Before the 2019 NFL Draft kicks off this Thursday night in Nashville, Tenn., we’re breaking down each position group to bring you our ranking of the best prospects.
Here’s a look at our top 10 tight ends:
1. T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
2018 stats: 49 catches, 760 yards, six touchdowns
The consensus No. 1 tight end in a deep, talented class, Hockenson is both a dangerous, athletic receiving threat and a powerful run blocker. Tight ends who can do both at a high level aren’t easy to find and are extremely valuable in the modern NFL, which explains why Hockenson — who’s been compared to both Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce during the pre-draft process — is being discussed as a potential top-10 pick.
2. Noah Fant, Iowa
2018 stats: 39 catches, 519 yards, seven touchdowns
Fant isn’t quite the blocker Hockenson is, but he might have a higher ceiling as a pass-catcher. He tore up the NFL Scouting Combine — ranking first among tight ends in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump and three-cone drill and third in the short shuttle — and caught 18 touchdown passes over his final two seasons at Iowa. Another projected first-rounder, Fant is likely to be drafted in the high teens or 20s.
3. Irv Smith Jr., Alabama
2018 stats: 44 catches, 710 yards, seven touchdowns
Widely considered the third-best option in this class behind Iowa’s dynamic duo, Smith is a solid two-way tight end whom evaluators believe has plenty of room to grow. Smith learned behind current Tampa Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard as a freshman in 2016 and was a bit player in 2017 (14 catches, 128 yards, three touchdowns) before breaking out as a junior. His 2.65 yards per route run in 2018 was tied for highest average among draft-eligible tight ends, according to Pro Football Focus.
4. Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
2018 stats: 48 catches, 823 yards, 10 touchdowns
Con: Sternberger isn’t much of a blocker. Pro: He’s a lethal downfield threat, both before and after the catch. He killed defenses on seams and skinny posts last season, averaging 17.3 yards per reception and recording at least one 20-plus-yard gain in 12 of A&M’s 13 games. Sternberger was a one-year wonder — he played sparingly at Kansas before transferring and spent the 2017 season at Northwest Oklahoma A&M — but should be ready to immediately contribute as a move tight end.
5. Dawson Knox, Ole Miss
2018 stats: 15 catches, 284 yards
Knox didn’t get much usage as a pass-catcher in a Rebels offense that featured three draft-worthy wide receivers — including potential first-rounders D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown — and hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since high school, but he impressed in his limited opportunities, averaging 18.9 yards per catch in 2018. Knox’s blend of size (6-4, 254) and athleticism (4.52-second 40, 7.02-second three-cone at his pro day) is enticing, and he also posted PFF’s third-highest run-blocking grade among draft-eligible tight ends last season.
6. Kahale Warring, San Diego State
2018 stats: 31 catches, 372 yards, three touchdowns
Another player who didn’t have eye-popping collegiate production, Warring is all about potential. He didn’t pick up football until his senior year of high school — before that, he played water polo in the fall — and still is learning the nuances of the game, but he’s big (6-5, 255), explosive (top four in both jumps at the combine, plus strong marks in the 40 and shuttle) and talented as a receiver and blocker. Warring should continue to improve in both areas as his football knowledge develops.
7. Josh Oliver, San Jose State
2018 stats: 56 catches, 709 yards, four touchdowns
Few players at the position saw more action last season than Oliver, who ranked second in the nation in receptions by a tight end. Contested catches were his specialty — no tight end recorded more than his 16, per PFF. Oliver was a blocking specialist for his first two collegiate seasons (seven catches in 25 games), so the 6-foot-5, 249-pounder has considerable experience in that area, as well.
8. Kaden Smith, Stanford
2018 stats: 47 catches, 635 yards, two touchdowns
Catching balls in traffic also is a strength for Smith, who’s shown decent blocking chops, too. He has great size, as well, at 6-5, 255, but his route-running needs work. At the combine, Smith tested poorly in all drills but one: the three-cone, which he ran in 7.08 seconds, third-fastest behind Fant and Hockenson.
9. Trevon Wesco, West Virginia,
2018 stats: 26 catches, 366 yards, one touchdown.
Wesco is a big boy (6-3, 267) who moves bodies in the running game and is hard to bring down after the catch. He only caught 28 passes in three seasons at West Virginia, but eight of them went for 20-plus yards.
10. Foster Moreau, LSU
2018 stats: 22 catches, 272 yards, two touchdowns
More blocker than receiver at LSU, Moreau had one of the more impressive all-around combine workouts, ranking fifth among tight ends in the 40, tied for second in bench, tied for third in vertical jump, fourth in broad jump, first in short shuttle and seventh in three-cone.
