scores.
| Season | Rec | Yds | Avg. | TDs | Long |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 54 | 613 | 11.4 | 5 | 37 |
| 2023 | 45 | 682 | 15.2 | 2 | 50 |
| Total | 99 | 1,295 | 13.1 | 7 | 50 |
As a junior, he performed when it mattered most, averaging 98 receiving yards in games against Alabama in Week 2, Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game, and Washington in the College Football Playoffs Semifinal Game.
Ja’Tavion Sanders vs Alabama
5 receptions, 114 yards
Check out full game below! pic.twitter.com/M5dGgxGnVs
— Draft Prospects (@draft_prospects) October 27, 2023
He'll be another sub-4.6 40-yard dash guy with big-play ability, so a few TE-needy teams will be interested in him at the start of day two of the 2024 NFL Draft.
3.) Jaheim Bell, Florida State, Sr.
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 230
- Age: 22.6
- 2024 Draft Positional Rank: TE3
- Projected Draft Position: Third Round
- Player Comp: Gerald Everett
Jaheim Bell wasn't the most productive receiving tight end during his three seasons at South Carolina and one year at Florida State, but he's a versatile offensive weapon with 95 career receptions and 84 career rushing attempts. He's light for a tight end at 230 pounds and isn't a great run blocker (although he improved in 2023), but he's an exciting skill player who could do damage in the NFL with a creative offensive play-caller.
| Season | Rec | Yds | Avg. | TDs | Long | Rush Yds | Rush TDs |
| 2020 | 1 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 30 | 497 | 16.6 | 5 | 82 | 40 | 0 |
| 2022 | 25 | 231 | 9.2 | 2 | 46 | 261 | 3 |
| 2023 | 39 | 503 | 12.9 | 2 | 49 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 95 | 1,260 | 13.3 | 9 | 82 | 303 | 4 |
Ultimately, Bell's draft stock is going to spike or tank significantly based on his testing at Florida State's Pro Day or the 2024 NFL Combine. If his numbers are disappointing, he could fall out of the top five positional rankings. If he runs faster than expected (4.6-4.7), he could be a candidate to go in Round 2.
South Carolina transfer Jaheim Bell scores his 2nd touchdown to put LSU away for good🏈
Florida State will beat the Tigers for the 2nd straight season 😳pic.twitter.com/RrRv3gpfoK
— 247Sports (@247Sports) September 4, 2023
4.) Cade Stover, Ohio State, Sr.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 251
- Age: 23.6
- 2024 Draft Positional Rank: TE4
- Projected Draft Position: Third/Fourth Round
- Player Comp: Dalton Schultz
Cade Stover is an older prospect than the other guys on this list, but since it often takes time for tight ends to develop, it's not a significant issue. Originally recruited to the Buckeyes as a linebacker, Stover is highly physical, but his run-after-catch skills and agility are underrated -- although he's not the most polished route-runner.
He was an impactful pass-catcher for C.J. Stroud in 2022 before stepping into a larger role for Kyle McCord as a redshirt senior, racking up nearly 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final two seasons in Columbus.
| Season | Rec | Yds | Avg. | TDs | Long |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 | 76 | 15.2 | 0 | 25 |
| 2022 | 36 | 406 | 11.3 | 5 | 38 |
| 2023 | 41 | 576 | 14 | 5 | 49 |
| Total | 82 | 1,058 | 12.9 | 10 | 39 |
Stover is highly unlikely to be a game-changer in the middle of the field, but he can be a reliable third down and red zone target similar to Dalton Schultz. Early on in the process, he looks like a third- or fourth-round selection.
Cade Stover strength 😲@cstov8 x @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/kKPEsjKX3u
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 12, 2022
5.) Ben Sinnott, Kansas State, Sr.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 245
- Age: 21.6
- 2024 Draft Positional Rank: TE5
- Projected Draft Position: Fourth/Fifth Round
- Player Comp: Cole Kmet
Ben Sinnott is the least recognizable name on this list, but he's gaining steam as a do-it-all tight end. The 21-year-old began his KSU career as a fullback, so naturally, he's an excellent run blocker. However, he was a tight end in high school and transitioned back to the position in 2022. He immediately excelled, catching 80 passes for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns over the last two years.
| Season | Rec | Yds | Avg. | TDs | Long |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 |
| 2022 | 31 | 447 | 14.4 | 4 | 39 |
| 2023 | 49 | 676 | 13.8 | 6 | 44 |
| Total | 82 | 1,138 | 13.9 | 10 | 44 |
Although run blocking isn't everything at tight end anymore, there will surely be teams interested in him on day three of the draft because of that strength, which can be rare to find among prospects coming out of college football.
Ben Sinnott! K-State ties it up 😼#Big12FB x @KStateFB
📺 ABC | @ESPNCFB | https://t.co/cDXeREQHYC pic.twitter.com/GJqyZzPY6M
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 3, 2022
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