NFL Draft Prospects: Top 5 players at every offensive position

Tight ends

1. Kyle Pitts, Florida

2. Brevin Jordan, Miami

3. Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

4. Hunter Long, Boston College

5. Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

Doesn’t qualify: Pat Freiermuth (Penn State)

I don’t think you can really argue who number one is here. Pitts has stood above the rest like nobody else at his position. The 6’6”, 240-pound beast gets moved around by the Gator coaches a lot and has proven to be a mismatch on pretty much anybody with his combination of size and speed. He was already a problem in 2019, but he quickly reminded us of who he is, with four touchdowns in the season-opener. And he has already cracked the 500-yard mark and scored 11 TDs in six games this year, with the only thing slowing him down being a hit to the head in the Georgia game. You can simply line him up as an outside receiver and he will win the majority of the battles, but when they put him in-line and give him those favorable matchups, his speed and ability to elevate over people is almost unfair. The only thing you may look at is that he isn’t a real asset as a full-time blocker attached to the line.

Somebody I believe gets a little overlooked, also looking ahead to the 2021 draft, is another TE from the U. Jordan is very much so a version of Pitts that gives up a few inches on him and a little bit of speed. Miami moved him all over the field in 2019 and he was by far the most versatile weapon for them, finishing with just under 500 yards through the air. While he only reached the end-zone twice, 13 of his 35 receptions in (37 percent) included at least 10 yards of additional yardage after the catch, as he quickly turns upfield and doesn’t mind running into some defenders. He already had an impressive showing early this season against Louisville, when he caught seven passes for 120 yards and a score, but he has missed a few games since then with injury. The one issue I have with him is that I haven’t seen him consistently win at the catch point.

The most advanced guy among this group is Kolar. The 6’6”, 245 pounds tight-end was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2019, thanks to catching 51 passes for 697 yards and seven scores. He has clearly been quarterback Brock Purdy’s favorite target over these last two years, thanks to his ability to win over the middle of the field with stick and slant routes, as well as how dependable he is, having dropped only two of the 64 catchable passes his way in 2019. Kolar is a very natural pass-catcher, who has no problem adjusting to the ball when it’s in the air and tracking it over either shoulder. Plus then he is non-nonsense after the catch usually, turning upfield and getting to the across the marker. He doesn’t nearly present the same athletic profile as the two guys ahead of him however, as I would describe him as a very crafty player.

Long was somebody that really wasn’t on my radar too much coming into this season. He caught 28 passes for just over 500 yards and two TDs in 11 games in 2019, averaging a crazy 18.2 yards per grab, even though BC used three different TEs at a high rate. Still, those to me where more the product of those guys being open off play-action with that run-first approach. This year Long has looked so much more dynamic getting into his routes, winning down the seams and running after the catch. I would clearly put him at the top of the list in terms of his capabilities as an in-line blocker, being charged with reach- and down-blocks on D-linemen and kicking out backside defenders. He always stays under great balance and keeps his feet under himself in that area.

And finally there’s Ferguson, who might present the most impressive frame of the bunch at 6’3”, 250 pounds, which he uses in Wisconsin’s run-heavy offense, creating movement at the point of attack and pushing second-level defenders backwards routinely. While there certainly aren’t a ton of opportunities in the passing game because of what this team likes to do, their top tight-end did rack up almost 700 yards and six TDs on his 69 grabs over those first two years in Madison. Ferguson presents a large catch radius and wins over the top of guys in the red-zone or down the middle of the field. The Badgers target him a lot on out and corner routes from a tight or wing alignment, plus he has some wiggle and power after the catch. However, I think he certainly benefits from rarely being matched up against space players in the pattern and he lunges forward too much at times as a blocker.

Freiermuth unfortunately suffered an undisclosed season-ending injury after catching 23 passes for 310 yards over the Nittany Lions’ first four games. While Kyle Pitts has gained some ground on him because of what he has shown this season already, “Baby Gronk” at Penn State was my TE1 coming into this year and I won’t rule him out for that come next April. He can do more as a true Y and is a monster in all areas.