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2026 TE Rankings
1.
Kenyon Sadiq
Archetype: Freak Athlete Hybrid Y
Pro Comp: George Kittle
Grade: 1st round
School:
Oregon
Height:
6'3
Weight:
245lbs
Strengths:
Absolutely dominant athlete and it shows at every level of the game; fast, breaks tackles, creates separation against man coverage, wins contested catches. QB's best friend; cerebral attacking soft spots in zone coverage. Speed makes him a major threat up the seams. Physical run blocker who can win in-line and dominate from various alignments.
Weaknesses:
Concentration drops litter his tape; 4 in 2025 alone. Film is good when used in-line, but only takes 36% of his snaps there. Route salesmanship will have to improve when his athleticism is matched. Production is inconsistent, though Oregon has many mouths to feed. His frame and functional strength as a blocker will be tested by NFL competition.
2.
Max Klare
Archetype: Balanced Hybrid Y
Pro Comp: Dallas Goedert
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Ohio State
Height:
6'5
Weight:
245lbs
Strengths:
Very dangerous route runner who has an impressive route tree, fluidity, and nuance. Athletic seam threat who keeps defenders honest. Cleaned up drops; 5 drops in '24 and 1 drop in '25. Very skilled at the catch point; 58% career contested catch rate. Gets upfield in a hurry and has displayed ability to make defenders miss. Willing blocker with tools to improve; good in limited '25 opportunities.
Weaknesses:
Lean frame creates some implicit limitations as a blocker; unclear if he can develop into a true in-line weapon. '24 film taking on DEs and OLBs in the run game was rough. Can make a defender miss occasionally but lacks twitch to be a true catch-and-run threat. Ohio State limited his role and production in '25; flashed in-line development but there is still room to grow.
3.
Oscar Delp
Archetype: Athletic Y
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Georgia
Height:
6'5
Weight:
245lbs
Strengths:
Rare athletic traits; elite burst, seam-splitting speed, and dynamic speed cuts. Profiles as a dangerous vertical threat. True dirty work tight end who excels as a run blocker and pass blocker; sturdy and intelligent. Y TE who takes 71.5% of his snaps in-line. Has started to meet his potential as a receiver in 2025; career highs in yards/route run and YAC/reception.
Weaknesses:
Weak production profile; yet to eclipse 300 yards. Size and athleticism haven't translated to jump ball dominance; struggles in contested catch situations. Fairly raw as a route runner; lacks nuance to create separation vs. man or a feel for where zones are soft. Route tree lacks diversity. Superior power profiles occasionally displace him quickly in the run game.
4.
Eli Raridon
Archetype: Balanced Hybrid Y
Pro Comp: Kyle Rudolph
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Notre Dame
Height:
6'7
Weight:
252lbs
Strengths:
Massive frame and catch radius; 6'7 with 33+ inch arms. Dominant at the catch point; uses his frame very well. Vertical build-up speed is absurd for a guy his size. Vertical route tree is fairly developed; dangerous attacking the seams. Knows where to attack zone coverage. Frame, requisite technique, and willingness to develop into one of the best inline blockers in the NFL.
Weaknesses:
Two torn ACLs muddy his profile; durability concerns as well as just one full season of tape. Pure linear athlete who turns like a semi-truck and doesn't make defenders miss. Turns upfield slowly and takes his time building up speed. Will have to develop his hand usage to create space on intermediate routes.
5.
Justin Joly
Archetype: Catch and Run F
Pro Comp: Gerald Everett
Grade: 3rd round
School:
NC State
Height:
6'3
Weight:
263lbs
Strengths:
Elite run after catch ability (46 missed tackles forced); great contact balance, vision, and some elusiveness. Hands become more reliable with each year he plays; 1 drop in 2025. Monster at the catch point (67% contested catch success rate). Moderate frame but his catch radius is massive thanks to his body control and ball skills. Great release and burst off the line. Solid route runner with some nuance.
Weaknesses:
Good-not-great athlete; moves well but lacks elite traits. Will likely be pigeonholed into a matchup weapon/move TE in the NFL. Lacks the prototypical length and in-line blocking film to be an every-down Y TE. Some teams may be turned off by his height/length.
6
Michael Trigg
Archetype: Catch and Run F
Pro Comp: Evan Engram
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Baylor
Height:
6'4
Weight:
240lbs
Strengths:
True matchup nightmare with his size, strength, and speed. Threatens the seams and has crafted his route tree in a way that takes advantage of that. One of the most dangerous RAC weapons in the class. Explosive mover who displays burst out of his breaks. Ball tracking and catch radius are great. Occasionally flashes greatness at the catch point with some awesome one-hand snags.
Weaknesses:
Brutally bad concentration drop issue; 7 drops in 2025 alone. Highlight reel catches don't change the fact that he converts on just 35.3% of his 1v1 opportunities. Pad level, technique, and aggression as a blocker simply aren't there. Has no hope of consistently playing in-line. Profile is that of a big slot receiver rather than a real tight end.
7.
Joe Royer
Archetype: Balanced F
Pro Comp: Brenton Strange
Grade: early day 3
School:
Cincinnati
Height:
6'5
Weight:
250lbs
Strengths:
Elite hands; 2.8% career drop rate, massive catch radius, and excellent contested catching. Robust receiving skillset; good spatial IQ as a route runner and a reliable pass catcher. QB's best friend; has great route salesmanship, tempo, and zone manipulation. Not a true in-line blocker, but opens up lanes as a down blocker and is reliable as a 6th pass protector.
Weaknesses:
Very average athlete who is limited against man coverage. Functional strength may limit him in the NFL; it will impact his ability as a blocker and his ability to win at the catch point. Below average burst impacts his ability to create after the catch and win vertically. In-line blocking is fairly weak; hand technique and pad level are poor.
8.
Dae'Quan Wright
Archetype: Balanced Hybrid Y
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Ole Miss
Height:
6'4
Weight:
255lbs
Strengths:
Good linear athlete who can stretch the middle of the defense; 17.3 yards/catch in 2025. Cleaned up drop rate in 2025; went from 6.9% to 3.4%. Good footwork and route salesmanship to cross the face of defenders. Has been increasingly asked to take on more in-line work thanks to his play strength and reliability as a blocker.
Weaknesses:
Poor career contested catch numbers; 26.7% success rate. Concentration drops have been a problem in his career. Not an elite athlete; solid all around but excels in no one area. Plays in a Lane Kiffin offense that doesn't feature him heavily.
9.
Eli Stowers
Archetype: Catch and Run F
Pro Comp: Juwan Johnson
Grade: early day 3
School:
Vanderbilt
Height:
6'4
Weight:
235lbs
Strengths:
Athletic upside is good; great burst & deceleration, solid vertical speed, and good hips for a guy his size. Great footwork to break quickly on in and out-breaking routes. Natural hands catcher who has a good catch radius and consistently low drop rate. Displays some solid contact balance to run through arm tackles. Showcases some wiggle after the catch with solid vision.
Weaknesses:
Glorified slot receiver. Not a guy you want playing in-line consistently; lacks play strength. Offers nothing as a blocker at this point. Too often thrown off his path at the top of the route; not very aggressive with his hands. Not a ball-winner at the catch point. Speed is a strength but not elite; won't consistently stack DBs or demand off coverage.
10.
Lake McRee
Archetype: Balanced Y
Pro Comp: Cade Otton
Grade: early day 3
School:
USC
Height:
6'4
Weight:
250lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
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