The 2021 tight end class is an interesting one. Like last year’s it lacks any sort of depth, but it is also boasts the best tight end prospect in a generation in Kyle Pitts. It would be fair to say that this class is Pitts and everyone else, and I only have two other tight ends inside the top 100 of my Big Board.
1. Kyle Pitts, Florida
Pros: Pitts is regarded as the best tight end prospect in a generation and it is easy to see why. He has a rare combination of size and athletic ability that makes him a true mismatch weapon in the passing game. At 6’6″ and 246 lbs he runs a 4.44 40-yard dash. This makes him one of the very few tight ends capable of creating legitimate separation against a defensive back in man coverage. He spent almost a quarter of his college snaps as a boundary receiver and has the tools to win there in the NFL. He ran a diverse route tree at Florida and showed he can win at all three levels of the field. Pitts also offers elite hands, with no drops on his 43 catchable passes in 2020.
Cons: Pitts is one of those rare prospects where there really aren’t a tonne of flaws to his game. Some may have concerns about his size, and at 246 lbs he is on the smaller side of what you want in an NFL tight end. The only other real question mark will be around his blocking ability. Pitts showed real improvement in that department in 2020, but is still a little inconsistent. The effort is all there, but he could certainly improve his technique.
Projection: 1st round (top ten)
2. Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
Pros: Freiermuth earned the nickname “Baby Gronk” at Penn State, and whilst he is a long way from matching Gronk’s talent, it speaks to the kind of player he is. Freiermuth is a strong and powerful tight end who is tough to bring down in the open field, averaging 6.1 yards after the catch over the past two seasons. He is particularly effective as a red zone weapon and set the Penn State record for touchdown catches by a tight end. He has a huge catch radius and is one of the best tight ends when it comes to contested catch situations. Freiermuth also possesses all of the tools to be an effective run blocker and there were times on tape where he looked excellent in this role for Penn State.
Cons: Freiermuth is a good receiver but he isn’t a particularly dynamic athlete. He doesn’t have much in terms of long speed and can struggle to create separation against man coverage. His hands aren’t as reliable as you want from a tight end either. Freiermuth logged eight drops on his 100 catchable targets throughout his time at Penn State. As a blocker, the tools are all there for him to succeed, but his technique lets him down at times.
Projection: 2nd round
3. Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame
Pros: Tremble is easily the best blocking tight end in the 2021 class. He played primarily as a H-back in Notre Dame’s offense and could potentially transition to fullback in the NFL. Despite not being the biggest tight end, Tremble showcases great power at the point of attack and is a nasty blocker. He is great on the move and does a nice job of sustaining his blocks and sealing running lanes. He also offers genuine athleticism and the speed to create separation downfield. Although he was rarely used as an option in the passing game, Tremble was productive when targeted.
Cons: The biggest concern with Tremble will be his inexperience. He was a career TE2 at Notre Dame, sitting behind Cole Kmet and Michael Meyer. He has just 35 career catches for 401 yards to his name. His ceiling as a receiving tight end remains something of an unknown. Drops have also been a problem, with five on 40 career catchable targets. You would expect this to improve with experience, but it remains a concern. At 241 lbs he may struggle to translate his blocking success to the NFL.
Projection: 3rd round
4. Hunter Long, Boston College
Pros: Long has been a consistently productive pass catcher in Boston College’s offense over the last two years. He logged 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns on his 85 catches since the start of 2019. He combines this with prototypical NFL tight end size and build. Long’s excels in contested catch situations and he has no problem working through contact at the catch point. He is a smart player, who is excellent at finding holes in zone and making things easy for his quarterback. Whilst he isn’t yet a dominant blocker, he has all of the traits to develop into one at the next level.
Cons: Long’s biggest limitation is his athletic ability. He isn’t a dynamic athlete and this hinders his ability to create separation. This will develop into even more of a problem in the NFL, where he will face quicker and more agile defenders. As a route runner there is still plenty of room for development. He is sluggish in and out of his breaks and lacks the explosiveness that you want to see. Long doesn’t offer much after the catch and doesn’t break as many tackles as you might expect for a bigger tight end.
Projection: 4th round
5. Brevin Jordan, Miami
Pros: Jordan was a productive receiving tight end for Miami, aligning principally in the slot. He has good speed and was able to consistently create separation when left one-on-one with a linebacker. His best work came with the ball in his hands. Jordan’s average of 9.3 yards after the catch in 2020 led all draft-eligible tight ends. His 2.7 yards per route run ranks second behind only Kyle Pitts. Jordan is a tough runner too and logged 21 forced missed tackles on his 105 career catches. He showed good effort as a run blocker and there were even reps where he held his own against defensive ends.
