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DJ Boyer breaks down his 2021 NFL Draft rankings for tight ends. He analyzes and ranks the top NFL Draft eligible TEs who will be rookies for fantasy football purposes.
Not all teams utilize the tight end position as one of the focal points of their offense. We have seen what a team with a top-notch tight end is able to accomplish and the mismatches they can create.
Kyle Pitts is one of the best offensive threats in this draft regardless of position. While there seem to be no other sure-fire stars, this is a position that offers great depth.
Let's take a final pre-draft look at the top tight ends entering the 2021 NFL Draft.
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2021 NFL Draft Rankings – Tight End
1. Kyle Pitts - Florida (6-6, 245)
2. Brevin Jordan - Miami (6-3, 245)
3. Pat Freiermuth - Penn State (6-5, 255)
4. Tony Poljan - Virginia (6-7, 265)
5. Hunter Long - Boston College (6-5, 255)
6. Noah Gray - Duke (6-3, 240)
7. Tommy Tremble - Notre Dame (6-4, 250)
8. Matt Bushman - BYU (6-5, 245)
9. Cary Angeline - NC State (6-7, 255)
10. Tre McKitty - Georgia (6-4, 245)
11. Kenny Yeboah - Mississippi (6-4, 240)
12. Zach Davidson - Central Missouri State (6-7, 245)
13. Quintin Morris - Bowling Green (6-4, 250)
14. Luke Farrell - Ohio State (6-6, 250) (6-7, 245)
15. Dylan Soehner - Iowa State (6-7, 250)
16. Nick Eubanks - Michigan (6-5, 240)
17. Briley Moore - Kansas State (6-4, 255)
18. Shaun Beyer - Iowa (6-5, 230)
19. Miller Forristall - Alabama (6-5, 240)
20. Hunter Kampmoyer - Oregon (6-4, 245)
21. Josh Pederson - Louisiana-Monroe (6-4, 235)
22. Jack Stoll - Nebraska (6-5, 250)
23. Pro Wells - TCU (6-3, 250)
24. Scooter Harrington - Stanford (6-5, 250)
25. Carson Williams - Western Kentucky (6-5, 255)
The Top 10 Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts is all the rage at the TE position, so who will be the next tight end off the board? Pat Freiermuth of Penn State seems to be the choice you see in many places but we are going with Brevin Jordan out of Miami.
Brevin Jordan at one time was seen by many as being on equal footing with Kyle Pitts. Pitts had a monster 2020 while Jordan has continued to deal with nagging injuries. Jordan was "right" by the end of the year and he responded down the stretch when his team needed him most. The final three games went to the tune of 18-311-4. Jordan did not have to run a lot of different routes at Miami, and in 2020 when his chances expanded, he seemed to thrive. In short, we seem to only be scratching the surface of what Brevin Jordan could become.
While Jordan shows natural hands and fluid route-running skills, he doesn't show ideal size. Jordan will need to bulk up and add upper body muscle to become more than a situational receiver. He looks likely to be selected at the end of the second round to the third round where he will likely be paired with a larger tight end that is established and polished. A quick RPO-type timing offense would make the most sense as there are a number of teams who would benefit from Brevin Jordan on their roster.
Noah Gray might have played his football at Duke University but he is ready to show Duke is far from being a basketball school only. It's not like we haven't seen this script before. In 2013, a Duke tight end was chosen in the third round at #63 overall and today many feel Travis Kelce is the best tight end in the game.
Relax, I'm not comparing Noah Gray to Travis Kelce....or am I? Gray's catching and running ability has been compared to Kelce, yet he remains largely unknown. In 2019, Gray hauled in 51 passes and was among the leaders in receptions from a Power 5 conference. As Duke struggled last season, it meant a dip in statistics and he only caught 22.
The strength of Gray is running down the field and stretching the seam. He wasn't asked to stay at home and do a lot of blocking at the line and the team that takes him will likely not use him in that role. Gray figures to be a pass-catching specialist or even an H-back lining up in the backfield on occasion. He runs well enough to cause mismatches in the secondary.
The Rest of the Running Tight Ends
A couple of tight ends I have outside the top-10 that should make a mark in the right situation:
Zach Davidson is the small school star at the position. Davidson dominated at the Division II level, averaging over 22 yards a reception as a senior while hauling in 15 touchdown passes. Just to show the athleticism, he served as the team punter as well.
Davidson needs to improve his leg strength. It's one thing to have kicking muscles and another to block defenders at the NFL level. The touchdowns will be there. Davidson is a special receiver in the red zone.
Jack Stoll is that traditional in-line tight end that offers size, blocking ability, and a huge target for the quarterback.
Stoll only has 61 receptions over the course of his four-year Cornhusker career. That being said, Stoll can move in the open field and is elusive for a man his size. While Stoll could be a red zone threat, he doesn't have the best hands. He has great footwork with his base and obtaining leverage at the line of scrimmage. Stoll will be a late-round selection whose blocking ability will allow him to find the field just enough as a rookie to potentially be a difference-maker. We used to see Nebraska employ the power running game and use three back sets. Wide receivers (aside from Irving Fryar) were never utilized at Nebraska it was the tight end who would get the glory when Nebraska took to the air. Nebraska has assimilated to a West Coast style and the tight ends aren't utilized often. Stoll could be a real steal in the right system.
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