Top 5 TEs In 2018 NFL Draft

1. South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst – Junior – 6-5, 253 – 4.67
It was not a foregone conclusion that Hurst was the top tight end in this class when the 2017 college football season started — heck, it wasn’t even a conclusion when the season ended either. In his final two years, Hurst had 48 catches for 616 yards and 44 catches for 559 yards. Hurst, who is 23 years old, has a good combination of size and speed. South Carolina used that in every way they could by moving him all over the field. As an all-purpose tight end, Hurst seems to be the top guy on most boards.

2. South Dakota State TE Dallas Goedert – Senior – 6-4, 250 – N/A
Goedert took the internet football world by storm two years ago when he performed his insane one-handed touchdown catch in 2016. Like Hurst, Goedert has a good combination of size, speed, agility, and reliable hands which was evident by his 92 receptions for 1,293 yards and 11 touchdowns during his career. He has the frame and the athleticism to be the top tight end taken in this class. It’s just a matter of whether or not team trust his production against lesser competition.

3. Penn State TE Mike Gesicki – Senior – 6-6, 252 – 4.54
Gesicki is a receiving tight end who made a handful of really nice plays over the last few years at Penn State. That was sort of his narrative going into the draft process. That is, until he absolutely blew up the combine. With a 4.54 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump, Gesicki posted athletic scores that were nearly unheard of for a tight end. Now knowing he is that athletic, teams are going to take him higher than we originally thought.

4. Oklahoma TE Mark Andrews – Junior – 6-5, 253 – 4.67
With his size, you’d figure Andrews would be just as much of a blocking type as he could be a receiver, but really, in Oklahoma’s offense, he was a pass catching machine. With career stats like 112 catches, 1,765 yards and 22 touchdowns, Andrews finished his senior year as the nation’s top tight end, winning the John Mackey Award and earning first-team All-American and All-Big 12 accolades. He’s bulky for a receiving tight end, and some injures may have already slowed him down a bit, but he’s a natural pass catcher as a big bodied player.

5. Indiana TE Ian Thomas – Senior – 6-5, 248 – 4.74
To some, Thomas has been their hidden gem of the tight end class throughout the season. Thomas played at Nassau Community College for two years before transferring to Indiana, where he had a minor role but only ever started in one game. His athletic profile make him an alluring receiving tight end at the next level. According to almost all reports, he’s a high character guy and he was a former track and basketball star in high school, too.

Best Of The Rest

6. Wisconsin TE Troy Fumagalli – Senior – 6-5, 234 – 4.74
Fumagalli was a stead product for the badgers for four years, though just two of them as the team’s starter. Though he only has nine fingers, Fumagalli is still an all-around receiving tight end. He eclipsed 500 yards receiving in each of his last two seasons and has six touchdowns in those season. He’s a guy who can play inline as well as in the slot, but he’s not the biggest tight end, so on-the-line work will be limited in the NFL.

7. Stanford TE Dalton Shultz – Senior – 6-6, 240 – 4.75
Shultz is the next Stanford tight end who is coming from a pro system in which he is asked to block first and catch passes second. He’s a strong blocker who knows how to lock up linebackers are defensive ends in the run game. He never had more than 222 yards receiving in a single season, and that is concerning, but he won’t be drafted primarily on his pass catching skills anyways. He’s a sound technical blocker for a tight end who might give you limited receiving ability in certain situations.

8. Miami TE Chris Herndon – Senior – 6-4, 252 – N/A
Herndon was suppose to be the heir to the Miami tight end throne after the departure of David Njoku, but an ACL injury 11 games into his senior year spoiled some of those plans. Herndon is a natural athlete for a player of his size, and even shows room to put on some weight with his frame. If he can get back to form after that knee injury, he can be a nice receiving option for any team.

9. Notre Dame TE Durham Smythe – Senior – 6-4, 245 – 4.81
Smythe’s stats aren’t great — don’t look at them. His 381 total receiving yards in four years come from not starting much until his senior season and him being much more of a traditional blocking tight end. He’s a good finisher as a blocker, and if that’s what a team is looking for, he can be that kind of guy later in the draft.

10. Florida State TE Ryan Izzo – Senior – 6-5, 245 – 4.94
Izzo’s career as a tight end has evolved as Florida State’s offense sifted. When Izzo was given time as a contributor in 2016, he was mainly a blocker for Dalvin Cook, as Florida State’s offense was based around that. but, in 2017, he was use more in the passing game and caught 317 receiving yards on 20 catches for three touchdowns. Izzo is sort of an all-around tight end who can give you some nice plays as a a blocker and some nice plays as a pass catcher, but won’t “wow” you in either category.

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