Cons: Whilst Jordan has been a productive receiver, he doesn’t have the explosiveness and athletic ability you might expect from a player with good speed. More importantly, he falls short on the key traits you want in a receiving tight end. He is on the short side for the position at 6’2″ and struggles badly in contested catch situations, with just a 33.3 per cent career success rate. He has also had problems with drops throughout his career and has a tendency to be a body catcher. His inconsistencies as a blocker mean that there isn’t an awful lot for him to hang his hat on at the next level.
Projection: 4th round
6. John Bates, Boise State
Pros: At 6’6″ and 259 lbs, Bates already has the size and frame you would expect from an NFL tight end. He also possesses decent speed and is more than capable of threatening the seams. Bates has a background as a track athlete and showcases good initial explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. He was one of the better performers in the one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl too. Bates was used primarily as a blocker at Boise State and looked excellent in that role. He plays with good power at the point of attack and does a great job with his hand placement, consistently getting inside the frame of defenders.
Cons: Bates wasn’t very productive throughout his college career. In four years at Boise State he had just 47 receptions for 579 yards. As a result it is difficult to project what kind of player he can become at the next level. In the limited outings we saw, he was clearly a raw route runner and lacks the sure hands you want in a tight end. Bates logged five drops on his 52 career catchable passes at Boise State and has a tendency to body catch. Whilst he is a decent athlete, he hasn’t shown the ability to consistently create after the catch.
Projection: 6th round
7. Kylen Granson, SMU
Pros: Granson is a really athletic tight end who showcases the ability to win at every level of the field. His 136 deep yards in 2020 ranked third amongst draft-eligible tight ends. His production in general was a major plus point and he racked up 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns on his 78 receptions over the past two seasons. He ran a pretty diverse route tree at SMU and is capable of consistently creating separation from defenders. He is comfortable playing from a variety of alignments, featuring in the backfield, the slot, and out wide for SMU. His ability after the catch is also impressive and he has forced 12 missed tackles on his 78 receptions since the start of 2019.
Cons: Granson is the embodiment of the tweener tight end. At 6’1 and 241 lbs he is undersized and could struggle to hold up as a full time tight end in the NFL. He is a playmaker from the slot, but he may struggle to play a primarily inline role in the NFL. There is the potential for him to switch to a full time H-back role, but he isn’t a good enough blocker for this to make much sense. Teams will also have concerns about his issues with drops, logging nine on 87 catchable passes since the start of 2019.
Projection: 6th round
8. Tony Poljan, Virginia
Pros: At 6’7″ and 265 lbs, Poljan ticks every box as far as size is concerned. It won’t come as a surprise that he is a handful as a run blocker and has the strength to create movement on the line of scrimmage. As a receiver, Poljan is a real weapon in the red zone and he has 10 touchdowns on his 71 receptions over the past two seasons. He is great at high pointing the ball and has a huge catch radius. He has been productive in two different schemes after transferring to Virginia for his senior year. This is all the more impressive when considering he only transitioned to playing tight end full time in 2019. Prior to this, he was a dual threat quarterback at Central Michigan.
Cons: Poljan is still pretty raw, which is understandable given his lack of experience at the position. His route running isn’t refined and he can struggle to create consistent separation. He’s not the greatest athlete and his change of direction ability is sorely lacking. His ball security is a problem too, with four drops on 42 catchable passes in 2020 and numerous fumbles throughout his career. Despite his size, Poljan isn’t dominant in contested catch situations and his body control needs work. At 24 years old he is one of the oldest tight ends in the class.
Projection: 6th round
9. Briley Moore, Kansas State
Pros: Moore is an excellent blocking tight end. He has the strength and power at the point of attack to create movement and is great when moving up to the second level to take on defenders. He also showed in 2020 that he could be a weapon as a receiver, logging a career high 22 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Moore is a solid athlete for his size and has good burst off the line. He is capable of creating yardage after the catch, although this came mainly through his tough running style rather than making defenders miss.
Cons: Moore comes with some pretty significant durability concerns. He had several knee surgeries in high school, before a spinal injury in 2018 and a shoulder injury in 2019 that saw him miss the bulk of the season. In terms of his on-field ability, Moore doesn’t have the reliable hands you want in a tight end. He also lacks a large catch radius and has a tendency to body catch. As a route runner, he lacks polish and nuance and needs to develop that part of his game.
Projection: 6th round
10. Tre’ McKitty, Georgia
Pros: McKitty possesses good ball skills. His catch radius is huge and he has good body control to adjust to passes outside his frame. He combines this with legitimate ability as a ball carrier and McKitty is one of the better tight ends after the catch in this year’s class. He has shown the ability to line up in the slot and inline and is comfortable playing as a blocker. This aspect of his game improved significantly after his transfer to Georgia in 2020.
Cons: McKitty doesn’t really have the production that you want for a three year starter. He has just 56 career catches and 624 yards to his name and barely featured in the passing game for Georgia. He doesn’t have a tonne in terms of burst and his top end speed is pretty average for a tight end. His route running remains raw and limited and he didn’t often show the ability to create separation downfield.
Projection: 6th round
