Three Potential NFL Fits for Stanford Tight End Sam Roush

Roush is heading to the NFL. Where could he fit in?

Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford tight end Sam Roush answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The NFL offseason is here. After the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX to earn their second ever championship, the focus has immediately shifted to the offseason, where all 32 teams are hard at work on building a winning team for the future.

But the biggest event each and every offseason is the NFL Draft, where college prospects officially become members of the league and begin the next chapter of their career.

For Stanford football, tight end Sam Roush will be one of the players in the draft after a strong college career. Developing the reputation of being an elite blocker while always willing to fight hard to make a catch, Roush has a ton of upside and will surely be of high interest come draft day.

But only one team will be able to select Roush, and that will most likely be a team that is in dire need of a tight end. Here are three potential fits for Roush as he begins his NFL career.

New York Giants

Even though the Giants invested heavily on revamping their roster for 2025, the team fell well short of expectations, finishing 4-13 and missing the playoffs for the third straight season. Now in a new era under John Harbaugh, the Giants will want to prioritize offense this offseason, looking for ways to provide help for second year quarterback, Jaxson Dart.

Roush, known for elite blocking and pass catching skills, could provide a boost at tight end for the Giants, who rolled with Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger in 2025.

Both played fairly well, with Johnson third on the team in receiving, but with Bellinger an impending free agent, depth is limited at the position. Roush could be an option for the Giants on day two or three of the draft to give them a more well-rounded tight end.

Atlanta Falcons

With Kyle Pitts set to hit free agency, and likely to generate significant interest throughout the league, his price tag could be more than Atlanta is willing to spend, given how inconsistent he has been throughout his five season career.

And while Pitts flourished in 2025, earning Second-team All-Pro honors, new head coach Kevin Stefanski could look to hit the reset button in Atlanta, and bring in his own personnel that fits his scheme better.

Pitts may get some interest from the Falcons to return, but an expensive price tag, his up and down tenure and the fact that Stefanski will want to do his own thing could leave a major hole to fill at tight end. If Roush ends up in Atlanta, expect him to take on a big role and showcase his skills in full.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers already have a tight end, and one that is on pace to be a future inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since entering the league in 2017, George Kittle has evolved into one of the best tight ends in football and is one of the the faces of the 49ers franchise.

The problem however, is that Kittle ruptured his achilles in the playoffs, putting his '26 season in jeopardy. Combine that with the fact that he will soon be 33-years-old, and you get major uncertainty as to what type of player Kittle will be when he comes back.

The 49ers will probably want to find a one-year, placeholder player for Kittle but with a weaker tight end free agent class, and with players like Pitts expected to be expensive, the 49ers may need to turn to the draft to find a replacement for Kittle.

Roush fits the bill for the 49ers, giving them an elite blocking tight end like they had with Charlie Woerner and a strong pass catcher like they have in Kittle.