NFL Draft: Top 10 tight ends Eric Ebron is a top target By Brent Sobleski 1 hour agoUSA Today Sports
North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Eric Ebron lands in the end zone for a touchdown with coverage by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Demond Smith at Bobby Dodd Stadium. (Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports) Ebron can outrun most linebackers and out-jump defenders in the secondaryOnly one tight end — the Bengals’ Tyler Eifert — has been selected in the first round during the past three NFL drafts. Two could possibly be selected during the opening frame of the 2014 draft, while other intriguing talent will be available later. In a league where the Saints’ Jimmy Graham is redefining a tight end’s role, at least one available option, North Carolina’s Eric Ebron, can provide similar match-up problems. Here are the top tight end prospects for the 2014 NFL draft: Top 10 1. Eric Ebron, North Carolina Concerns arose prior to the NFL combine that Ebron wasn’t in top physical shape. Ebron posted a strong 4.60-second 40-yard dash, which was second among tight ends. The workout only solidified the type of player Ebron is. He’s very fluid and an impossible match-up for opposing defenses. He is also an underrated blocker. 2. Jace Amaro, Texas A&M Only six wide receivers in the country finished with more catches than Amaro. Amaro led all tight ends with 106 receptions for 1,352 yards. Ebron caught 42 fewer passes. Amaro is athletic enough to line up wide, and physical enough to work underneath routes. The biggest concern is his lack of blocking in Texas Tech’s system. 3. Troy Niklas, Notre Dame Niklas was a surprise entrant for the 2014 draft class after an average junior campaign. Niklas caught 32 passes for 498 yards. Yet, Niklas has plenty of upside at 6-6 and 270 pounds. Niklas is an improving blocker and a solid athlete. His size and upside make him an intriguing second- or third-round prospect. 4. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington Seferian-Jenkins entered the season as a potential first-round selection. A poor junior campaign and concerns about a lingering foot injury caused his stock to drop. Further medical examinations will dictate where he is eventually selected. Otherwise, Seferian-Jenkins is a highly talented target with intriguing combination of size (6-5, 262) and athleticism. 5. CJ Fiedorowicz, Iowa Fiedorowicz is a NFL-ready prospect out of a pro-style system. He is an advanced blocker and a reliable receiver. At 6-5 and 265 pounds, Fiedorowicz is a traditional in-line tight end. He’ll be able to contribute immediately, despite a lack of overall athleticism. 6. Crockett Gillmore, Colorado State Another big target (6-6, 260), Gillmore won’t be the type of target which stretches the field vertically, but he has a good catching radius with the ability to adjust to errant passes. 7. Arthur Lynch, Georgia Over the past two seasons, Lynch was a reliable target for the Bulldogs. He wasn’t a primary option, but he has the size (6-5, 258) to be a legitimate target for underneath routes. 8. Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin Pedersen is the latest in a long line of effective tight ends from Wisconsin. Pederson isn’t the same type of athlete as a Travis Beckum or Lance Kendricks, but he’s a polished prospect with a penchant for finding soft spots in zone coverage. 9. Xavier Grimble, USC Grimble is more potential than production. In his three seasons with the Trojans, Grimble caught 69 passes. But his athletic ability and potential make him an intriguing prospect.. 10. Marcel Jensen, Fresno State Tight ends aren’t a staple in the Bulldogs’ high-flying spread offense, and Jensen became an afterthought. Yet, Jensen has intriguing size (6-6, 259) and natural ability. Next 10 11. Rob Blanchflower, UMass 12. Joe Don Duncan, Dixie State 13. Jake Murphy, Utah 14. Richard Rodgers, Cal 15. Colt Lyerla, Oregon 16. Jordan Najvar, Baylor 17. A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State 18. Ted Bolser, Indiana 19. Nic Jacobs, McNeese State 20. Kaneakua Friel, BYU
