Top 10 Tight Ends for Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos need to remake their tight end room this offseason, with or without Evan Engram, who could be a potential cut candidate. The Broncos received minimal impact from their tight end room last year, and have Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, and Lucas Krull all set for some form of free agency this offseason.

While this is a good tight end class in the NFL draft, it's not as good as last year's, and there is only one clear top-50 guy at the moment. There could be some risers after the NFL Scouting Combine, but the depth of the class makes up for the lack of strength at the top.

The Broncos could use any type of tight end at the moment, but they have to find someone to work as an in-line blocker and receiver, who can change the math against opponents. Unfortunately, there are not many such options in the class this year, as it consists of pure big-slot tight ends or pure blockers with minimal receiving ability.

There are a few, but not many, who qualify as that dual type. So, let’s get into the top 10 at the tight end position before the NFL Combine.

Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon

Sadiq's production isn’t what you want to see, and there are some technical errors in his game, but he is one of the few who shows the in-line ability to be both a blocker and a receiver. He should test out extremely well at the Combine (if he tests) and has all the tools to work with.

Sadiq has many similarities to David Njoku when he entered the NFL.

Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt

The athleticism needs to be seen, but Stowers isn’t an in-line guy. He has some serious concerns as a blocker.

Stowers could develop enough in the slot to make an impact, but he is a mismatch receiver. What he does at the Combine will likely have a significant effect on his stock.

Max Klare | Ohio State

As with Stowers, the athletic testing will be necessary for Klare. There is a little more there to work with as a blocker, but he may not be quite the athlete Stowers is. These two are currently graded identically and can be placed in either order.

Michael Trigg | Baylor

Trigg is a big slot receiver who doesn’t offer much in-line ability with poor blocking. His blocking in the slot is also poor, but he is a good-quality receiver who can create advantageous mismatches and capitalize on them. The athletic testing will help clear things up, but it also needs to show more consistent hands.

Eli Raridon | Notre Dame

Raridon is a capable blocker and receiver, and he can contribute in many ways from multiple spots in the offensive formation. He has that ability to be an in-line tight end, but his injury history is extremely concerning, and some feel he could push for a top-three spot at the position in this class if it weren’t for the health issues.

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Joe Royer | Cincinnati

Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) runs downfield in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game. — Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) runs downfield in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and UCF Knights at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 11, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The blocking ability flashes at times on tape when working from an in-line spot, but it happens so infrequently that it is hard to bet on. Royer did well in the slot, but his great receiving ability hasn’t consistently shown up as a big-time slot for the NFL. There is a lot to work with, but Royer is very much a project.

Justin Joly | North Carolina State

Joly is one of the better receiving tight ends in this class, and he can do enough in the slot as a blocker, but there is no in-line ability from him. He has the frame to be about 260 pounds, with good height and length, but the strength isn’t there, nor is the technique.

Joly's receiving is good, great even, and drops aren’t an issue, but he may not be a great mismatch player in the slot at the NFL level.

Jack Endries | Texas

Endries may be on the lighter side for a tight end, but he has some good flashes as a blocker, both in-line and in the slot. He has also displayed solid receiving capabilities, but may not have the traits to be a difference-maker. With his lighter weight, he may struggle more in-line, or be limited to a move tight end role.

Oscar Delp | Georgia

Delp has consistently flashed as a receiver for the Bulldogs, despite playing behind some other good tight end prospects. Delp's blocking is a major concern, but he is a threat after the catch from the tight end position, with 461 of his 864 career receiving yards coming there.

Sam Roush | Stanford

There are a few in-line tight ends who can impact the game as a blocker and a receiver in this class, and Roush is one of them, but the concern is that his impact as a receiver could be as much of a detriment as it could be a benefit.

Roush's size is great, with the length, strength, power, and technique to have success as a blocker. The issue is, his route running doesn’t create separation, and his hands are among the most unreliable in this draft for any offensive weapon with at least 45 targets, with the 11th-highest drop percentage in this class, and all those ahead of him are not considered draftable prospects.